Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan.

SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW: Do you know that there is already a Detective Conan Movie 13, The Raven Chaser? (Title, courtesy of Kyuuki-sama, I thought it was The Jet Black Chase-courtesy of .org; but I think it can be either way…) Okay, if you don't know, then, I'm telling you now that there certainly is. Movie contains Black Org interactions, the second one since movie 5. Okay. Have you seen the trailer/preview of the awesome movie? Actually, I haven't either. Well, if you haven't, please go to the profile of tsukinoainoyume. This is a shared account of Candy-chan and Eki-chan. Candy-chan posted the link of the trailer in her profile page. Please check her profile out and click on the link, and you can watch the trailer… that is if you have fast internet connections at home, unfortunately for me, our internet is VERY slow, so I can't watch it. But, those who like to watch, and have fast speed internet service, please just click on the link of tsukinoainoyume. And again, this link is courtesy of Candy-chan. Please give her all the credit. That's all, thank you. Now, you may resume reading.

WARNING: Lots of descriptive paragraphs.

STORY: Inevitable

Chapter 3: Awaken

After thirty minutes since Conan and Ai drank the liquor which contained the powered form of the APTX drug antidote, Conan… now Kudo Shinichi, was the first one to open his eyes.

"Ugh…" Shinichi groaned while opening his eyes slowly, his sweaty hands holding his forehead.

He tried to sit up from his 'face on the floor' position and decided to look around. He was still in the near entrance of the kitchen of Agasa hakase's house. Then, right after he eyed the clothes that lay on the flooring of the kitchen which was prepared by Haibara-san, he flinched for a second and looked at himself. He almost squeaked, but controlled it by clasping his hands over his mouth, biting his lower lip at the same time. Conan's clothes ripped because during his growth, he was still wearing clothes of a kodomo (child). His heart was making the sounds of 'thump' and 'thump' over and over as he scanned his naked body… now, he smiled with satisfaction. He knew he was no longer a boy.

He got up and went to a dim corner of the kitchen and wore his clothes on. It was just a simple white polo shirt with buttons and collar and a pair of loose blue jeans. He was still barefoot, but, it didn't matter, as long as he had clothes on.

He slowly tip-toed out of the kitchen and he tried to see where Haibara was. Then, his eyes widened as he let out a gasp when he saw her frail body. No, Shinichi didn't see her unclothed, a large sized robe was covering her body as she laid down the floor, sweat all over her. She was breathing hard and his eyes softened at that. This was the girl who always tried to be strong, to pretend that she was okay, even if she wasn't.

He was just surprised on how vulnerable she was, how weak she was as she laid there unconscious on the cold ground. Her eyes had dried tears on them, Shinichi could see, and her clothes as a child weren't ripped off, weren't damaged. Her sky blue turtle neck cotton sweatshirt and her khaki mini skirt were just scattered there beside her now adult body which was under the huge green robe.

Shinichi grinned; Shiho was that smart of a girl to even think of removing her clothes before her body completely enlarged so that her tiny clothes that can't possibly fit her now can be given to other little girls such as Ayumi, for instance. Even during that painful moment of the transformation process, she could even think of preserving and not wasting clothes… and the money of hakase, since Agasa hakase bought that for her last Christmas, the miniskirt with matching top.

Speaking of which, Haibara really loves hakase a lot, he was the first one who understood her and took her in, even Shinichi didn't accept the little girl at first, but now, they were more than mere friends, and they were partners. And to think that she pretended to kill hakase on the first day that they met each other. He was too kind to be killed, Shinichi should have known that.

He realized, that, she was just a girl who was afraid, scared and who was mourning for her sister's death, when he saw her break down and cry at that same day, clutching on his shirt while crying hard. Now, he felt the pity he should have felt way before. He hated her before for being one of them, for helping them create the APTX drug which killed a lot of people, but only now he realized as he stared at her unawake and shivering body, that she didn't like it either, and that she had no choice, she was forced, she was sad… and that she was guilty but most of all… he realized that she was the victim, and, what's worst, before, he didn't believe.

All she wanted was for her and her elder sister to be free from the grasp of the syndicate and to have a normal life. And for all her nightmares of Gin, the cruel man of the organization, to stop, for the entire psychological trauma she underwent to just be wiped out from her memory. Now, that same young girl who had gone through a lot… was now a woman again.

Shinichi turned around, with a smile on his face, he hollered.

"Oi, Haibara! It's time to wake up!"

He heard her groan "ugh…" and that was a sign that she had already woken up. He heard some noises, the sound of clothes moving… the sound of her shifting foot from left to right against the wooden floor, the sound of her auburn colored hair delicately falling down her face, the sound of her hands scratching against the sofa, the sound of her slow and quivering breathings, the sound of her sighs and the sound of her voice, this time, more matured, but still as calm and never lost her unique Japanese-British accent that she always had.

And her voice never changed, there was something about her voice that was different from the others, he wouldn't call it cute, but, Ran's voice is just like any other girl's voice, soft and tender, hers was as gentle as well, but there was something special about the way she speaks. The way how she can still make her monotonous sounding voice ever so pleasant and fascinating was what interested him about her voice the most.

"Kudo-kun."

There it was. Her monotone voice again. This time, it sounded more like a woman instead of a child trying to speak like a woman, and the pitch of her tone was exactly the same.

Shinichi still didn't turn around, thinking that she was still undressed. He just replied.

"Ah."

His voice, it was different, it was a little shaky, but it still had that Conan-tone in it. In was manlier now, having Adam's apple and his voice was more deep and low pitched, but, the voice, would remind anyone of Conan-kun. His voice had this special sound in it which she can never comprehend, why, it ever arises her curiosity.

"I'm dressed, Kudo." The girl replied, this time, it wasn't that monotone anymore.

Therefore, Shinichi turned around, his eyes blinking a bit after seeing her.

"The formula I created worked perfectly, don't you agree?" She asked with a hint of pride in her voice.

"You're a genius…" Shinichi managed to say, nodding.

To him, she looked gorgeous. She was like a fallen angel. Her short blonde-brown hair was unruly and her bangs covered a part of her eyes which made her look slightly mysterious. Her eyes were as excitable as ever, deep blue and almond shaped. Ran's eyes were just like huge circles, they were cute to look at, but, looking at her eyes made his experience in eye-staring even more mesmerizing since those shining eyes with a hint of blue color inside her almond shaped eyes made her look not only cute, but adorable… and very beautiful. Her eyes had long beautiful eyelashes which framed her unique sea blue eyes.

And her skin… it was fair white, not a blemish found anywhere. Others would call it, "baby smooth skin". She still had sweat glistening on the sides of her neck and the fluorescent light reflected on her wet skin on her neck, and somehow, that made her look even more charming. The way her chest went up and down as she breathed, it was unique. And to see her pull her green robe closer to herself, made her again look fearful and powerless and, his eyes softened once again. Even if she was just clad in a robe, her slender body was still visible and she looked so good in it, too.

And Shiho smirked, expecting his seventeen year old appearance.

To her, he looked strikingly handsome. His cheekbones were high and sharp, and he had slightly tanned skin, but not as tanned as Hattori Heiji's, she knew. His hair was still messy, his cowlick as adorable as ever, just like when he was Conan. His cowlick would always stand up amongst his hair, and it was really cute, the way a part of his hair naturally stands up on its own, and that's what you call a cowlick. He had these dizzying aquamarine eyes, those blue eyes shone brightly which was the main attraction. And, he also looked cool even if he was just wearing ordinary clothes, even barefoot. And, those lips…

"Haibara…" Shinichi gasped out, exhaling loudly, and then gulped. "You look… different…"

"Ara… mochiron, Kudo-kun…(well of course)"

Haibara, or rather, Shiho stated sarcastically.

"Would I still look like a 10 year old to you? Where's the tantei's (detective's) common sense?"

"Ah…hahaha…haha…" Shinichi laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. She DID make a point.

"You look different, too." Shiho said, copying him. He didn't know if she was being sincere or mocking. Knowing her for three years, most probably mocking, he thought.

"Uh…yeah, thanks…" Shinichi grinned, not knowing what to reply to that.

Shiho grinned once more. "It wasn't a compliment, don't thank me."

Shinichi sighed, slouching himself as he answered. "You're the queen of sarcasms…"

Shiho smirked. "I'm the queen of smirking as well, don't you know? Thanks."

Shinichi shot back an answer while smiling. "That wasn't a compliment."

"I see, you're learning." Shiho chuckled slightly.

Shinichi bowed his head dejectedly. He was expecting her to keep silent, lost for words, or at lest stammer, or say something uncool, but, no. Even after Shinichi was able to retort something that can smash her ego, it doesn't seem to be smashed! She would always retort in a cool and calm way, never stammering a syllable and never running out of witty replies. He hated that, she still won over him, and now, he has nothing more to say.

"Mou…taku (oh man) Anata no hounto ni (you are really) stubborn… you never give up. Even after I retort a good comeback at you… kimi wa itsumo (you're always) thinking of a better response…" Shinichi sighed while groaning.

Shiho smirked. "That's why I'm smart." She said as truthfully as can be.

"Don't be such a braggart." Shinichi said to her.

"I'm not, just telling the truth." She said curtly, her grin widening when she saw his face drop.

Shinichi opened his mouth to speak, planning a good response to this airhead, but, not being able to think of any intelligent answer to her statement, he decided to close his mouth and not say a word.

Seeing this, Shiho scoffed. "Good choice."

Shinichi just slapped his face with his palms, literally making red hand marks.

Shiho scoffed again. "You're an idiot."

And for the reason he didn't know why, he unexpectedly answered the stupidest thing.

"I know."

Shinichi himself was shock with his own retort and his face turned cherry red. He was beyond humiliated now and his ego just dropped from the peak of Mt. Everest to the end of the Marianes trench, the deepest ocean trench in the world. He didn't know why he said that in the first place, now he REALLY did feel like an idiot. It could have been the spur of the moment. He just admitted to a girl, and not just any girl, his best friend, Haibara Ai, that he was an idiot. His pride hit rock bottom.

But, as to his surprise, for the very first time, he heard it. It was so sweet, yet, so rare. It was gentle and soft. It was music to his ears. It was like an angel singing.

He finally heard it at last.

Shiho's laughter.

And now, admitting that he was an idiot didn't seem so bad after all. It was worth it. Her laughter paid the price, and he grinned at this.

To hear Haibara, well, now, Shiho, laugh was priceless. She rarely and almost never laughed. If she did, it would be either a sarcastic laugh or a sad laugh. Normal girls like Ran would laugh every second of the day, but no, she was different. She didn't laugh at all, and now that she didn, it was something special. Her laughter was only once in a blue moon, so, he'd better enjoy himself now.

Because as he hears her melodious laughter, he feels the intensity of her emotions, the beautiful sounds that she could create when she was pleased. That she was a human after all as well. He wished the continuous rhythm of her laughing voice remains in his mind forever, since it was better than birds chirping, classical music…

For the first time, she's finally laughing! He thought with happiness.

And he decided that she should laugh more often, because it was the most beautiful thing he ever heard. The sweetest laugh he had ever heard.

END of Chapter 3

Please wait for the next! :D Thank you.

-Miyano Ran

Started: 1am of December 27, 2008 Saturday

Ended: 3am of December 27, 2008 Saturday