CHAPTER 12- Next foot forward
This is the last chapter for this story but there is going to be an epilogue after this. For those who reviewed, THANK YOU! I am really grateful for all the comments and I really hope you will continue reading the next story and the 2nd part of the series Impending Doom.
To tantei no hime: I didn't say that the woman was Vermouth. The woman was an OC. Sorry if I wasn't clear on that.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Detective Conan. All rights go to Aoyama Gosho. No copyright infringement intended.
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*in some building*
"That was something wasn't it?"
Gin sat back in his favourite armchair and smiled evilly. He was dressed in a suit, very unlike his usual clothes. A smart looking black pair of trousers, coat and tie followed by a white shirt. He was told to wear different colours when he went under disguise. That's why he wore a white shirt. If given the choice, he would remain in his favourite black garments. Beside him on a table, a torn plastic mask laid there. He had stolen one of Vermouth's countless disguises for the test.
Vodka was sitting opposite him. He was still in shock. He was dressed in a similar suit as well and his mask was still gripped tightly in his fists. His eyes were wide with complete wonder. Well, Gin couldn't know for sure as his eyes were hidden behind those dark sunglasses that Vodka always wear. The only indication that Vodka's eyes were wide open were his eyebrows. They had moved upwards a little.
"Aniki... I don't believe it…" Vodka began, whispering.
"What's so hard to believe?" Gin asked, "It happened right in front of our eyes."
Vodka gulped nervously, "He did better than what we thought."
"Isn't that good?" Gin replied impatiently, "He exceeded my expectations and the Boss's as well. That is more than enough to me."
"Don't you think he's a little too smart for a 7 year old boy?" Vodka countered, "The gun, the wall, the code! It's too advanced even for an adult! To think that a kid would know that much…." Vodka left it hanging.
"I know but that what makes him perfect," Gin replied. He lit another cigarette and drew a huge breath of the smoke. "Imagine. If he is this good when he's young, imagine what he would be when he grows up. He'll be unstoppable. That's why we need him. If he joins our enemies, we would be at the losing end. No way I am going to let that happen."
Gin smiled. "What a great coincidence. To be actually be caught in the same bank robbery as that kid. Heh, I thought the test we wanted to give to him was hard enough but the bank robbery was even harder and he actually managed to get everyone out alive. Not an easy feat to do. To think we would see him in action because we went to the bank to withdraw some money. God is surely on our side," Gin laughed.
Vodka gulped again. He couldn't shake the feeling that the boy was someone that should be feared. The way the kid held the gun-it was as though he had training before. The kid also claimed that he had learned his nifty tricks from a certain 'Shinichi-niichan'. Vodka had a feeling he knew who this 'Shinichi-niichan' is, wait- was. The high-school brat is dead.
Gin fished into his coat pocket and pulled out a cell phone. He dialled in a number. Beep.. Bop… Bip… Beep…. The melody of 'Nanatsu no Ko' was dialled in the simple 'beeps' of a cell phone.
"Hello, it's me," Gin said as soon as the call was answered, "I found someone that you might like…. Boss."
*Mouri Detective Agency*
Conan walked out of the room, his head down. He walked over to the table and sat. Pulling the bowl of rice towards him, he began to eat his meal in silence. He chewed and swallowed. He never spoke.
Ran and Kogoro exchanged glances. It has been three days. Three days since they saw Conan smiled. Conan didn't speak, he didn't smile. He merely walked around aimlessly or shut himself in the room. His eyes didn't held a shred of emotion in them. The usual, lively blue eyes were as cold and hard as stone. Ever since he returned from the hospital after visiting Haibara, he seemed to have lost his soul.
Ran sighed, looking at Conan whose only focus was on his food. She knew that Conan and Ai-chan had a special relationship. They were always together, never once have they been separated if they can't help it. They were always whispering to each other, sharing secrets that were for both their ears only. Now Ai-chan was in a coma and he had lost all life. He was like a ghost, slipping in and out of the room unnoticed and silent.
Kogoro, unable to stand the silence of the company stood and strode over to the coffee table. He picked up the letters and began to look through them with disinterest. Bills, advertisement, bills again and at the bottom of the pile of letters, a professional looking peach-coloured envelope attracted Kogoro's eye. The front of the envelope stated 'Edogawa Conan' in a spidery handwriting. Kogoro flipped it over and saw a seal at the back of it.
Kogoro held out the envelope to Conan who was still sitting at the table. "Hey, Conan," called Kogoro, "A letter just came for you."
Conan raised his head and looked at Kogoro. He stood up and retrieved the letter from Kogoro and went back to the table. He tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter. Ran and Kogoro looked over his shoulders, interested to what the letter says.
The letter states:
Dear Edogawa Conan,
We are pleased to inform you that you are chosen as one of the candidates for Japan International School 's(JIS) Scholarship Programme. JIS is an elite school for special youngsters ranging from the age 6 to 20. All students are assessed based on their abilities and they are allowed to take subjects that are not offered in ordinary schools.
As a chosen candidate for the Scholarship Programme, we offer you a chance to enter JIS for free. The school fees are free of charge and so is the boarding. As a scholarship student, the only worry you would have is your academic performance. You need to be in the ten top percent of the level in order to maintain your Scholarship student status. Other than that, you do not need to worry about the school fees. The Scholarship Programme intend to bring gifted students from less privileged families into JIS to offer them a chance of a certificate from JIS which is recognised worldwide.
Please reply as soon as soon as possible through the school website and we hope that you would accept this rare chance of a shot in JIS. Thank you.
The letter ended there. Kogoro and Ran were whispering to each other, shocked from the sudden stroke of luck that Conan had received. They were already shouting at Conan to accept the proposal in order to get into a better school. Conan, however, was staring at the paper with eyes wide as saucers. A rush of conflicting emotions sped through him, making him giddy. Anger, sadness, relief and resolve. This was the chance he was looking for. He had made a promise. A promise to bring them down. If they were on the were so eager to meet their destruction, he could only give it to them.
"Ding…Dong…"
The bell sounded, interrupting everyone from their chain of thoughts. Ran stood and went over to the door and pulled it open.
"CONAN!"
An extremely noisy and bashful Detective Boys rushed in. They were all screaming in delight, totally incomprehensible. The stun trio watched the kids jump up and down in their obvious glee, waiting for the kids to lose their uncontrollable hype.
"Conan!" shouted Genta, "Did you get it?"
"Get what?" Conan asked dumbly, too confused by the current events.
"This!" the three shouted together and they each pulled out a letter from nowhere. They thrust it into the air and screamed, "We got into the school!"
"Nani!" Conan shouted, jumping to his feet. He ran over the cheering boys and grabbed their letters away from them. All the letters were similar to Conan's, only the name is different.
Conan's hands began to shake, which went unnoticed by the overly-delighted Detective Boys and the two very shocked Mouri. How is this possible? He had worked so hard to keep them away from the death-like attention of Gin and Vodka. But why are they chosen as well? Is it because the Detective Boys, which is now very popular, had attracted their attention as a whole? So they are not just interested in Conan but all of them as well? Why? What have they shown that to catch their attention?
"Are…are you guys going to accept the offer?" Conan asked quietly.
"Of course!" they chorused, "Who wouldn't? We already give the school our confirmation!"
Conan gritted his teeth. He was hoping that he could join the school alone without anyone to worry about there. But now with the Detective Boys attending the school, he had to keep an eye on them as well. And now, he can't refuse as well. If he didn't go, who knows what would happen to them. They have a tendency to run into troubles all the time.
"Are you going to accept Conan-kun?" asked Ran, "They are going so you won't be lonely there."
"But…." Conan began helplessly. There were so many reasons why he wanted to stay. Everyone who he wanted to protect is here. If he leaves, who is going to protect them? And… there's her. He couldn't visit her anymore if he enrol into JIS. JIS is a boarding school. He would never be able to see her until the holidays.
"Goshinpai naku," Ran assured him, "You will be the first one I will call if anything happens to Ai-chan.
"Arigato Ran-neechan," Conan thanked her gratefully. At least that was one of his problems gone.
"Well, hurry up and reply Conan!" shouted Kogoro excitedly, "The Great Mouri Kogoro's assistant is a student of Japan International School!" He laughed crazily.
Conan booted up the computer and went to the JIS's website. He clicked on the 'Scholarship programme' link and clicked on his name which was among the four names listed there. He hesitated, the mouse hovering over the 'Accept' button. If he clicked that button, he can never turn back. But he had made a promise. He won't break it.
He clicked on the button and took a deep breath. The Detective Boys went crazy again, screaming in delight. Ran was trying to shush them but to no avail while Kogoro was calling everyone who he knew to boast about Conan who was now something like a son to him.
No one noticed Conan slipping out of the house, quietly and as stealthily as a ghost.
*Agasa's house*
"Are you sure about this Shinichi?" Kudou Yusaku's concerned voice said, "You are might be walking into a very dangerous trap."
Conan twiddled with the phone strap on his phone and replied, "I don't think so. I have a feeling that it isn't a trap but a honest scholarship programme. Don't worry, I'll be careful."
"No, absolutely not Shin-chan!" the harassed voice of Kudou Yukiko broke in, "That is too dangerous! You are playing with fire!"
"Okaa-san, I'm going to be fine," Conan stressed again, "I'll be careful. Anyway, I am going to attend JIS, an elite school. Aren't you happy?"
The mood on the other end of the phone brightened immediately. "Yeah I am!" Yukiko cheered happily, her worries vanishing completely. "My son is going to an elite school! I am so proud!"
"I am too but be careful Shinichi," warned Yusaku, his voice still serious, "Make sure you don't poke around too much. If they catch you, it's over."
"I know," Conan said, "I don't plan on being caught."
"Alright then, we'll send some money over for your expenditure when you are in school. Goodbye then Shinichi, be careful," Yusaku said before ending the call.
Conan hanged up and looked at the hakase who was standing beside him, looking at him worriedly.
"I'll be fine hakase," Conan reassured him, "But now the focus at hand is the safety of Ran and everyone else here. Can you keep an eye out? If anything happens, call me immediately. I will return."
"I will do that but Shinichi," Agasa said, "will you be fine there? You have to take care of the kids and yourself. And inside a school that might be monitored by the Organization, it will be very dangerous."
"I'll be fine hakase," repeated Conan, tired from comforting and assuring people, "I need to do this. I made a promise. I am not breaking it."
Agasa didn't press him any longer. Conan was ready for the incoming challenges and he was never going to back away from them. He was Shinichi. Shinichi is a person that will never give up, no matter what.
*in some other building*
"He accepted? So did the others? That's good. Alright then, keep an eye on all of them when they are in school. I want daily reports."
Gin ended the call and grinned evilly at Vodka who was waiting for him. The room lights weren't lit, making Gin's lighted cigarette the only source of light in the room . "They accepted," Gin announced.
"Why did you chose three other brats as well?" Vodka asked, "I thought you only wanted the brat, Edogawa Conan."
"They are brave. Bravery is good," Gin replied lazily, "Anyway, they are friends with our main focus. The Boss wants them to tag along with the kid so he wouldn't feel so left out in the new school. It's all for the kid."
Gin laughed and his laughter rang throughout the room, making Vodka squirm uncomfortably in his seat.
"The real tests starting real soon," Gin said as he took the cigarette butt from his lips, "Real soon."
He extinguished the cigarette butt, pressing it down firmly on the ashtray, leaving them in complete darkness.
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FIN
Conan and the gang is off to JIS! The life in a new school will start soon and again it is filled with action and mysteries! The Black Organization has no idea about Conan's true identity and Conan do not know their true intentions! What will happen? Life in the new school will be in the next story, the sequel of Marked! I am going to take a break before starting on the next sequel, 'Secrets: Part 2 of Impending Doom' would be out by next week so please keep an eye out! For those who had read and reviewed this story, Thank You very much! I hope that you will continue to read the next part of Impending Doom. Next is the epilogue, the finale.
Translation:
Aniki- Partner, commonly used by Vodka when addressing Gin.
Nanatsu no Ko- A Japanese children song- Seven children. It is also said to be the Boss's phone number.
Nani- What?
Goshinpai Naku- Don't worry. *Not sure about this. If I'm wrong please tell me. Thanks. :)*
Arigatou- Thank You
hakase- Professor. Thats what Agasa is usually called.