Doll Tricks
By Icka! M. Chif

"Yaaah-hoooo!" Sonoko cheered. "It came! It came!"

"What did?" Ran asked, looking puzzled as Sonoko did a funny little dance.

"You'll see! I'll be right back!" Sonoko ran into a nearby shop. Conan and Ran exchanged puzzled looks, then shrugged.

The enthusiastic girl bounced up a few minutes later, clutching something to her chest. "Look! Look!" She held it out for inspection.

It was a doll. Kind of Retro looking. White suit. Top hat. Cape. Tiny monocle over one eye.

It was the Kaito Kid.

"It's he KAWAII?!" Sonoko bubbled. "Only people in the Kaito Kid Club can get them."

Conan sweatdropped and wondered if Kuroba knew. The thief tended to keep a close eye on people selling 1412 merchandise, something about 'it being wrong for people to be making money off of stealing'.

He found this highly amusing, all things considered.

They continued walking, Sonoko bubbling about how cute the doll was. Ran nodded and made small comments, smiling at her friends enthusiasm. Conan tuned them out and watched the people as they passed instead.

A small girl playing with a doll across the street gave him an idea.

"May I borrow your doll a minute, Neechan?" He asked, giving Sonoko an eager look. "I know someone who would love to see it!"

Sonoko debated for a second, before smiling and handing him the doll. "Don't damage him, okay?" Threats of mutilation and disembowelment burned in her eyes if one artificial hair on the dolls plastic head was harmed.

"I'll return him in the same condition." He promised, before taking the doll and running off.

A borrowed doll's dress, a quick trip to a photo machine and a postal vending machine later, he returned the doll to Sonoko, safe and sound. She looked at him with wary eyes, carefully inspecting the doll for damage.

"Thank you, Sonoko-neechan!" He chirped innocently.

"You're welcome, Chibi-chan." Sonoko replied cheerfully, even as she looked at him warily

"Did you do what you needed to?" Ran asked, distracting him from the annoying brunette.

"Yeah!" He nodded. "You're seeing Aoko-san tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Conan smiled and held up an envelope. "Do you think you could ask her to give this to Kaitou-niisan? I think it's something that he'll really enjoy."

Ran smiled back at him, taking the envelope. "I'm sure she'd be glad to."

He beamed at her. "Thank you!"

***** Two Days Later ****

"What's this?" Kuroba looked at the envelope that Aoko set down on his desk at school.

"It's from Ran-chan." Aoko said, taking a seat at her desk. He hadn't done anything perverted yet, but she was just waiting. "She said Conan-kun requested that I give it to you."

"Huh." He shrugged gamely and opened it. Inside was a piece of paper with something scribbled on it. Curious, he read it. 'The latest fashion in Tokyo'.

He flipped it over.

"Aoko-chan?" He thoughtfully a minute later.

"Yes?"

"When is your next outing with Sonoko-san and Ran-san?"

"This weekend."

"Good." He smirked. "That gives me a few days to find this dress in his size."

*****

"Welcome home!" His mother called as he and Kazuha took their shoes off by the door. "There's a letter for you, Heiji-chan."

"Thanks, Okaasan." He found the letter on the table next to the front entrance. "Oh, hey! It's from Kudo!"

"Kudo?" Kazuha echoed. "What's he saying?"

Heiji pulled the piece of paper out and read it out loud. "'Help! Help! I've been captured by an evil magician'-!? What the-?"

"There's something on this side." Kazuha observed, leaning forward to inspect it.

"Huh?" He flipped it over and promptly began to laugh. It was a picture of a Kaito Kid doll, dressed in what appeared to be a bright red Hello Kitty dress.

Puzzled, Kazuha took it from him and inspected it. "I don't get it."

Fin.