A/N & Pre-story Version: 1.4
Last time...
''Slipping into the game...''
'You saved me, Sherlock Holmes...'
'No! Stop thinking, Kudou-kun! This is no good. They're looking for him, by using the brainwave activities!'
''N-Nani? This is not supposed to happen!''
''I know. Let it be: I'll leave them be for a while.''
''Why?''
''Yes, although merely children.''
''Command executing...''
''We're going to force them to pay if they wanted to expose us. Some of their parents already know.''
''No! I lost control: someone managed to hacked the security system and managed to get into the main system.''
''Say, if we failed to get out of here, what will happen to us?''
''The command haven't been executed yet.''
''I-I don't know...''
''Someone made the system force-eject everyone but one...''
'Please not, Conan-kun...'
''Stat: recharging...''
''...''
''Executing...''
''Don't worry, I'll teach him a lesson for doing that.''
''Nani? What's that suppose to mean?''
''DEG!''
''I advice you to take the earliest flight to Japan... If not, you might regret it for the rest of your life...''
''To make sure the kid die...''
''CLICK!''
TAKATO: Hi, long time no see, everyone. Now I'm back! *smiles* It took me some time, thanks a lot the major author blocks and all...
CONAN: Oi! Why did I have to die? *yelling*
TAKATO: *vein popping* Hello? You're not dead, yet.
?: ''Yet'' is the keyword.
TAKATO: Whatever! *spat on his face* Anyway, *cough* there's some new things here.
?: By the way, she *pointing Takato* never owns anything since she was born 'till her death.
CONAN: *startled* Then who owns it?
TAKATO: *cough* *cough*
? & CONAN: *gulps*
?: *whispers* All materials belonged to their respective owners.
TAKATO: *bows head* I'm so sorry: I actually wanted to use quotation marks (") instead of aposthropes ('), but it crashed my word processor when I tried to correct: too many! Anyway, just for you to know, checking things will be very difficult due to some reasons - I do appreciate those who correct me via reviews, though -
I'm also using versions instead of "last updated" aka "L. E." The default number is v1.0, it'll increase by 0.1 each minor editing, major ones increase by 1.0. This is due to the fact that I update on different days. Thanks. So sorry for the inconvenience. Please enjoy!
This is the 1st time I ever manage to use Doc Manager lines... Don't get your hopes up.
v2.1
v2.2 (changed some styles, added log)
CHAPTER 2: THREE "LITTLE" BIRDS
"*yawns*'' I feel so lazy tonight. Especially after a long journey to Japan. In the end, I used the teleportation ring to arrive in time to Japan and have a little nap. Ah, the name's Takato. That's one of my nicknames. As you can see here, I'm a peregrine falcon -for now-. My feather colour is back to normal for a peregrine: white snow is proven far too attractive. I almost got shot by those nice bird-shooters thrice. Thrice in a flight. Great. I think I'll try on a swan, but I'll have to find my friends first. Where are they? I heard something behind me, though. I try to use my physics power of daydreaming to enhance my hearing.
"Raptor, stop moving around too much!" he hisses.
''It can't be helped,'' protests the other. ''She transformed us forcefully: I still haven't got enough time to learn!''
''I know,'' he says again. ''But don't you think it's unwise to attack her?''
Those are my friends. My "little" friends. Actually we're just acquaintances. I turned them into a scoop owl, and a golden eagle each. How's that possible? Easy, I'm a Dreamer - or rather a Daydreamer, since I dream while I'm still conscious -, which is a creature or anything that dreams A LOT and our dreams could become reality in a jiffy. You see, we're mostly actually humans - since humans do dream a LOT. Humans from other place that are NOT supposed to be in the places, yet we're summoned (no one really knows what summoned us) to help the residents of the place where we are. My friends there are actually humans, too, but I brought them here. How did they become an owl and an eagle? I dreamed - or daydreamed - about them being like that. And... poof! Just as companions: I have fear of being alone, an unquestionable necessity.
I sneak (fly a bit; falcons aren't as silent as owls) behind them as they keep on arguing. Well, they argued too seriously that they still didn't notice my disappearance.
''Hey,'' says the one who turned into the owl. ''Where is she?''
Finally, he realized. He's not supposed to be that slow. He used to be rather sharp, for he's a special force himself. Lucky this is not ''the field''.
He turns his head around, searching for me. But as most people do, he forgets the golden rule of hunters: watch your back.
''You're right...'' the other one replies. He does the same. Falls on the same "hole".
With every steps I take, the owl seems to catch it but he's not so sure. After just 5 seconds, I only need to screetch to give them some heart attack. And I screetch. For fun - and sweet little revenge. Sometimes it's sweet.
''Whoa!'' cries the eagle. He steps backwards in surprise. That's for trying to pull my leg. He nearly falls -well, that's a bit too much- of the branch. Thanks to the owl he doesn't. The owl falls though. Geez, parasite, pain in the neck. Luckily, he can fly. He's sure a quick learner: they're supposed to be unable to fly, since they're in those forms for around 8 hours or so.
''That's a real shock!'' roars the eagle.
But I can't tell the difference whether he's actually laughing or what: he roared with laughter when he's saying that. I raise my eyebrow - if falcons do have one.
''Yeah,'' the owl says rather halfheartedly. Well, he's always like that. At least, almost. No one knows for sure why.
Well, let me introduce you. The scoop owl -easy to identify: he looked like a certain Ezylryb- named Owl. Owl's his name. Actually, his full codename -since he never told me his name- is Stealth Owl. He's still young, but he got potentials. His eyes remained amber with 3 _\ shaped scars below his right eye. I don't know where or when did he get it. His look shows that he's serious, and he tends not to be very talkative. An obedient soldier, he is. Tell you what, his general held a gun at him, but he remained loyal until now. So much more, but impossible for me to tell all. He's like a ninja, you know. He's an expert in infiltartion, skydiving, and his accuracy is great. His favorite - as a human - is SKR, a sniper. Too bad his senior just hated him. An unclear grudge, really: no one really explained anyone.
The golden eagle is his partner, Immortal Raptor. ''Immortal'' for he's able to ''clean-up'' everything from an entire garrison, armoured vehicles included. He got superhuman power. You won't like it if you're an enemy of his. He usually carried a machine gun, 2-3 rocket launchers, a shotgun, another semi or automatic gun, some quads (quads are small missiles, usually with heat detector. They're small, but deadly. They're set so they won't collide each other. Nice, eh? They're carried on Raptor's back, sometimes Owl's during his skydiving.) Well, a massive destroyer with some good sense of humor. It makes me sick...
''About time,'' Owl says. ''We've been waiting for you for quite several hours.''
''Sorry,'' I say. ''It took longer than I expected, although I took the form of a peregrine falcon.''
Raptor grins at me. ''And I thought you said that you won't be late.''
I blush at his comment. I DID say something about me won't be late. How stupid of me to forget!
"Shut up," I mutter, with my face as red as a lipstick could be.
Raptor chuckles. "Look who's the slowpoke now." I turn my head from him. Like it's my fault for coming late (it's slightly right, though).
I sensed something will happen on my ''old one''. That's what I felt when I was chatting with Kudou Yukiko. To help me, I've recruited 3 people from 2 different organizations. Speaking of 3, now where did he disappear to?
''Hey,'' I says.
''Hmm?'' mumbles Raptor lazily. It can't be helped: he doesn't have any good old sleep for 2 days.
''Have you seen the eagle owl yet?'' I ask them. Raptor narrows his eyes when he heard me.
''No, we don't. We don't see anything,'' he replies, a hint of suspicion colouring his tone. ''Don't tell me you recruited someone else aside from us.''
Well, he got me. I knew they will eventually. I DO hope they won't find out, though.
''Exactly,'' I reply truthfully.
''It can't be helped,'' mutters Owl. Finally. He's not very talkative, you see. Like Conan, he prefers to keep his thoughts to himself. ''We better get a move on. I received a word about the circumstance. Not very good.''
I nod. ''Agree. We better head to the nearest hospital instead. If they're wise enough, they'll be there by now. Slim chance he'll stay alive.''
''What's so special about that eagle owl, anyway?'' blurts Raptor. He makes me flinch. And I thought it's "case closed".
I sigh. ''He was supposed to be here, and yet he's not. Don't get your hopes up: I gave him choices you don't have.''
''Thank you very much,'' replies Raptor with sarcasm tainting his tone. Owl only mutters something unaudible under his breath.
I turn from him desperately. He's introgating or what? I greedily take as much air as I can in a single inhale. ''It can't be helped: he had a daughter who's in danger! If he doesn't, she will die! To make it complete, that's the last of his family member and the only one that humanized him, '' I yell, speaking as fast as a shinkansen (Japan bullet train). At the end, I turn. My anger quickly extinguish. Slowly I smile and burst out laughing, and stomping the branch I'm on with my right leg.
Raptor's eyes are wide. So wide to the point they look like they will fall out of the sockets any second. Most of the feather on his head look like they've been blown by a hurricane: all of them point backwards, showing the pinkish skin around "bridge" of his nose. He gapes. And a fly flies into his mouth, choking him. As he managed to throws the fly out, I already burst out another laugher.
Owl looks like he's been scolded by his general while he turns his back on his general. Some of the feather around his neck stand so straight that they resembled needles and pine trees altogether. The very same fly from Raptor's beak flies again.
"Oooh," I say, my beak forming an "O". I smile at the still coughing Raptor. "It's a rather unique."
Raptor glares at me. "Shaddup," he says, blushing a bit. Thanks to his feather, you can't see it. Too bad: it's rather a rare sight.
A choking a coughing startle both of us. Raptor nearly fall and frantically scratches the branch as he climbs back to regain balance. I do fall, only to fly back to the branch. Here I am, sitting on the same spot.
I look at Raptor, holding a laugher with a small nasty smile. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I ask the "famous question".
He grins. "I sure am."
I raise my talon to form a "3". "On the count of three... One... Two..."
Raptor gets ready.
I smile a tricky smile as I say, "Two and a half." Raptor nearly leaps around. He hisses and narrows his eyes.
"Three!"
And the two of us turn to see a rather unusual sight for both of us: Owl's trying to catch... a fly. Despite his furious attempt to get it, the fly is still too small for his talons' grasp. He raises his talons again, and... the fly disappears.
"Where?" he asks as he turns around, looking for it.
Raptor and I shrug. And the same time. Both of us look at each other and increase the gap between us while looking away. I don't know if it's just me, but I blush furiously. Guess I'll have to thank my feather later. Then a rather weird singing snap me out of my thoughts. I glance around and find the source. It's Owl.
"... And with all this romantic... Atmostphere..." Owl pauses. He really looks ridiculous if you know him. But his voice is actually quite nice. I have to admit it. He sang softly. Sometimes he even moved his tail feather gracefully but it's ridiculous considering he's a male, not female. Then...
"Disaster in the air!" he yells, really off-tone, eyes closed, and yelling at our direction like a rockstar.
Raptor falls of the branch because of his futile attempt to close his ears. In a second, he manages to sit back on the branch. This time a bit further from both Owl and me.
I want to facepalm. He sang like Timon from the "Lion King". I smirk. If you wants it that way, Owl...
I jump and I stand on a new branch. With better leaves of course. I stand on a spot where they - but not others - can see me. Clearing my throat, I take a deep breath and begin to sing. Not the original version, of course. Elton John, forgive me. (Note that the bold ones are the modified ones.)
"Can you feel the grudge tonight?"
Owl scoffs. Skipping some part of it, the ones I barely remember, I continue.
"A mess for once, in perfect harmony... With all the disaster..."
Raptor laughs a muffled laugher behind Owl. Despite Owl's glare, he continues to laugh.
"Shaddup," mutters Owl silently, but not silent enough.
I smirk and continues to sing.
"So many times to slaphim..."
And the rest of the song, along with my concenstration, drown in Raptor's laugher.
Owl seems to be angry because I can see his vein popping on his left temple and his beak, and eyes twitch. He yells, "shaddup" only to get choked by the very same fly that choked him minutes ago. Raptor pauses when Owl goes "Huck!" from the choking.
I laugh, again. And get smacked.
Several minutes of laughing, slapping, and smacking later...
"That's enough," Raptor says between his gigles. His eyes are watery and red. Because of crying. Crying of laugher.
I hand Owl his falconry rings. In UK it's usually given to falconers and their partners. You lost the bird, you're fined. That's nasty.
He wears it without uttering a single word.
I turn around so that my back is facing Raptor, Owl's facing my wing. I also begin to wear my own ring. And brand new ones, too. Oh I do hope I can use my hands instead of my beak: it's tricky. There. It's done. I check the rings to make sure they're enclosed and valid. Of course, really valid. I asked Kudou-san to do it for me.
Just another note for you, "-san" can literally means "Mr." or "Ms." or "Mrs."
I look at Owl's direction. He's done. Good. At least there's only one to be worried about.
I turn around and shake my head. He's still gigling. Just perfect. If I still have my hands, I'll place it on both side of my waist. "Raptor, cmo'n."
"Alright," he says, rubbing the last tear off. I, rather harshly and impatiently, hand him his rings. "Thanks," and mutters something under his breath quickly.
I look at the moon's position. Too bad it's slightly cloudy. Thanks a lot. I try to find a public clock or whatever you call it. To my luck, none.
"It's around an hour and a 3/4 after the system breaching," Owl says. I nod. What a coincidence. Or is it?
"Let's get going," I say, glaring at Raptor for a second before taking off.
Owl drops himself before flapping his wings. He's the most silent flyer among us. His face reflects seriousness and calmness, mixed perfectly together. Some of his feather get brushed by the wind.
"Wait!" calls Raptor as he begins to fly. I know Owl doesn't fly so nice either, but I think Raptor is worse. He's struggling to keep his altitude and balance at the same time. I'm so glad that I had time to have a bit flying exercise before doing these stunts. When he manages to balance himself, he asks, "Where are we heading?"
I close my eyes and raise my eyebrows as if they're my shoulder and I'm shrugging. "Dunno. Could be anywhere." Owl suddenly slows down. Apparently shocked.
Raptor and Owl exchange glances behind my tail (behind my back means above me). We're quite high and don't fly in formation: too suspicious.
"Let me get this straight," he says. "You summoned us. And you don't even know where he is? Are you kidding me?"
"Yes, Raptor, I know where we're heading," I say with a hint of sarcasm.
"Really?" asks Owl flatly.
"NO! Of course not!" I yell. It's hardly audible, thank the wind.
"There!" yells Raptor, pointing using his beak. I quickly look through my shoulder to where he's pointing. Owl's glancing too.
It's Beika Central Hospital.
In the parking lot nearby there are so many red orbs. Police cars. There are several moving dots too. You can't see humans from here: you'll see them as dots. The dots are all around the entrance or the cars.
I nod and yell back, "Sure it is."
Owl and Raptor go down, slightly plummeting to the earth. But during it, Owl suddenly opens his wings. Very reckless. He looks at me. He knows. He knows I'm not following them. Raptor keeps plummeting and slowly opens his wings not as parachute, but as a hang-glider. Owl looks at me with worry.
I mouth, "Go ahead. I'll catch up with you guys," and he nods, following his partner shortly.
Instead of following them, I fly higher. Higher and higher. Higher until no one can see me. Thank the clouds for that. Flying blindly, I close my eyes and open my wing widely with grace of a former dancer. I smile as I dream myself transforming: it's the key of each transformation I have taken. Through my eyelids, I still can see the silver and golden light that slowly transform me. I can feel myself and the rings become somewhat... larger.
I open my eyes as I feel myself going out of the clouds. I realise that I'm flying with my back facing the ground! But I remembered what Ezylryb said to someone else, "use your gizzard... Fly inside..." only in my case it's "fly outside."
I fold my wing as I used them to spin in the air. Now, back in the correct position. And now I'm a Brahminy Kite, ever heard of it?
Brahminy kite is medium-sized bird-of-prey. An adult one looked a lot like a bald eagle, with some differences. The white section can spread until the lower chest. Their legs are slightly smaller and thinner, but still powerful (although looked too small if you look at it). Their wingspan can reach up to 39.8 inches and they can grow until around 27.6 inches or 23.6 inches long. Their other fur coloured brownish red. You can say it's dark brick red. Their beak shaped like hook, like other eagles or falcons or kites or other species. Their eyes are completely black. And their feet, are featherless, like those of peregrine falcons. They don't let their talons or legs dangling during a flight like peregrine falcon does, though. They "folded" it neatly, like an owl. Some said that they can feed in the middle of a flight. Either it's too hungry or too reckless, who knows. They can be found in India, Indonesia, and around those areas.
But I thought the adult one is too big for my taste. I picked a young one's form, with 11.9 inches long and wingspan of 27.6 inches.
This one looked a lot like phoenix. Golden beak (is it really golden or is it just me?), black eyes. The rings still attached. Nice. Nice mixture of red, brick red, brown, dark brown and white painted my feather. Otherwise, I still look the same as the adult one. If you're wondering, just look in Wikipedia for "Brahminy Kite": they have the picture, too. Very convenient.
I plummet to the ground like an osprey usually does. When I'm beginning to get a bit too close, slowly I glide, riding the air. Of course, I can't get inside: I've never know a hospital to allow animals inside. Not in ordinary cases. Exclude Blue Boy the pigeon from this.
"Psst!"
I glance at the nearest tree. Owl. I fly to the tree.
"What is it?" I ask as I perch on the branch.
Owl gestures for me to come closer using his "finger." I approach him questingly. He whispers into my ears, "Try pretending to be a carrier: it'll lower their suspicion. I'll be here if you need anything."
I nod, and whisper back, "Yes, but how I can carry a message if I can't write one?"
Owl grins in victory. "Do you know why I ask you to give me the warp gate on the ring?" I shake my head. "It's because I wanted to summon some things I thought we'll need, including pen, pencil, and paper." Then he hands me some paper.
A smile finds its way to my face. "Excellent."
He smiles back and nods. "Anytime."
I turn from him. "Better fly away from this tree to another tree. We don't want anyone to notice that I don't have an owner, do we?"
He nods. "Right away." He begins to walk to prepare to fly.
He's about to fly when I remember something. I know this may sound hilarious and unnecessary, but I think he has the right to know.
"Owl," I say, stopping him on his tracks. He looks at me with a what's-the-matter look. "You know, you're not exactly like what they said about you. Maybe it's true you're better and you've changed."
He smiles at my comment. "Nobody stays the same." And he leaves.
I smile sadly, watching him flying and disappears. 'No, Owl... Not all.' After that, I begin on writting some messy message in English. If Kudou Yuusaku's there (which is very likely), he'll translate it to everyone. After all, he's a Japanese, but he stays in USA a lot.
In the dark night, with the shy moon hiding, I write a message. I look at the sky dreamily before continuing. Maybe someone won't be here to see the moon shines... Nor "they" will be here to watch the always-on-time sun shines again.
"And maybe some things are that simple... Whatever lies before this morning, is a little later on."
TO BE CONTINUED...
A/N:
- For future references: ''Normal speech,'' 'Thoughts,' "Singing." "Modified Lyrics..."
- I know this chapter didn't really involve DC, but bear with me.
- Please inform me if I missed something on the cast
CAST (v1.0)
Original main story:
- Detective Conan
Characters' origin:
- Detective Conan
- CT Special Forces
Owners:
- Aoyama Gosho (Detective Conan)
- LSP (CT Special Forces)
Songs:
- "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" by Elton John
- "Simple and Clean" by Utada Hikaru
Cameos / Mentions:
- Sam Fisher as THE NOT-COMING EAGLE OWL (Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell)
- Ezyryb (Guardians of Ga'Hoole - Kathryn Lasky)
- Blue Boy (A Collete of Many Colours - Janette Oke)
Credits (thanks to):
- Reviewers
- Readers
- Those who added this to "Fav Story" and/or "Story Alert"
- Those who have waited
- Canis Cantus (FF author)|
- Sarruby (FF author)
And many others.
Next time... (might change)
"Where am I?"
"'I don't think life is quite that simple... And maybe some things are that simple... (back-to-toback arrows, their tips forming like: 'X' sign, the one usually used to show antonym)'?"
"Agasa-san, we've something to ask..."
"Vermouth."
"Why do you..."
"Gin."
'Numbers? A row of numbers?'
"Ah... My bad."
"Hakase..."
"Hm. A secret makes a woman woman."
"Welcome, warrior of truth... We have been waiting for you..."
"Just try to pry it."
"Who am I? I bear no importance... But you do..."
"Hm. It's actually a pretty easy riddle."
"Hmph."
"Owl, I'll need something."
"You're..."
"'He's...'"
"After all I promised someone that I'll teach some certain somebodies a lesson or two."
"I understand."
"Come on out:...!"
"Another keyhole..."
