So… it's Christmas break and I have time to update this! Even though I have a lot of plans to write some fics in the OURAN fandom. And that I've already posted a fic, actually. :P Anyway, you guys check it out. It's nice there, nice fics. And if you haven't watched or read the manga, you're missing out!! So read read read or watch watch watch! OO sorry, post-Ouran syndrome. :P Just finished watching it in two sittings. :PP It's unfortunately just 26 episodes. Oh well. There's still the manga to read! So… we're far from the topic, because this is all about DC! So… this chapter's ShinRan centric, by that said, I'll let you guess who's the additional character I put here. :P So… what else? Uh… a certain reviewer said, I should set it as Shinichi a knight. Though, I didn't totally take her advice, but just see! I hope she likes it! And hope you guys like it as well!
It was the darkest of days, in the darkest of ages in time. Yes, you got it right. It's time for the Medieval ages' crusade. It's the time where all the knights and the chosen ones go off to foreign lands to capture kingdoms and share their culture. And one of those included in this particular crusade, was a person named Shinichi Kudo.
Anyway, our tale begins before the crusade, with him in the palace, bowing by the King, giving an oath for his life to serve only to him and his family, or as they call it, the Code of Chivalry. He will not disobey him whatever what cause, and even risk his life for the said king. And the king's name? Kogoro Mori.
Kogoro was a man of joy and of total addiction to alcohol and to infidelity to his wife. Though, by infidelity, that doesn't mean he slept with a lot of women, but that he just loved flirting with other women. Because of this, the queen left him, even if it was hard, since the princess had to be left to his husband, to be the next person for the crown.
Now, enough about my gibbering of this whole circumstance. Let's now journey on to what really happened. For it is better to witness than listen.
A whirlpool of different colors leads us all to the medieval ages, in the time of Shinichi's oath taking
"Do you, Sir Shinichi Kudo, promise to protect our Lord, King, Kogoro Mori?" the vizier asked.
"Yes," he said as he bowed his head, still kneeling down.
"Then, I bestow unto you this honor, of becoming a knight," Kogoro said, placing his sword both on Shinichi's shoulders and proclaiming him as he said, a knight.
"Thank you my Lord," he responded willingly and stood up.
Soon after, Kogoro's daughter came in from the room. Shinichi saw her and was captivated from her beauty.
"Father! I really think that stalker of mine might strike soon. And this time, I think he's serious. Look!" she said, running to him as she held a piece of paper.
"What? Oh no!" Mori said, as he grabbed the paper and read it.
"What should I do, father?"
"Hmm… this would test this knight's skill. I'll let him take care of you, daughter," he answered as he looked at the staring Shinichi.
"Uh… hello? You there?" the princess asked while waving her hand in front of the knight.
Shinichi snapped back to reality. "Oh? Hello, my princess. My name's Shinichi Kudo. What can I do to serve you?" he greeted, bowing as he blushed as well, being caught from staring at her.
She giggled. "I am Princess Ran Mori, and I want you to protect me from the stalker who sent me this message," she answered, pouting while she gave him the note.
Shinichi judged the writing and knew exactly who it was. "I know this writing. It's from the famous Kaitou Hood."
"Oh no!" everybody gasped. Kaitou Hood was the infamous thief, like the Robin Hood in the world of humans.
"But… may I ask… how do you know his writing?" the fair maiden said.
Shinichi panicked. "They shouldn't know what I have to do with Kaito!!!"
They all waited for his answer. "Well? Answer her, knight!" the king said.
"Uh… I know Kaitou Hood because…" he said stammering. "Come on, Kudo. Think of a lie! Aha!" he thought to himself then took a big breath. "It's because… he once robbed me."
"But you're poor! He wouldn't steal from-" the king started to state until his daughter shun him on the stomach.
"Father, don't be so rude!"
"No, it's okay, my princess. I know I am poor. Actually, I'm not really supposed to be a knight since I am poor. But my parents were once a Baron and a Baroness, so I got a special case to be a knight."
"Oh, I see. Oh, I almost forgot! I have to go to the courtyard to practice horseback riding. Do you care to assist me?" she asked.
"Sure, I will help. Though, what about your father?" he pointed out to the king in pain.
Ran grinned. "He'll recover. He does every time. Come on, let's go," she said then pulled the newly proclaimed knight to the courtyard.
Courtyard"So… my lady? Just wondering, was this note the very first one Kaitou Hood gave you?" Shinichi asked as Princess Ran rode her white stallion all over the courtyard.
"Hmm… no, it's not actually the first. He just started it after the big fire in the city."
"Big fire?"
"Yeah, don't tell me you don't know that happened. It was such a news, such a commotion!"
"I think I was somewhere doing my duty, for my master knight then," Shinichi said all annoyed. It was obvious that he didn't really like the one who trained him. "So… what happened in the fire? Did some people get hurt?" he asked, changing emotion.
"Uh…A lot. Though, they were all peasants. But still… I can't believe dad won't even help those who survived. He told me 'They're filthy beings, nothing to help. They steal from us anyway,'" Ran said emotionally then mimicked his father's expression.
"Oh, I see. Anyway, don't you think, Kaitou Hood is after you because your father didn't help?"
"But… he doesn't harm people, right Shinichi?" she asked getting scared.
"From what I've heard, no. But if he does, don't worry. I'll be here to protect you, princess."
"Hey… uh… Shinichi, tell me, about what you said in front of father a while ago- that you met Kaitou Hood because he stole from you. Tell me what happened," Ran said and went down her horse and sat beside the knight.
"Uh… well, I don't usually tell people this. You'll be the first one I tell this story to. But… okay. I think you can keep a secret."
She smiled.
"My father and mother were a very righteous baron and baroness. Actually, the thief never robbed from us for a while, since he usually robs from people who had done something bad to the people."
Ran giggled. "That explains why he usually robs from father."
Shinichi gave out a chuckle as well. "Anyway, ha! Uh… well, my parents got in this really big scandal of stealing from the previous king, your mother's father." (Note: Kogoro only gained his kingship because of Eri.)
"Grandfather? Why?" Ran asked all shocked. She knew her grandfather was a much better king than his father. But why would there be a scandal of him and Shinichi's family?
"It's not really his fault. We were just… accused that we robbed from him, and used the robbed money for our own sakes. Kaitou Hood must have…. found out about this, and he stole all of our money. Seeing this happened… my parents' power was taken as well, thanks to the other… feudal lords surrounding your grandfather who just had to… brainwash him. Uh… because of this… my parents' title as baron and baroness was taken away as well," Shinichi stated hardly.
"I didn't know! I'm so sorry, Shinichi! If there's anything I could do to repay for my family's error to yours, let me know, and I will do it," Ran said seriously.
Shinichi shook his head. "That's in the past. I forgive your family. It isn't their fault. It's Kaitou Hood's," he answered, getting slightly mad.
Out of the blue, the topic of the conversation appeared. The smug, notorious, yet good-looking Kaitou Hood. He was in his usual attire. He had his brown eccentric hat and his monocle, and as well as the cape that he always wore. (Note: It's the medieval ages! Kaitou's outfit should differ a bit!) "Greetings my fair lady and… Shinichi," he said with a gentleman stance then made an annoyed look at Shinichi.
"Stay away from us!" Ran exclaimed though tremulous from seeing the infamous Kaitou Hood.
"Ah, my lady. Do not fear. Don't you remember me? I'm not here to rob from you. I'm here to-"
"Stay away from her!" Shinichi said as he went in front of the princess.
"No! You stay away from her! Your veins are the same of your family's! You're a shameful person!" Kaitou Hood said as he went nearer to the two.
"You can talk crap about me, but not my family!" Shinichi said as he charged Kaitou Hood with his sword.
Fortunately for Kaitou Hood, he was always armed. He had his special arrow with him and used it to block Shinichi's sword. "Come on, brother, can you really harm me?" he said unexpectedly which cause Shinichi to drop his sword and kneel to the ground.
From impulse, Ran kicked Kaitou Hood to the ground. He got shocked and as well as Shinichi. That showed by the sweat drops. "That girl sure is tough. It's as if she doesn't need me to protect her," Shinichi said, a little bit humiliated.
But Ran didn't think of what they did. She was just shocked of what Kaitou Hood had said that after attacking him with her killer kick, she just had to ask, "Brother? What does he mean by that?"
Shinichi stood up and approach her. "I guess lying to you wouldn't do much."
"Lying? What does that mean?" she asked, carefully walking away from him.
"Princess… the way I met Kaitou Hood. It wasn't like that. He's really… actually my brother."
Ran tripped on a rock backwards. "Ouch!"
Both Kaitou Hood and Shinichi helped her up. "Are you okay?" they asked in unison.
"Stay away from me!" she said, trying to stand up.
"Princess, don't be angry with me. I just-" Shinichi started to say but was cut-off by the maiden.
"How can I be not angry, Shinichi? You swore to protect me and I find out you're the brother of the one who's about to kill me?"
"I'm not here to kill you! You're exaggerating! I never kill anyone, woman!" Kaitou hood said, exasperated.
"Princess, let me tell you the truth," Shinichi asked.
"Fine," Ran responded as she crossed her arms in front of her. "But I'll be to judge if I believe you or not."
"Okay. You see… Kaitou Hood's my brother, but we're not blood relatives. His parents died from poverty and we took him as our own family. But… when my parents were accused of stealing, he… left home. He couldn't take knowing that our parents were thieves. Though… he didn't steal from us. I admit, that's the lie. But… almost everything else I told you, is the truth. It is true that you're the only one I told this story to, even though we just met."
"Liar! You two didn't meet just now! You're confusing me! Aoko, tell me the truth!" Kaitou Hood emoted.
"Aoko?!" Shinichi and Ran said together. "She's/I'm not Aoko!"
"What?" Kaitou Hood said, falling down, anime style.
"Wait… Aoko? Are you talking about Aoko Nakamori? The peasant?" Ran asked.
"Don't call her a peasant!!!!"
"Okay, okay. Though… you know… she died, in that fire," she explained, abruptly getting sad.
"That can't be! I saw her survive after the fire!"
"That was me," she explained further. "I was in the fire as well, because I went to see her. She was one of my best friends. But… she unfortunately died, Kaitou Hood. When suddenly… there was the fire, and we were locked in the house. She got trapped in fragments of wood falling from the fire. I tried to help her, but the knights came and took me away. I told them to save her, but they couldn't do anything more. She died and burned in the fire. I'm so sorry, Kaitou Hood," Ran said, crying more and more by each word she said.
Kaitou Hood took off his brown hat and his monocle. It revealed that he was just a person that looked a lot like his brother, though they really weren't blood relatives. But, as he did so, he was different from what everybody expected. Different from what they expected under the mask. He didn't seem like the strong Kaitou Hood everyone wealthy feared. He just looked like a simple Kaito Kuroba that cried from the very death of the one he loved. "I'm sorry of causing you two trouble. But… I just can't believe-"
Ran then hugged her, cutting off what he was about to say. "It's okay. Though, don't worry. I know she loves you and will be waiting for you, when the time comes. She told me herself."
Kaito looked at her seriously. "She loves me?"
Ran nodded while speaking. "Yes."
"How?"
"She always talked about a certain person named, 'Kaito' that was always there for her. She told me that she always wanted to tell you how she felt, that she couldn't live without you."
"Aoko!" Kaito cried even more.
Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Brother, don't worry. We're here for you. I'm sorry for not being there for you. But I'll be here from now on, Kaito."
"Thank you, brother," he said as he hugged Shinichi.
---
Years had passed, though after that happening, the kingdom just happened to live peacefully. Ran convinced his dad to improve on his reigning ways, with the help of Shinichi and Kaito. Kaito even promised to all the feudal lords that he wouldn't rob from them anymore if they just become just.
Now, Kaito may had been sad, without Aoko, but deep down inside, he was happy, that he knew he loved him back, and that he could bring justice without stealing anymore. He lives with his brother Shinichi again, and now, he supports him, though not financially. No, Shinichi still does that. But he does help him out in bringing him and Princess Ran together and different ways. Moonlight serenades by her tower, dates in the beautiful courtyard filled with the full moon and music of the gentlemen and ladies, sleeping by the garden of flowers in the palace and even an adventurous night out in the serene woods.
But, then, we just had to come back to the beginning of the story. The Medieval times' crusades. Shinichi was part of them and this meant that he would be away from Ran. But he promised, that he would return to her. And she promised that she would remain faithful to him- even without the help of a cursed chastity belt.
And he did.
"Shinichi!" Ran said, assuring herself that the one particular knight in a shining armor was him. She afterwards leapt into his arms and smiled delightfully upon his safe return and opened the part of the helmet that would lead to the lips she wanted to kiss.
"Uh… I'm not Shinichi Kudo, princess. That's him, right beside me," the ugly knight pointed out.
Shinchi removed his helmet, revealing a very dirty… him. "Uh, hi, Ran. I've come back!"
Upon realizing such an embarrassment, Ran didn't mind of it and leapt down the other knight and kissed Shinichi even though he looked terrible.
Shinichi pushed Ran away after a few seconds of enjoying the kiss. "Ran, I'm so dirty. You'll get your dress dirty!"
"I don't care, even if you're a knight in shining terror. I'm excited you're back!" she said with a big wide smile.
"I'm excited too."
"So… have you told your father about our engagement?" he asked.
"Of course I did! He may have not liked it, since the power as king would be passed on already, but I got to him… and he said yes! He even told me we could marry as soon as you get home!"
"Yeah, that's because she threatened me with her kicks…" the king appeared to them in a very upset tone. "But what can I do? The throne's not really for me. I only became king because of Eri."
The queen then came out from nowhere.
"Wait? They made up already? After five years?" Shinichi asked Ran.
Ran nodded.
A/N: Sorry for a crappy ending, but I just didn't know how to end it. And I just loved the pairing KogoroXEri that I had to make them… make up. :P Anyway, if I put the wedding, I think it wouldn't be that interesting. Oh well. So, guys… you know what I'm about to say! R&R!!! And suggest as well. :P