Chapter 7: Do You Really Need a Reason?


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How can I live among this gentle
obsolescent breed of heroes, and not weep?
Unicorns, almost,
for they are fading into two legends
in which their stupidity and chivalry
are celebrated. Each, fool and hero, will be an immortal.
- Keith Douglas

All the gunmen switched their targets from the officers to the thief that appeared out of nowhere. Hakuba was too far back to be of any help and, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, was honestly scared to stand up to these men who could easily hold his life in their hands with no concern.

"You're more flamboyant then you usually are Snake. Don't you care that there are cops all around you?" It was unsettling to hear Toichi talk in such playful tones when Hakuba knew how serious the man really was. Unlike Kaito, who acted like an idiot anyways, it was hard to believe that the older magician could have ever been Kid if he wasn't watching it.

"All I need is that gem and since you're giving it to me, I have no reason to fear anything else." Snake put his hand out. "You are going to give it to me. With how many cops, as you have stated that are here, that equals a lot of dead bodies."

Hakuba held back a shiver at the man's grin and the effortlessness he'd put into his words at the prospect of killing the police.

"You know there are many ways to keep this out of your hands but I think I've come to the same conclusion as someone else on the best way. Do you know that you can break a diamond if you have the right tools?"

"Don't you dare." The killer's easy smile was gone now and he aimed his gun more accurately at Toichi. "I'll kill you before you have the chance."

"Did you know that you can even chip a diamond on steel if you do it hard enough?" the magician continued as if he hadn't been interrupted by Snake's threat. "You even have a good chance of breaking it should you hit the diamond and not me with a bullet. It doesn't happen all the time but I'm sure I could move faster than your gun so that it would."

Though Hakuba couldn't see it, since he was behind Toichi, he had to guess the man had a smile on his face. He was still in Kaito's body though and if anything happened – Toichi knew better, Hakuba had to remember, he cared about his son.

"That doesn't mean I'm going to wait for you to try and hit me before I break it myself."

Hakuba wished he could have been closer but couldn't push passed some of Nakamori's men who were backing up before Toichi took out a small wrench after putting the diamond against the steel frame of the bridge and hitting it.

"Stop!" Snake yelled as a piece of the diamond fell off, further revealing the red one inside. "I'll kill you!"

If the man would have successfully shot Toichi, the diamond would have gone over the edge. The magician saw the bullet coming in time and danced along the metal support like a tightrope walker.

"Is that really the best you can do? You'll lose your precious stone for another millennia if you let if fall now. The police will have it before you ever get your slimy hands on it and I'm sure they could protect it better than you could attempt to acquire it. I wouldn't be so careless."

Nakamori and the other officers looked on. Of Megure's squad, all had small pistols drawn but none could open fire without fear of retaliation. Kept at the ready, the other officers watched the standoff with Kid and Snake as if it were a new part of his magic show. It almost made Hakuba sick with how easily Kid could make others think he wasn't in danger.

Snake knew the Kid, both after and before his death, just as well as Nakamori did and smirked as Toichi continued to dive away from any bullets his men shot at him.

"Fine Kid, you want to play it the hard way?" He aimed his gun at the cops. "Tempt me, I dare you!"

"Now that isn't very nice of you. I guess you don't have any honor at all." Toichi shrugged and held the diamond loosely in one hand. "I guess I'll have to give it to you."

Hakuba frowned. The magician should have anticipated this move from the gunman because of the fact he'd agreed to have to cops there. He wasn't really going to hand over the diamond so easily…

Toichi flipped it around in his hands for a moment or two while everyone watched the sparkly red glow dance around. After a few seconds he threw it high up into the air in Snake's general direction.

That made sure that all eyes were on the gem and not the magician himself.

Toichi drew out a gun that Hakuba hardly got a glance at before he heard the noise of the shot ring out. It was a real gun.

In the speechless moment that it took for the diamond to shatter, Hakuba had his eyes elsewhere. He watched at the magician stumbled off the ledge onto the cement and bow his head upon a rested knee.

"Kid!" or – hopefully – Kaito, Hakuba thought to himself, "You need to get out of there!" They all watched as the red gem shattered as easily as the white one and Snake wouldn't be happy about it. The magician was the one in the line of fire.

Kid shook his head to clear it and stared at the gun pointing at him. "I didn't think you'd do it but you're really dead now! I'll go to the ends of the earth to make sure of it!"

No human is faster than a gun that at that range. Kid got clipped in the shoulder and leg before he was able to hide behind one of the supporting pillars of the bridge. Hakuba couldn't tell how bad the wounds were but they would slow him down.

Snake put another clip in the gun and Kid, going against all logic, left his hiding spot and ran towards the man. His injured side connected with the man and knocked him off his feet. Megure's men weren't stationary anymore. They held their guns up running, demanding that Snake's associates drop their weapons.

The men all ran in different directions but the officers were hot on their tails.

Hakuba watched as Kid knocked the gun out of Snake's hands when he landed and threw it over the side of the bridge.

"You lose Snake," a voice almost too cold to have come from either Kid emanated from Kaito. Hakuba still wasn't sure if their plan had worked or not.

"I never lose!" the man growled and got up faster than his body made it seem he could move. He had Kid pinned against the railing and held onto his coat with a mocking laugh. "I NEVER lose!"

Hakuba had no time to think. He reached over where some of the police officers still remained before liberating one of them of their firearm. Hakuba knew his aim wasn't perfect but it wasn't bad enough that he would hit Kaito so he didn't care.

He shot.

Snake yelled in pain as the bullet hit across his shoulder blade and went into his arm. In the second that his hand wasn't holding Kaito, the magician freed himself and pushed the man off of him.

The differences in their body structure were so obvious when they were fighting with one another that Hakuba wondered how Kaito could run around and no one noticed that he was the teenage Hakuba knew he was.

This large difference in physical strength was accentuated when Snake was able to grab Kid again before he'd gotten far and tried to swing him back into the metal ledge. Kid saw it coming and flipped his body upward before impact to land on the balls of his feet. It twisted Snakes arm so that he was forced to let go and Kid tired to escape him once again.

The detective was able to get to the front of the group while they tussled and noticed vaguely that he still had the gun in his hand.

Kid was close enough to him that he was able to catch his attention. The look he received from the thief was more than a little confused.

"We need to talk after this so don't go disappearing on me," Hakuba told Kaito quietly enough that the others behind him wouldn't hear. He spoke louder to Snake and leveled the gun. "Stop moving! You're under arrest!"

The man wasn't thinking clearly anymore and the detective watched as he only had eyes for Kaito. He lunged at them into the crowd and Kaito danced away so that no one would get between the man and his target.

Their little game of one sided tag led back to the ledge and they all watched as the man over compensated his speed to catch Kaito on the railing before falling over.

Kaito moved with all the speed he could muster through a haze of confusion. He latched onto Snake's hand before the man could fall and Hakuba couldn't see the grin come from the killer as he squeezed the thief's hand tight enough to hurt. Kaito didn't let out any sound to show what the man was doing.

"Considering that I don't think anyone here wants to examine a dead body, I'm going to need some help getting him up."

Megure's officers were the first to act a came to the thief's aid so that Snake wouldn't meet the same fate that Kaito almost had. Hakuba wondered why the thief hadn't let him go. It would be the perfect revenge for his father and for himself. The man deserved to die alone in the darkness.

How Kaito had even held onto him before the officers got there was amazing. Hakuba knew how much trouble he'd had pulling him up, let alone a man twice his size. There was a pained expression on the magician's face when his chest was removed from the railing and he had to figure that Kaito's hurt or fractured some ribs in his little heroic action.

With a swift move from a female officer the killer released Kid's hand and the thief darted away out over everyone's reach. Snake never stopped putting up a fight and more than one officer felt his foot or hand when he managed to free himself several times.

"What the hell was that about?!" Nakamori yelled to where Kaito was balanced on a metal post with his cape blowing behind him. "Not only do we not have the diamond but I can't even explain was that was!" He gestured with an open waving hand and Snake and the men that some of the other officers rounded up. "Explain it to me!"

"My apologies Nakamori-keibu but that's one puzzle that I will not be able to solve for you." Kid smirked though Hakuba could see that Kaito was beyond confused while playing his part. He jumped backwards, off the bridge, without any further comment.

"Kid get back here!" The Inspector yelled but when he looked down the thief was gone. There wasn't even the glint of the white glider to show that he hadn't really dropped into the water below. "Damn it!"

Hakuba walked away. A man at the back of the group had caught his attention and he squeezed passed Nakamori's men to get to him.

"Kudo-san, it's nice to see you. Everything seems to have worked out." Hakuba bowed to the older man who tapped him on the shoulder.

"I guess they did. If feels like I've lost my rival all over again. At least you've got yours back."

"Yes" Hakuba grinned, unable to hold in his happiness now that the danger had passed.

"Hakuba-san."

The detective jumped but he was happy to hear that voice again. Kaito was behind him in Kid's blue shirt still, though he'd changed the pants to a pair of black ones and lost the tie. He had a hat to hide his hair and eyes so that he wouldn't be recognized as Kid or himself. "Would you please tell me what's going on."

"Happily. You're god father hear wouldn't mind telling you some of the story either. And Kaito-kun, drop it, we all know it's you so you don't need to hide. We'll explain that one as well."

Kaito looked at Hakuba hesitantly before removing the cap and looking around. "Something – happened." He shook his head as if that would make the memories that he didn't have come back. "I really need to know – god father?"

Kaito looked up at the man who seemed so familiar but he couldn't put his finger on why. "I don't have a god father."

"Yes you do, it would be me. My name is Kudo Yusaku," the writer offered his hand but Kaito backed away from him.

"Kudo?" Kaito saw the similarities now and Hakuba wished there was some way to tie the magician down. It looked like he was going to bolt at any second.

"Let's continue this at Kaito-kun's house or he won't believe us. I'm sure his mother can help." Hakuba affronted Kaito with a hard look. "And thank your god father. If it weren't for him then you never would have gotten that gem you were looking for. The least you can do for his hard work is thank him."

Kaito back away even further and Hakuba was confused at his behavior. "What's the matter with you?"

"How do you know about that? I didn't – I don't remember telling you anything." The magician stayed away from them and Hakuba watched him play with something in his pocket. He could guess what it was.

"Kaito-kun I'm sure –"

"And when did you-?" The magician behavior emanated frightened animal and Hakuba tried to think of something to say to calm him down that didn't sound like a lie. He couldn't very well tell the magician that his father had taken possession of his body and told him the story behind the gem.

"Kaito-kun, as I've said my name is Kudo Yusaku. I'm an old friend of your fathers. We're not trying to confuse or trick you. Come to your house with us and we'll explain everything. If we were going to turn you in we would have done so already."

Kaito looked like he was going to come forward but hesitated and shook his head. "I'll listen to you because I need to know what's going on but I'm not going to come with you. I'll meet you there."

There wasn't even any smoke to hide the magician's disappearance. He was simply there one moment and gone the next.

"He's a pretty good magician," Yusaku commented before looking at Hakuba. "Let's find my wife and get back to his house before Toichi's son has a heart attack."

Hakuba took the Kudo's car back to Kaito's house and they found the magician waiting for them on the couch with his mother. Chikage greeted them warmly but Kaito remained silent. He kept looking at Yusaku and Hakuba as if they were lions about to eat him.

"Did you tell him anything?" Yusaku asked as he sat down in a separate chair and his wife stood behind him. There was no open space except for the seat next to the magician so Hakuba took it. Kaito's reacted more than he ever had to the detective's proximity to his person by scooting away from him as far as he could.

Kaito's mom shook her head.

"Then let's start at the beginning. Hakuba-kun?"

Hakuba sighed before going into detail what had happened two weeks ago when Kaito had protected him. Yusaku took over when they merged with the more recent events and Kaito sat through it all without any questions.

He turned to his mother when they were finished. "Is all of that true?"

If Hakuba had been more prepared for it, he wouldn't have been shocked by the hurt and fear in Kaito's voice. It was as if the magician didn't want it to be true.

"Yes," his mother told him in a confused tone that matched Hakuba's.

"I see." Kaito looked down and Hakuba could see that he was keeping something to himself. Something that was bothering him so much that he wasn't even able to hide his emotions like he normally would.

"What is it Kaito-kun?" Hakuba asked, a more authoritative tone in his voice because he wanted an answer and he knew how easily the magician threw off questions.

Kaito looked up at him and the two that had he now recognized as the god parents he never knew he had. A small smile tugged on the side of his lips. "I was just wondering why dad went through all that trouble. He could have stayed."

"What are you talking about? Then you wouldn't have been able to come back!?" Hakuba almost shouted.

"Is that a bad thing?" He looked at the detective with a serious glare to show that he meant it. "I'm sure dad could have done a lot more than I can. And – it kind of makes me feel like I killed him this way."

Though there was a smile on his face no one missed the tears in his eyes.

"Kaito-kun, you did no such thing." Yusaku patted his wife's hand and they both smiled at him. "You're father already lived his life. You wouldn't want him to be in this world with the regret of feeling like he'd killed you. After all you are so much like one another that you can't doubt he'd feel the same way."

It took a while but Kaito nodded and kept his eyes away from everyone else in the room.

"Well if you're going to brood, I'm leaving." Hakuba got up and pushed Kaito over, getting a surprised glare from the teen. "It's not your fault and I know you would have liked to see him. You don't have to keep quiet about it."

Kaito frowned but his spark was back. Kaito was back. Whatever doubts the magician was dealing without could be cleared up by talking with his mother and the Kudo's. Hakuba didn't feel like being a third wheel again so he did leave.

It wasn't like Kaito wouldn't still be himself at school tomorrow.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hakuba asked Kid as the thief ran off with a new obsession of his, an antique Egyptian dog.

"It wouldn't be any fun if Kid were to vanish. Let's say I'm working off excess energy and making people think more about their security. Besides, I'm doing it for a good cause this time."

The thief was almost out of earshot as he ran down the street with the task force on his heels.

"What's that supposed to mean!" Hakuba yelled.

"This was stolen! When the police look into its disappearance they'll notice. I'll give it back after that!"

"So what? You're a thief stealing for the good of others now?"

"I have to have some reason for it." Kid grinned before falling completely out of sight and Hakuba slowed to a halt.

Mouri had been on this case and the detective watched as his daughter showed up following young Conan. Conan took off but Ran stopped short to catch her breath.

"It looks like Kid's here to stay," Hakuba started to make conversation with her.

"Yeah, I guess." Ran brushed some hair out of her face and Hakuba was reminded of that night when Kaito came back.

"That man who was trying to kill the Kid, he's on trial for both Kid's attempted murder and the attempted murder of the police officers right?"

"Yeah, my mom's actually the working with the prosecution on that case. She says she can find proof that he's killed a lot of other people."

"Why would Kid save the life of someone like that? I just don't understand him" Hakuba wondered aloud before sighing to himself. "Why would he go through all that trouble to save someone he hates?" His logical brain just couldn't get around the inconstancies that Kid possessed.

"Does he really need a reason?" The teenager asked. She quickly turned away from Hakuba's stare and bushed. "I'm mean… It's just that Shinichi said once…At least I think he said it, it felt like a dream but… Do you really need a reason to save someone's life?" The blond detective stared her and Ran met his eyes, solidifying her opinion.

"Maybe you don't." He smiled gently at her, more then he would have if she had not defended his foe. "Maybe you don't need a reason for saving someone, but surely you should have a reason for endangering yourself." He couldn't understand why he'd gone through so much in his pursuit of the little red gem either. He understood that it was revenge for his father but Kid had protected so many others in the process, where the gem wasn't even involved.

Ran thought about it for a moment. "Only something really important would justify putting yourself in danger. So he must have a reason." She turned away from him and strode of in the direction of the agency. "And if it's worth that much, is it really your place to say that he's wrong?"

Flustered at being reprimanded, Hakuba looked up at the tall buildings, waiting for a figure in white to go dashing across them.

But not tonight. He'd already come and gone.

The world would have to wait.

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