Chapter 18: All Bets Are In

Shinichi found it difficult to keep his eyes open as the waves moved before them. Passage secured, check, trading route going to be open again, double check. Captain going to be paid what he was asked… that was going to rid him of most of his currency and he had been hoping for extra in that area.

He had expected the reward for killing the monster to be gold, and had very little on himself at the moment, aside from a couple extra and the gold he had already promised the captain and his workers. Four days. Four horrible days of the seas rolling and they weren't even halfway there yet. Apparently, after asking the captain, a week meant ten days. That was far longer than he thought and the rolling waters weren't overly bothering him but it was dull.

That, and their reward had to be shoved at Amuro because he was the only one that could use it.

It was some sort of instrument, one he knew Amuro already had. This one was different. He'd caught sight of a flute in his pocket a few times now and that made sense, if he was a bard and all, but this new flute seemed strange and had a strange bird skull on it. The man now wore it around his neck with some twine he'd gotten from the captain and kept looking at it from time to time. Whatever it could do, they'd have to find out later, if at all. It seemed like a measly reward, though then again, that was an easier fight than he expected as well.

It was strange and he avoided saying anything, but there was something about the flute that sparked something in his mind, told him that he could not play them or use them. It also told him that they were meant to frighten and that Amuro would be able to do such if he tried.

He had a feeling the man already knew something along those lines if he did choose to speak up, so he kept silent.

For as much as he didn't know, Hakuba though seemed oddly quiet most of the journey. Shinichi had to figure that, like him, he'd been on a boat long before now, to the point where watching the slight changes of the ocean's waves was nothing new or thought-provoking. Being with people he barely knew well, if at all, seemed like something that would get the guy talking, mostly because they didn't know a thing about this place.

Amuro was a few feet from him, watching the waves with an intensity that Shinichi had to figure he was a bit too worried about what was in the waters to relax like the rest of them were. If something were to happen, Shinichi had enough confidence in himself, as himself now, more or less, that it didn't really bother him. Being weaker than the others equally didn't bother him for some reason. Part of it was a game but part of this place relied on talent and knowledge as well, so being weaker didn't necessarily mean he truly was in ways that mattered.

There was also the black sheep that none of them seemed to want to talk about.

Kuroba was a mystery to him in too many ways for him to consider the guy a friend, even if he had proven as such time and time again so far. He didn't need to be protected though, never had. If the thief thought that that course of action was the best, Shinichi, even when he was there earlier as Conan, didn't agree. They wouldn't get anywhere and hadn't gotten anywhere thinking that way. That, and the guy was dead. They were free. He had no idea where to look for him and no time when he'd been back home, so if he was really gone… It was a life, he was worth saving, but this was a lot to get his head wrapped around and they weren't nearly going to be strong enough to bring him back. Thinking on the ship and it's outrageous price, anyone else would likely be more than they could earn as well.

"Hey," Hattori's voice spoke up quietly while the other teen leaned beside him near the ship wall. "Why'd ya come back? Kudo I get, but ain't there still gonna be some time passin' if were here that long? What about… ya know."

"Haibara is taking care of it, and so is the professor. Ran's going to be curious but she can't really ask much when he took us on a 'surprise' hiking trip which he announced over the phone after we were already packed and gone. She'll try, it'll make her curious, but I'm the only one who knows about the strange time passage. If this works out she'll have plenty of time to worry over me being gone in all of the few hours it might be."

Hattori nodded, looking around and not doing it too subtly. "And.. why'd ya really come back? There's 'nough of us here, and ya said ya were a healer but ya don't really look it, let alone ya ain't really doin' anythin' and can't anymore than that other guy."

Shinichi didn't have to look back. "I don't know why Amuro-san stayed, he didn't have to. I thought he was going to leave but he never returned with us. You'd have to ask him how he feels. It's a little too close for me to ask. I trust him, and I might get information from him here that he'd be more willing to share. I doubt anyone from anywhere can spy on us here."

"'m'kay, but ya know, we still don't got much of a plan. Not too sure riskin' more 'a us was the best way ta go. I mean… I like havin' ya here, a lot if I'm bein' honest, but yer puttin' yerself in danger when ya don't hav'ta."

"And you are too." Shinichi couldn't help the smirk. "You're a fighter. They need a healer and some way out. It's dangerous, you didn't leave, it makes me think you're sticking around for far longer than you have to. Wouldn't you call that putting yourself in danger too?"

Hattori tipped his head like that thought hadn't occurred to him. "I guess so? I mean, those guys can't fight. They can but, I mean, not well. They just all kinda suck at it from what I saw. Kinda felt like if I went home I'd kinda just be helpin' someone die, an' I didn't want that. Guess you didn't have much of a choice and did the second time so… guess I really ain't got nothin' ta fight ya on." Hattori let out a breath. "I hate this."

Shinichi nodded. "I do too, but there's nothing we can do. I don't know what's going to happen from here on out anymore than you do. He might have," he said with a small tip of his head back. "But I don't know how to bring someone back except with this games weird magic system, spells, whatever it is. I'm guessing a lot of money too. We don't have either."

"Yeah," Hattori spoke in a somewhat monotone voice that caught Shinichi's attention and had him looking over at him. The other teen seemed to be just staring blankly somewhere back on the ship.

"Are you okay?"

"Dunno. Everythin' feels weird ta me. Usually I don' mind runnin' head long inta somethin', even if I don't really understand it. Now… I mean it ain't like takin' on bad guys. 'Sides bringin' 'im back, I got no goal, no idea what ta do." Hattori lifted his fist and closed it a few times in front of himself. "Ain't felt like this in a long time."

"Mmm." Shinichi went back to staring ahead, focusing more on the waves. "End goals are great to have, but purpose is better. You're here to save and protect, like I am. That's enough for me right now, though I'm not going to be passing up any clues on what's going on or how this world works. It can't run like a game, we'd be dead in an instant if it did. Obviously our presence is effecting it, though how much I can't be sure. In any case," he spoke as he stopped leaning and went back towards the ship. "We do have a job to do. We can't really do it while on this ship so I'm going to go mess around with the screen a bit in private, so I don't look like a crazy person to the captain or anyone watching."

"Go fer it." Hattori didn't seem like his spirits had been lifted at all, his hand by his side but now his eyes hazed over once more as he starred over the side of the ship.

There was nothing more to say though, and a long boat ride ahead of them, so Shinichi went off to deal with his own thoughts. There was far too much to handle as it was that, unless something was really wrong with him, the mental state of his friend was something that the other teen would have to deal with himself.

…

If the bustling streets of the square could be put inside a video game, he had found them. Shinichi barely stepped off the docks before the noise and the people, some of which were clearly also trying to use the docks and determined in pushing him off in the most 'accidental' way possible, became evident. Hakuba was beside him, his hood up, and staring out over the crowd.

"I may have some problems here. Most of these people appear human."

Shinichi couldn't help a small laugh as he lidded his eyes. "Coming from a human in the skin of an elf is strange, you know."

Hakuba blinked a few times, either because of the sun or the statement. "I suppose so."

"A hotel room first would be best. I have next to nothing on me. Some of that was more expensive than I thought. I should be able to cover a guest room though, provided that they don't charge us more with what we're carrying."

"He was better at talking than I am, so I'm not sure. I'm not even sure where to find an inn. I believe this is something I will follow your lead on."

Shinichi nodded, watching Hattori come off the ship, sweating and clearly having trouble as he was the only one carrying the box. Amuro was beside him, but was there clearly in case he failed than to help him. "We're leaving. We'll talk around town after but having a meeting place seems the best option."

"Got'cha. Jus' lead the way." Hattori heaved a sigh and tried to fix the rope around his shoulder better.

Shinichi had done what he could while the others had been busy sleeping. With them switching off watches, he'd had time to cast a new spell. The issue was it didn't last long and he'd need to cast it again, though in private, to keep their third wheel from giving them away. "Come on."

It didn't take long at all, it was a large town, but Shinichi skipped over the first inn he had come to, that was clearly for travelers and clearly on the higher end as far as rate was concerned. He couldn't fault them for wanting to make a profit. The inn he settled on was about half an hour in, and past a lot of bustling foot and cart traffic that made getting anywhere difficult.

He paid the fair for the and threw his things down at the foot of a rather other, but large and comfortable bed that was clearly in need of new sheets sometime soon. "Okay, what are we doing?"

"I can probably make us some money here, but the drawback of a large town is I may have some issues myself sooner rather than later." Amuro looked at the door, going over and closing it. "I'm not good with full moons."

"We have, what, two weeks on that?"

Amuro had this strange smile as he went over and sat on a bed himself. "About, yes, though a month here seems to longer than a month back home. A bit lucky there, I suppose. You seem to be of some sort of holy nature, so I go get some gold, and I suppose you look for a healer so we don't have to level on our own. It might be too late by then."

"No it won't, not with me." Shinichi shrugged, the other two still standing so he turned to them. "As long as I have some magic I can keep him from… dying more? I'm not sure if you wondered or not why it wasn't more obvious we had him with us. I can make time stop, at least for him."

"'hat's good. Why didn'cha tell us that before?" Hattori narrowed his eyes and glared at him a bit, though the Osakan was never that intimidating to him.

"I didn't think it mattered. I wasn't back soon enough, or strong enough even when I was, to do it until just recently. Bringing him back here was still always the plan, wasn't it? This didn't really change anything."

Hattori kept his eyes on him for a few more seconds before sighing. "I suppose. Money seems ta be the issue now. I don't think I'm really too good at nothin' but fighting, but I kin try fishing or something, or maybe find somethin' around town where they need me. Guessin' we're gonna be here a while."

"I'm assuming so. If a boat was as much as I had to give him for a ride, I'm guessing bringing someone back to life is outrageously expensive. I'm not sure if I can help but… I think I can play an instrument. I could normally anyway. Here… I'm not sure. They mess with abilities here I think, to an extent."

"I'm only skilled in making herbs and finding plants, something that would be clearly lacking in a city this big, so my help will be very limited, even more so I'd assume because of how I look."

"There a way ta tell whatcha kin do? I didn't really care what I picked when I made the character," Hattori started muttering, as he brought up his information. "Huh. I kin work wit' wood. Maybe I kin work on the ships. That might get me a bit more cash than anythin' else."

That wasn't a bad idea. Shinichi hadn't looked at his own skill list when it came to such trivial thing either. He brought it up, tipping his head a bit. "Yeah, I'm not skilled, in the game, with any instruments, though I'm good with alchemist's supplies. I have no idea what those are or what I can do with them, though I know I have the kit for it."

"There's a way to look it up," Amuro spoke, going to some side menu that Shinichi never bothered with. Besides his own skills he really didn't care to know how to work the menu. "Hm. There's not much on them. I don't think it'd be something we'd want to be doing in town, more for the fact that it seems like you'd need a lot of ingredients that would be expensive and I'd assume we're saving money."

"If I can spend some to save more, I wouldn't mind. If there are supplies, I'm sure there's a person out that. I'll look into that, or just some basic healing. I really don't have much right now in the way of magic for basic help. I had sorted out spells more for fighting and healing and the sea than anything that'd help here. I could change that."

Hakuba shook his head. "I'm honestly no use to any of you. I was, apparently, made for just the forest. My spells are meant for battle and my talents are non-existent. Finding some way of hiding and helping one of you three after you set yourselves up seems the better option for me. Though I know how to play an interment in the real world as well, I do not here, and I'm not sure how that would work, though I could try if you would let me borrow one, Amuro-san. I noticed you have a few."

"Why not?" He went to his bag, ignoring the smaller one that Shinichi had to guess was in his pocket. "Are you good with a lute?"

"I'm not sure. I could play the violin."

"Ah, I don't have a lyre. Here, try anyway." Shinichi watched Amuro take the old fashioned instrument and hand it over. "It's like playing guitar. Have you played?"

"No, though I know how it's done. My fingering was never that great on it. Let's see. I would like to test this theory out on an instrument that one of us knows, though-"

"I kin play the guitar."

They all looked over at Hattori who snorted in response.

"Come on, that really shock ya that much?" He went over and grabbed the instrument, throwing the strap over his shoulder before getting settled and running his thumb over the strings as his fingers found the right keys he wanted.

Whatever the song was, Shinichi had never heard it before, and that surprised him. The music was good, and loud, and filled the air around them with a strange, upbeat tune that he had trouble figuring out. When he finished he handed the instrument back over, putting a hand to his hair and holding his head. "It don't… work right. It wasn't what I was tryin' ta play. Saw some numbers when I did it. I ain't good with it anymore, least not now, not in this game. I jus' gotta high number."

"It does come down to luck too. Watch." Amuro proceed to strum a much shorter tune in response. It didn't sound as good as what Hattori was playing, though this time he did notice the composer. "See? You played better than me, at least I'm guessing your number you saw was higher than a fourteen." Amuro sighed and scratched his cheek. "I think technically anyone here can play anything, so if there's nothing you can do to make money, I can lone you an instrument. I don't have many, but if you plan on going to the docks, I do have two to give out."

Hattori laughed. "I got a minus ta that. An' ya, I just got lucky. Wouldn't wanna jus' kill everyone 'cause I played so badly."

"Let me see as well, if you don't mind," Hakuba asked as he too tried to play something on the strings, his fingers clearly not in the right spots like Hattori and Amuro had done before they had played. He didn't sound bad, though it wasn't as good as the other two, and it was again a tune he had never heard before.

"I, too, seem to have a minus to this ability. Non-the less if am I to be of any help, I suppose I need to do something. This will do. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Just… don't destroy it I guess. This seems like a good enough meeting place." Amuro stood and went to the door, not bothering with any parting words as he closed it.

"Best get right to it anyway. I'll be back too. There's only one key so I guess we're not keeping it locked?" Shinichi dangled the only key the inn keeper likely had from his hand. "That seems like a bad idea though. I'll just lock it, and if you guys get back before me, waiting downstairs."

"Yeah, yeah." Hattori opened the door, leaving. "Ya gonna be okay, Hakuba-kun?"

"I sorely hope so, though I would like to find a better way to at least hide my hair." Hakuba drew his hood back up, both of them closer to the door than Shinichi and walking out before him. "I wonder if they sell wigs in town. I have nothing to buy them with if they do."

"Here." Shinichi handed over what was left in his pouch. They were sharing money and it was best that no one try to kill Hakuba again. In a bigger town like this, he doubted they'd be able to stop him. "Get what you need. Here's hoping this doesn't take the rest of our lives." Getting thanked and watching the others depart, Shinichi pretended to do so as well before going back to the room, recasting the spell to keep the thief from at least rotting away, more than he already was the first few days, he too went to see if there was a way his own skills could be put to use, along with finding someone who would be willing to help them with this spell.

….

Shinichi came back late in the night to no one, unlocking the door and trying to wipe the soot off his clothes. He, apparently, did not make a good alchemist. He got a few good from a few basic potions he was able to help with, but quickly got kicked out when he screwed up the last few.

Hakuba showed up next, wearing a black wig that hid his white hair, even if his face was still very dark, his head down and putting the instrument to the side. "I am not very good at entertaining people. I'm sorry, I wasn't able to find anywhere I was wanted, let alone play well enough for any sort of reward."

"It's okay. I messed up." Shinichi sighed, looking Hakuba over. "I'm going to, I guess, try playing that tomorrow then. We need to get some sort of income. Maybe you can try fishing like Hattori said. That should be something up your ally."

"I have enough, hopefully from you, to pay for one. I do think that would be better for me as well."

Amuro showed up next, a sigh when he looked over the two of them. "A large town. It has many talented people. If you don't stand out, you don't get much. I'll try a different bar tomorrow." He placed a small bag on the stand between them. "That's not much, maybe enough for us to get breakfast in the morning."

Shinichi dug his own out as well, though he simple just placed the dozen or so coins he had on the table. "Did we all just absolutely suck at finding work here?"

"Maybe ya guys just suck?"

Shinichi turned to Hattori, standing in the doorway with a grin on his face. "There's lots'a work fer anyone willing ta help with ship repair, lots a people though. I'm more 'a the custom order kinda guy." He went over, placing a bag that was very four times the size of the other. "Gonna get a lotta work tamarrow too. People kinda saw what I kin do and hired me."

Shinichi had to laugh. "So Hattori wins." He yawned, going to lay down and happy for once this night wasn't going to be filled with the rocking of the waves. "It's a good start. Now to find someone who will help us tomorrow, or soon. Hate to say it but we're going to have to find someone cheap."

Shinichi had little issue finding a place and a good crowd to listen to his music the next day. It wasn't the violin but it was fun to play, even if he didn't fully understand what it was he was playing. He wasn't bad, at all, and the crowd seem to love him. He was back earliest that day as well, happy, though when Hakuba came in second, once more, and dropped down a bag that was larger than Hattori's with a small smile, he knew he had been beaten out again. Hattori didn't fall short either, his bag even larger as he grinned at Hakuba, almost like they were starting up a challenge with one another. With both of them working at the docks, he had to wonder if they were having any arguments. Amuro arrived last, almost disappointed though he added a small bag to the pile himself.

"So, did you find someone to heal?"

Shinichi shook his head. "There's a few temples around here, but all of them seem to be for some fish, water god or something. None of them really care about healing unless we do something for them. I asked if they'd take gold but what they wanted… was in the thousands."

"We kin make it. Jus' gimme a bit'a time."

Hakuba nodded as well. "We seem to have found what we are good at. It shouldn't take all that long if that's what we have to turn to."

Amuro tipped his head slightly, letting out a small breath. "I know I can do it, but I'm still too weak, so I went asking around. It's clear here the people don't like me very much." Shinichi met his eyes. "They like you though, every town does. Do you think you can ask the singers instead of the clerics?"

"I'm a cleric, so I figure that they'll listen to me more than a singer or player or what not will, but I can ask tomorrow."

Amuro nodded before laying down, speaking to the ceiling. "This seems so frivolous. Was this what the game was meant for, just to stay in town and make money?"

"You're asking a bunch of people that never really played the game. Hattori?"

Hattori shook his head. "Did a few fights. Ain't never done nothin' like this. Gotta remember though, we ain't followin' no story anymore, 'less the story is more complicated that I figure."

"It's fine. We'll just have to as the idiot when we get him up."

Hakuba had to smile. "I very much enjoy the fact that it's not an 'if' any longer, and a 'when' instead."

Shinichi had to smile at that too. As much of a pain in the ass as the guy was, he was actually kind of missing him. He was probably going to regret that thought later but, as of right now, he'd like the teacher back.

….

It took the seven days to acquire all the money they needed, having to pay the hotel along with having to pay for food, before they had just enough to pay off a bard that Shinichi had found playing on the other end of town.

Shinichi had made a name for himself, playing the lute. It bypassed any small stories that, according to the background he had chosen, this town had heard of. Playing great music, in front of them, was far more entertaining than any old stories of heroics. Hattori, as well, had his name known well about town. People would go up to him, asking him to make things, and a few of the ships bared his work on the etchings on the sides or the finer working in the captains rooms that he'd share stories of. Hakuba… Hakuba caught the towns largest shark. One of the richer people in town bought it off of him and, even with his skin darker, his name and his talents also spread. Amuro kept to the shadows, making what he could and getting by, much like he thought the man would. He was never one to stand out.

Shinichi handed over seven hundred of the gold they pooled together, the half-elf before him taking it and slipping it in his pouch as the others went to the box and opened it. It only took a second or two before Shinichi darted over and took the copper pieces back. It looked strange, even to him, but that's how his spell worked.

"So, you lost a friend." The half-elf went over to the box, placing a hand lightly on the thief's chest. "His clothing is rather dark, and there's blood on it. Can I ask how?"

"Bandits," Amuro spoke up before anyone else could. "He died protecting a town I had been guarding. There were a lot more than I thought, or I would have brought in more backup."

"Mmm." The elf, now that Shinichi was caring about who he was, seemed young and unsure, though he'd been assured he had magic capable of bringing the thief back. Lying to them would have been pointless unless he had run off, which he hadn't. His hair was a deep brown and his eyes a strange hue of blue that reminded him of a sparkling crystal. He couldn't have been any older than himself. "I know this wasn't part of our deal, but can I know about him? He looks… strange."

Once the thief was back on his feet and healthy, Shinichi was going to punch him. Did he really have to make things so difficult?

Hakuba spoke up before he could. "He's a friend of mine. He's dragged me into danger only this once though, so I can't argue with him on it, and it wasn't really his fault. He likes to mess with people, but he has a good heart. I'd like it if he had some restraint, but that's asking too much."

The half-elf smiled. "Ah, I see. You do know that someone should fix that wig of yours, by the way. It's shifted slightly, and I can see your white hair."

Shinichi's eyes widened as Hakuba touched his hairline, leaving it and dropping his hand afterwards. "I see. Thank you for letting me know. I suppose there's no point in hiding it."

"No, not from me. I don't care that you're drow. It's not going to stop me. Besides, I've heard about you, and nothing bad has been said except for the fact that you're quiet. I can see why that is now." That half-elf let out a breath. "There is chance the spell will fail, and through no fault of my own. I hope you know how bringing someone back from the dead works."

Shinichi hadn't known that, and he winced. "So if you fail, we have to get the gold all over again."

"I need it for the spell, or I wouldn't be asking for it. Clerics have it easier than bards. At least, it's cheaper. A cleric here would have to get what I have to help."

"What's your name?"

The half-elf turned to look at Amuro, who he was surprised has spoken up.

"Why do you want it?"

"It just seems kind of natural. I'm Amuro." He tipped his head to each of them in turn. "And you have Kudo, Hattori, Hakuba, and hopefully Kuroba."

The half-elf narrowed his eyes. "Strange names. I'm Se'lel."

"Thank you then, Se'lel. All we can ask is that you try."

The half-elf nodded, letting out another breath. "This will take me an hour. Please make sure nothing stops me." Then then went to chanting under their breath, drawing out a strange looking crystalline diamond out of their pocket, and placing it on Kuroba's chest. There was a lot of strange syllables to the spell that Shinichi couldn't hold on to, and a lot of random movements of their hand.

After watching for a good fifteen minutes in silence, he turned to Hattori. "If this doesn't work, I can keep up my spell. We can try again."

Hattori nodded, watching the spell take place before drawing his eyes away. "Yeah. I gotcha. That's a useful spell. When 'e said ten days the first time, I was worried. Figured we'd never make that deadline. This is the same spell 'e was talkin' about, right?"

Shinichi shrugged. "I have no idea. I know right now I can't cast spells like that."

Hattori nodded before turning back and sitting down, just watching.

Shinichi sighed before doing the same thing. As very interesting as it was, he couldn't hold onto anything, and a lot of it was just confusing to him. An hour of this was going to go by really slowly.

…..

Right as the spell was ending, the half-elf let out a few shuttering breaths and started to shake. Not knowing what was going on or what to do, Shinichi cast magic and lightly touched him on the back, hoping it wouldn't bother him. Amuro came up after, a hand going on the slender shoulder. His whispered words of 'you can do this' just reaching him. There was a tingle to the words, magic. Shinichi didn't understand it but he felt it, and the half-elf seemed to calm, the diamond in his hand shattering into pieces as it vanished somewhere in the white light that encompassed Kuroba.

They all waited, Shinichi standing now and looking over the box. It didn't take more than a seconds or two before a shuttering breath ran through the thief, the box too small as Kuroba tried to raise a hand to his head. The dire wound that had been in his stomach was gone.

"Ow," Kuroba muttered, quietly, in a harsh, dry breath.

The half-elf slumped back with a smile and shaking hands that made his whole body kind of tremble as he rested what little of the weight he seemed to have on them. "Thank goodness. I thought… I thought I was going to lose the spell."

"Good job." Amuro patted the half-elf, taking a few steps back from all of them. It was Hakuba that went over to the box, his hand lowered.

"Are you going to stay in there forever?"

"Ow, ow, ow," Kuroba muttered a few more times, his eyes tightly closed and his body doing it's best to curl in on itself in such a small place."It all hurts."

"I'm sorry. It's the way the spell is. You'll be better in a few days but, before that, you really should rest." Se'lel stood, with help since Shinichi was right there. When he let him go he noticed some light colored smear of something on his hand.

"What?"

The half-elf looked back, a small smile there. He put a hand to his lips and shushed him. "I'll be on my way." There was a small patch of dark skin showing through what had to be some kind of make-up they were wearing to lighten their skin. Without any future words, the guy left, closing the door so they could have their privacy.

Shinichi went over to the box as well, Kuroba slowly uncurling himself, though he looked to be in some pain as he took Hakuba's hand and stood on shaky legs that likely weren't used to standing. "Be grateful. We could have just left. I hope you know that."

It took only a second for Kuroba to meet his eyes as they darted towards him, looking him over. "Ah… what happened?"

"That's a story fer tamarrow." Hattori went over and lightly, to the point it was very obvious he didn't want to touch him too hard, knocked him on the shoulder. "Jus' be happy yer alive. Ya die again an' I swear I'm gonna kill ya."