A/N: this chapter goes in a little different direction. Some of you will not like it. I had always intended this story to be a crossover, but I never liked it. It seems kind of cheesy to me but the story won let me do it any other way. If you are a true artist than you understand what I say when the story has a mind of its own. As far as what the crossover entails, I am using the batman characters and the teen titans, since Grayson is involved with them and I already have the whole story planned out. Part of the reason it seems so cheesy is that it's hard to believe that Conan would exist in the same world as the DC comics' heroes and not know about them or have them appear before. To this end I am trying to keep what crossover characters I mention to keep it more believable.

Chapter 3

Enter the Knight

The class was abuzz with the usual chatter. Conan had even gotten into the spirit, engaging in a whispered dialog with Mitch about who their summer school teacher would be. They had nearly eliminated every teacher they knew when a college aged man wearing an expensively tailored three piece suit and hefting a stylish briefcase stepped to the front of the class appearing uncomfortable in the suit and, despite his disarming smile, very stern. It took the class less time than Conan would have expected for the strange new arrival to quiet the aforementioned chatter.

The mere presence of this new arrival brought a hush on the assembled young students. All were anxious to fund out what manner of teacher taught a middle school level criminal justice course. Raven dark hair and sharp facial features added to an intimidating visage. The young smoothness of his face belied the lethal glint in his eyes or the ever present hard, determined countenance. His current expression was not overtly menacing, but Conan's trained eye could tell this very young man had seen his share of action and probably faced death more than once. Despite the obvious effort the man placed in trying to look scholarly and harmless, it was obvious too such a keen eye as Kudo's that this man was more at home on the mean streets of some American crime-ridden city than wearing a tie in a Japanese grade school.

As the man started to speak, introducing himself as a college criminal justice student from Gotham University in America and due to his minor in child psychology needing this internship as a teacher; Conan's mind tuned every thing else out, his deduction skills getting to work. What is this man doing here? he thought roughly. This guy's story doesn't match his experience. The sharp detective eyes closely scanned this man who had, if Conan had been listening, introduced himself as a one Richard Grayson, the adopted son of the famous billionaire Bruce Wayne. Upon close inspection it was obvious that the man was wearing some sort of alternate attire under the business suit, and his business shoes were in fact not dress shoes but actually some sort of combat boot probably steel toed maybe even concealing a weapon of some kind. To the studied eye of a detective as gifted as Jimmy Kudo the shoulder holster was obvious, as were the ankle and hip but the reasons for them much less so: not to mention that they were shaped oddly for any normal handgun Jimmy was familiar with...

The class let out 90 minutes later with Conan feeling uneasy. This was a mystery and one that had kept him so wound up he did not even get to enjoy what his friends were calling the most fun time they had ever had in a classroom. The course was a short one, only one grading period and being experimental, had a little more relaxed atmosphere. Even still, they made good ground, covering a police library of information in just two short school weeks.

"Mr. Grayson discussed crime and mysteries like it was a beautiful woman he was in love with" Mitch was again expounding on the wonders of their newest and most favorite course and teacher.

"Yeah, yeah, he was great, I mean even considering we all like Mysteries it wasn't boring like I was afraid of." Amy was spastic in her exuberance.

"It was almost better than being on one of Rachel's dad's cases," George added in agreement.

"I think he seems a little obsessive, ands seems to focus too much on methods of subduing and detainment and not on true detective work such as deduction and forensic evidence," Conan's glib dismissal of the awe the others were showing in Mr. Grayson came in part due to jealousy and in part to his dislike of violence and in part, to consternation. Two weeks of classes focusing on brief histories of criminology with rundowns of the great detectives of the 19th and early 20th centuries and still no hint as to why this student who is obviously aching to hit the streets is stuck in this classroom teaching, or as to why a student would be allowed to come to a school armed. Conan was beginning to think there was a case to be solved here.

Conan's quiet introspective drew the attention of his friends as Amy bit back a retort, "Well, I would have said he talks to us just like you do, not treating us like little kids, but I guess some of us still are little kids"

Conan flushed at the comment and almost continued the argument with a snide remark until he came up short. I am jealous of another detective impressing my friends. That is stupid of me. Maybe I should let it go and just enjoy the course.

"You really think He reminds y'all of me, that s cool 'cause that means you think I could be smart enough to be a teacher. I think we ought to meet this Richard Grayson and see if he really knows anything about crime solving, junior detective league style."

Dick was shaking his head in consternation. There was one of his students that were doing worse than his school records would indicate he should. Conan Edogawa's grades were normally better than what he was displaying in Dick's class. He had been keeping a close eye on Conan Edogawa, since day one, and was hoping he would be perfect for his plans. He had tremendous potential and Dick had already noticed all the classic earmarks of a good detective. Deductive reasoning, excellent observation skills, threat analysis, moral fiber. Even his bookish appearance belied his almost professional quality athletic ability (the gym teacher raved about his supposed future career in professional soccer).

And yet his grades were poor and he seemed inattentive in class. Dick had come to one of two possibilities. Either he was not as good as a judge of character and ability as he thought, a scary proposition for a crime fighter; or this Edogawa boy was dangerously distracted.

This would be for any teacher a cause for concern but for this teacher the issue was bigger than failing grades. Lives hung in the balance and Dick Grayson 'also known to only his closest associates as Robin, the sidekick of the world famous detective and crime fighting "superhero" Batman, only had so much leeway to test his theory that her could recruit viable crime fighters and potential Titan teams from Teaching in public schools and learning and child psychology. Bruce was dubious of the need of more young warriors, but the Teen Titans track record spoke for itself. Wilson Slade, Doctor Light , Trigon; all highly dangerous criminals that have, in numerous times past, even threatened to overtake the Justice League, the trinity of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman itself. All defeated by the Titans. Thus the idea of using children in the never ending crusade against injustice had undeniable merit. But very young initiates to Robin's world, a world of flying men, extraterrestrials, and time travel. A world of wits and wizardry, of life and death. This would have to be done carefully.

Robin decided the best thing to do was to find out this child's home life. The school's records were of course his starting point, but they were surprisingly incomplete. He lived with friends of the family. The phone number was under the name Richard Moore. Everything else was obviously smokescreen.

"Moore residence, the detective is not in. This is his daughter speaking."

"Uh, hello, I am Ric-Mr. Grayson, a teacher at Conan's school. If I could have a few moments of your time." already a gold mine. If he lives with a detective it would seem he would do better in a crime related course. Perhaps he is jaded with the topic.

"Has he done something wrong? He has always been a well mannered boy." There was a pensive edge to her reply.

"No, no. All that is fine. I am just worried about his school work. His records indicate he has a genius IQ and has always done well in classes, and yet in my class he seems s to be struggling. Any insight would be helpful." the teacher got right to business.

"Conan has been a little mopey around the house lately. I had not thought it would hit him this hard."

"What ma'am" Robin asked trying to get to the bottom of this.

"I am going off to university and will be leaving for America in august. I got accepted about two weeks ago. The little guy and I are fairly close. He is like the little brother I never had. He may becoming somewhat depressed at the prospect of me not being around. It has been a heavy time fro me this summer, and I haven't been giving him the goodbye I would have wanted. I know that kids are resilient but maybe I need to talk to him and give some more attention." Rachel's obviously caring demeanor relieved Robin but he was still concerned, Conan's close friend was leaving which may explain the distance and distraction, but his instincts told him there was more going on.

"That should help. If you don't mind me asking, you said you are having a heavy year. Any thing that might have affected Conan? I really want to see if he can be a master at this subject. His records indicate that he as all the skills needed for a career in law enforcement."

"I don't mind. It is not a secret. My high school, well I guess for lack of a better term, boyfriend was the famous private detective Jimmy Kudo. Have you heard of him? No? He has been missing for some time, off on a dangerous case. He finally turned up at the beginning of the school year, dead. "

"Oh my I am so sorry" Mr. Grayson really did sound aggrieved and saddened at this news.

"These last few months have been hard for me. Conan was used to spending allot of time for me but grief was just one more thing to add to my list. All of a sudden graduation didn't seem as important. But I feel a little better now and am looking forward to school. I hadn't thought my leaving or Jimmy's death would have affected Conan so much. "

I don't know that they have, I think there is more going on here. If you don't mind I want to come over to your house sometime, speak with your family. If that would not be to forward. But you sound like a beautiful person miss Moore."

"Tha- thank you Mr. Grayson," Her blush was almost evident across the gulf of telephone wires separating the two as he casually corrected her: "Call me Richard."

"Richard, then. I have never been complimented quite like that before. If I didn't know better I would say you were flirting, but that is alright…"

Laughter interrupted her light taunt," And who says you now any better. You don't know me. But no I am not flirting. I would like to get to know you but I am not big on flirting."

Rachel tried to steer the conversation back to safer waters. "I am sure Conan would like to know you better. You said the course was related to law. Conan loves mysteries, even got his own little kid mystery gang, I guess I should have seen this coming. He looked up to Jimmy quite a bit but they didn't hang around a lot. They were distant cousins and sometimes their families would visit each other and stuff like that, but I didn't think Jimmy's death would really hit little Conan at his age. I think you could deal without meeting my dad, He is a little bit of a pig, but you r welcome over Mr. Grayson; Richard."

Kids are resilient but they also often take thing s at different meanings than adults do. I have often found that very gifted children are no different then adults. Not that I am an expert or anything by no means. Any way I will come over on Friday if that is okay. I can bring some Pizza and me and Conan can talk and we can all get to know each other. I don't have a lot of friends in Japan, yet. Goodbye Miss Rachel Moore until your beauty graces me in person. "

Rachel hung up the phone lightly blushing.

Her father snorted from behind his ever-present newspaper. He didn't much care who his daughter invited over as long as the food was on time.