Kaito didn't know when it started happening, when the light began to dwindle from his little detective's eyes. Well, he wasn't so little anymore. Conan Edogawa had finally moved back to America and Shinichi Kudo seemed to return from the dead. After a rather public appearance with the take down of the Black Organization, he was finally able to return to his normal life.

And for a while, things were as great as they could have been, and heists became an even bigger challenge when Tantei-kun could finally match stride in their chase. It made their game so much more fun while the task force could only change their definition of what was normal on a KID heist. Everything just became more lively and erratic and in the middle of it all was a thief and detective, facing off without worry just as it should have always been.

But then things began to change. When the detective failed to show at one of his heists (that he had specifically planned for Tantei-kun's birthday! He even referenced it in the notice!), Kaito knew something was up. So, as any phantom thief would, he snuck into the Kudo mansion and hid a series of bugs and cameras. What he found in his surveillance was a little more than worrying.

To begin, Shinichi and that friend his, Ran, no longer seemed to be on good terms. It wasn't bad per say but it was tense. Interactions between the two were awkward and stiff but she would still return every once and a while to make sure he was still there. He told her then, Kaito surmised, and she wasn't happy about it but was too scared of him disappearing again. It was sad, considering one of his main purposes for coming back was to be with her but that was the harsh reality of his situation. It also meant that Shinichi wasn't getting out of his house nearly enough for anything besides work or school.

Second observation, Shinichi consumed a deadly amount of coffee and Kaito swore that it was illegal. That stuff without any sort of sweetener was just disgusting and criminal.

Third, his Tantei-kun seemed to be using that coffee as a supplement for actual food and Kaito could actually see the thinning effect it had through the cameras. That small girl from his childhood days was good at keeping him from starving though why a teenager listened to someone less than half his age with no trace of mockery was beyond him. He was just thankful that she was there to do so and she occasionally brought over the Shounen Tantei which always brought a bittersweet happiness to their grown friend.

But what was most worrying of all was what happened when no one else was around, when Shinichi was left alone in that giant house of his. Often times, he'd hole himself away in his library and go over case files and read a book or two but soon enough he stopped doing that as well, only settling for a deep weary sigh as he stared out the window into the depths of the night. Case files were left unread and unsolved on his desk.

Shinichi had lost his fire somewhere along the way. His main goal of returning to his body and taking down the organization was complete. The person he had fought so hard to return to spurned him and the one person who knew and would understand lived all the way in Osaka. Now there was no goal, no motivation, no reason to keep going. It was just case after case after case after case and the thing he once loved so much was now the very thing that was wearing him down.

Of course, Kaito would have figured out these things with time (he wouldn't be a master of disguise and mimicry if he didn't know exactly how someone's brain processed things), but he found them out much sooner when it all just seemed to snap, and his detective scribbled his anguish in a letter that was ripped to shreds not long after completion.

The letter sat pieced together in front of him addressed to no one in particular. It just began, and the end only gave Kaito more reason to worry.

'Signed,

Edogawa Conan

Kudo Shinichi'

The other name was signed out of habit from the ease of the strokes, but the dark scribbles over it showed frustration and the deliberation in signing his true name was concerning.

Something had to be done.

And Katio just had a KID-worthy idea.


"Join me."

Shinichi blinked at the sudden offer(order?) given to him by the white-clad thief that had invaded his home. Keeping his watch level, he narrowed his eyes. He must have heard wrong.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Join me," the thief repeated, "on a heist."

Part of him wondered if he had actually gone insane. Or maybe it was KID though KID probably crossed that line within seconds of being born. Or maybe the magician just used it as a jump rope. Both seemed to be liable options and the mental image was definitely an amusing one.

"I could turn you in right now, y'know."

"But you won't."

KID's stance remained cocky and overly calm, his poker face at its finest. It was almost irritating.

"You do realize you're asking a detective to break the law, right?" Shinichi asked warily lowering the watch just a tad. KID wasn't a threat. For now, at least.

"I'm well aware Tantei-kun."

Yup. The thief had officially lost it.

The groan that escaped him broke whatever tension was left in the room and he lowered his weapon to run an exasperated hand through his hair. KID's smirk grew, and the detective fixed him in a glare that held no fire or threat behind it.

"It would actually destroy me if it got out I helped KID on a heist. No one would ever trust me again to help them again," Shinichi finally reasoned, falling back to sit on his bed. That was all he did after all. What was left of the Heisei Holmes if he stopped receiving cases because he helped an internationally wanted thief on a heist? His gaze fell from KID to stare at clasped hands.

For a moment, KID remained silent, contemplating. Shinichi felt the calculating gaze take him in and resisted the urge to fidget. Just when the silence became almost unbearable, a sigh shattered it and KID pushed himself off the wall to walk over and crouch in front of the former child. Shinichi didn't look up.

"And would that be such a bad thing? These cases are wearing you down, Shinichi." Shinichi looked up surprised. KID almost never addressed him by his name. The sincerity of what could only be concern practically radiated from the portions of his face that weren't hidden by shadow. Shinichi blinked, momentarily unable to process what was happening.

"Even some rigid detectives need to take a step back and have fun sometimes." And with that, the concern melted into a Cheshire smile and a yellow rose popped into existence just in front of Shinichi's nose.

Atmosphere broken, Shinichi scoffed and snatched the offending flower away. "And I suppose your version of having fun is humiliating the police." It wasn't really a question.

KID grinned, monocle glinting in the moonlight. "Of course~ Life would get dreadfully boring if I don't keep them on their toes."

He stood and backed away a few steps before letting the mask melt away one final time to deliver a final sad smile.

"Just think about it, Tantei-kun. I'd hate to see one of my favorite detectives give up on the chase."

With that, his cloak was swept around him, and a pink gas filled the room. Shinichi realized what was going on too late. Next thing he knew was the feeling of his pillows as sleep overtook him.

On his bedside table lay the flower atop a note. 'Meet me where we first met if you wish to join. I'll be waiting at sunset. Until then, my dear detective.' The signature doodle was scribbled below it.


"You came." A baseball cap and large jacket covered any distinguishing features. The clothes were generic, available in almost any shopping center.

"I wanted to see if you'd actually show up."

The thief hummed in thought. "Are you in?"

"I don't know."

Nothing else was said for the rest of the time they were together.


"What would I even do?"

The coat had vanished, replaced by basic casual clothes. The cap still covered his eyes, though a familiar mousy mop of hair stuck out from under it.

"That's up to you Tantei-kun. That's what planning's for."

"But I can't do magic. Won't they know it's not you?"

"With your mom's skills, I'm sure we can figure something out."

It got a chuckle out of Shinichi and the boy didn't even bother to ask how KID knew about his mom. Never mind the fact that she was a pretty famous actress.


"They do say the third time's the charm."

Something had changed in Shinichi's gaze and Kaito could feel a new determination radiating from the other as he walked up. Sapphire met indigo and Kaito stretched out a hand.

"Kuroba Kaito, magician extraordinaire. Welcome to the team."