Apologies for the super-late chapter, I was struck with serious writer's block!
By the way, italics are for flashbacks, in case anyone was confused.
In exactly 7 hours, 27 minutes and 33.906 seconds, they arrived at their destination. After several epic games of Clue (in which Toyama-san and Conan-san both solved the crime before any questions were asked), many equally pointless games of Goldfish (which were all won by the detectives) and a few (thankfully ordinary) games of chess, they were finally there.
Maybe because of what Abe-sensei said, the Mask Club was expecting some high-security mansion, an amazing museum, a collector's fortress. Anything but the rundown traditional-styled mansion that they arrived at.
Perhaps a century ago, it would've been an impressive sight, but now, worn down by all of nature's forces, it looked like a ghosts' palace. It was deep in the countryside, a place that would be nearly impossible to pass by under any circumstances other than being lost.
Deep in unspoiled countryside the only traces of any modern civilization were several planters of snowy chrysanthemums, sheer black curtains in the house...
...and a fleet of police cars. So they were here already? Looks like there was some trouble already.
"Oh goodness, not that idiotic KID force again!" groaned Conan-san, wincing slightly.
Toyama-san nodded unhappily in agreement, sighing as a tall, square-jawed man in uniform stomped towards them. It was rather like watching a human Gomera of sorts.
"Oi! Who are all you people in the masks?!" he demanded with a violent gesture forwards.
"So which one of you is KID?!"
"I know I'm not," declared Shiho, dodging a hand coming her way. What was up with him, asking aloud who was 1412? Did he seriously expect the thief to simply raise his hand and admit his identity?
"You should really state your own name first, officer."
"I'm Nakamouri Ginzo-keibu of the KID Force!" he replied. Sherry wondered if he ever spoke without putting in an exclamation mark at the end of every single sentence. Or maybe that was just the way that he spoke, like how some people seemed to add in a question mark at the end of everything?
Meanwhile, Nakamouri-keibu, feeling particularly victorious, reached forwards to pinch everyone's cheeks.
"Oi, can you weirdos lose the masks?! I can't see which one of you is KID this way!"
"My sincerest apologies, Inspector, but we are the Mask Club of Teitan High. The masks are mandatory," said Abe-sensei with an incredible amount of authority.
"Besides, it's not as if anyone knows what KID looks like, so the removal with be useless."
Nakamouri-keibu sighed in defeat. "Fine! Moving on, men!"
Was the KID Force really okay with someone like that as their leader...?
They moved on to investigate (bother) someone else and the Mask Club entered the mansion.
It was dim and shadowy inside, with the musty scent of dying flowers. And for a soccer-playing detective, it was as if he was six all over again.
Muted shadows draped the house, as relatives whispered among themselves. Did you hear what happened? The nanny was in on it, did you know? Who was to get what? Where would their young son go? Vice overtook any sorrow for the dead.
Just like that, they would argue, faking tears and grief.
It was a perfectly normal thing, why bother paying them any attention?
But now, it was happening again, albeit at a different setting. The musk of flowers wafted through the home, along with that of dust and lemony-fresh soap. The deceased's family was gossiping freely, greedy for scandal and wealth.
Shinichi took deep breaths, gingerly fingering a fresh wound on his arm and the countless scars he already had. Calm down, there's nothing here to threaten you. Calm down, it's safe. It's not your fate they're deciding, not your parents' funeral they're planning.
"You!" exclaimed a wiry man in mourning garb and scratched glasses. What was with the excessive yelling today?
"You're the pianist aren't you?! Why are you late?! Ah, never mind! Just come into this room here to rehearse!"
He glared at the rest of the group and dragged Abe-sensei into another room. A requiem soon filled the air.
A veiled woman came next. "Are you Midori-chan's group? I'm Sakamoto Aki, the deceased's niece, animal trainer, and the person who needs your help."
"What for?" asked Toyama-kun. Shinichi was also quite curious about this.
Sakamoto-san gave him a thin, tired, smile. "Last week, a notice arrived to me and the other relatives at this funeral. It was from Kaitou KID, saying that he'll steal the 'gem of shining moonlight' that my uncle always bragged about owning. We have never been able to find it, so I would like you to help us find it before KID does and keep him from stealing it. Unfortunately, I had to say that Midori-chan was the pianist I hired, as a smokescreen. Who knows what my relatives might do if they found out that I commissioned help?"
"Any clues?" questioned Shinichi, completely focused on the mystery.
"Yes. A strange poem carved into the staircase and KID's notice. Before that, though, please have some dinner. Better to attempt this with a full stomach rather than an empty one. Allow me to take you on a tour of the house too, it's very easy to get lost."
At that very moment, R's stomach grumbled, her face a light pink in embarrassment.
"It's time to feed the beast," remarked Shinichi, inadvertently invoking her temper. R lifted a leg and aimed a kick, barely missing Shinichi and splitting a table in two.
Toyama-kun and Sakura-san, who hadn't seen this before, started while unshakeable Sherry didn't bat an eye.
Sakamoto-san grew very pale, leading them to the traditional dining room in silence. Shinichi noticed her hand fly to a wall ornament before she opened the door. How singular.
"Come and dig in!" she exclaimed. R, Sakura-san and Toyama-kun proceeded to follow her advice with a polite "itadakimasu". Shinichi looked around the room, noting the intricately carved walls, before unceremoniously pushing R aside, stealing her spot (and earning him a glare from said girl). Sherry sat down besides him, as the room soon filled with people, including Sakamoto-san, her twin sisters, the deceased's younger brother, the deceased's widowed aunt, here son and his wife.
Everyone ate in relative silence, R, Sakura and Sherry engaged obliviously in a conversation about school-work, but the atmosphere was tense, all the rivaling relatives waiting for the news about the will and for their moment in the spotlight where they would put up and act of grief for the dead man nobody really knew. Barely repressing the childhood memories, Shinichi almost forgot his purpose until just out of the corner of his eye, he saw a strange movement.
Quickly, he pushed R aside, ignoring her squawk of protest as an arrow struck her former spot...!
"That's it!" cried out one of the Sakamoto twins. "This is the last straw! Ever since we've arrived, it's been attack after endless attack! I don't know about you people, but I can't stand another day like this. Come on Miyuki, we're leaving tomorrow morning! Aki-nee, I know that you really want to do this, but the two of us can't stay any longer. Please just mail us the funeral date."
"Yukiko, please don't say that," begged their older sister, to no avail. In the end, it was decided that they would return to Sapporo from the nearest airport on the 640 morning flight.
"Good riddance too," muttered the deceased's aunt, Oda Sayomi-san, in her mourning garb of a crow-black dress and thickly veiled hat. "Young people these days are so flighty. If there's someone going around trying to murder us all, you must make a stand for yourself. Anyway, it's obviously one of us."
"Oba-san! Don't be so suspicious," Sakamoto Aki scolded, quite unhappy at this point.
After that, the meal was eaten in absolute silence, a strange pressure not to speak falling upon the room.
Sakamoto-san, trying to comfort the guests, attempted a warm smile, "Well then, shall we go on a tour of the house?"
"Good riddance," scowled Oda-san, before heading back to her room. "I'll tell you, this treasure will bring nothing but misery!"
Her son softly shushed her, and with a small apologetic glace towards the others, led her back to her room. His wife sighed.
"Sorry about that, she's still a bit upset about everything. Why don't I lead the guide with Aki? I'm Oda Kimiko, by the way."
"That sounds great," declared the wiry man from earlier, an annoyed Abe-sensei besides him. "I can't take you all because I still have to discuss the music with Abe-san here, but between her and Aki-chan, there's enough knowledge to write a textbook about this old house."
"So who's going to come with us?" asked Sakamoto-san.
In the end, it was decided that the Mask Club, Oda Kimiko-san and her husband, the Sakamoto twins and the deceased's brother were to go.
Sakamoto-san and Oda-san made great guides, as they talked about the house with enthusiasm. Shinichi noticed once or twice when they pressed down upon various wall ornaments. It was getting to be quite suspicious at this point. But the trip was relatively safe. Or at least it was before they reached the carved stairs.
They were stone steps leading out to a garden outside. Shinichi could almost see the old road coming through, horses stomping down the dirt. Inscribed on the stairs was a riddle.
"Fear me greatly, for I am wild/ And death lies in my charades/ And the curse of the blood gem is never mild/ Dare you search, the specter waits until midnight fades/ Before the sirens claim their prize," R read aloud, eyes wide. Behind her, Sakura-san was terrified.
Shinichi saw Oda-san reach for a small carved flower, but before she could touch it, her high heel broke, causing her to trip. Shinichi felt a distinct push and he found himself, along with everyone else, going down like dominoes, tumbling down the slippery stairs and into a deep hole that extended far into the earth.
And it all went dark, as he felt someone grip his hand.
