Author Notes: This is a prequel story in connection to DW: Night Baron Case Files: Corpse Party.
Fictions Mentioned:
Episode 1
Insert Song: Start
Dies irae - Animation OST: Burlesque
Conan Edogawa was rather outnumbered and outgunned.
Why?
"Kyaaaaa~ Shin-Shin is so cute, I'd want to take you home with me~"
That's why.
He was visiting Professor Agasa's Residence which was right next door to his mansion, having finished up with a couple of cases that were solved with casual ease as if by daily routine. Yes, even on a weekend, there's always no break for The Dark Knight.
Now, he was currently being hugged like a stuffed toy by one Sayaka Ooue, a young energetic woman with a beauty mark just below her right cheek, wearing her Paulownia Academy High school uniform consisting of, a maroon blazer, white shirt, red necktie, dark blue skirt, black thigh-high socks, and brown loafers. Blue-green eyes and long curly brown hair, with three green hair clips on the left side of her head.
He looks at his surroundings and sees two young women along with Sayaka, old friends of the latter.
There was Naho Saenoki, a young woman wearing the same uniform as Sayaka, with indigo eyes and black medium short hair, with two red hair rings and a red pentagram-shaped hair ornament on the top left part of her head.
The last was Aiko Niwa, a young woman from the same school as Naho but was not wearing her school uniform. Rather, she was wearing a short purple yukata with a red skirt underneath, and a gold necklace with a pink gem. There was also the geta with long stockings tied with light blue ribbons.
Conan Edogawa could only think of one thing. He looked toward the resident scientist/girlfriend (Ai Haibara/Shiho Miyano) and the resident nosy sister (Hanako Edogawa/Akemi Miyano) for the answer. By their very facial expressions, Haibara being the rather amused serious one with arms crossed and Hanako making an amused giggling smile that spoke "success", he can already guess what was going on.
"Let me guess, these three are here as part of a plan for me to take a break for once in my life," Conan simply said.
"Yes," both of the Miyano sisters made a nod.
"Heeh, how did you know about our secret plan, Shin-Shin?~" Sayaka only lightly shakes him and was still carrying him around like a teddy bear, still making a cute and pleasurable smile.
"Because I know you," Conan spoke simply.
"Hahaha," Professor Hiroshi Agasa laughed in his jolly old voice, located somewhere on the far side of the kitchen. "As expected of Shinichi, you always seem to take things in stride and figure almost everything out."
"("Travelling with the Doctor could do that to you...")" Conan simply thought in exasperation. He looked at everyone. "So, if this is your plan, then where are we supposed to go from here?"
"Tropical Land of course," all of the three girls—Sayaka, Naho, and Aiko— spoke with a smile.
"...Tropical Land?"
Conan Edogawa, or rather Shinichi Kudo, had rather complex memories of that place, both happy and sad. He had nothing against that place, far from it in fact, but he noticed sometimes that the past keeps looking back at him, coming back there from time to time.
"(Sigh). That place again...I always can't seem to escape that place," he muttered.
"Oh right, that was the same place where you shrunk, right?" Sayaka became concerned, a far cry from her cheerful demeanor from earlier.
"Yes, but it's not that it bothers me. It's just that I tend to note that I kept coming back to that particular place in regard to my cases," Conan reassured with a simple smile.
"Oh, and speaking of which," Haibara walked towards Conan who was still being held by Sayaka. "I and Onee-chan are not gonna come with you this time."
"Hm? Why?" Conan asked.
"Because I'm busy with my experiments," Haibara proudly smiled, putting her right hand to her waist. "Plus these three being here to keep you company is a win-win situation for both of us."
"And I'm gonna have to look out for the Detective Boys along with Shiho-chan in order to keep them out of trouble. You know how much these children stumble upon these cases on their own. It really makes me worry that they might end up at the wrong place at the wrong time," Hanako smiled in worry.
"Oh, I know that feeling since I've been dealing with that since last year," Conan smiled with empathy, recalling the three elementary school children under his charge—Ayumi Yoshida, Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya, and Genta Kojima. In the many times when he wasn't Night Baron, the staggering amount of cases that he gets involved in alongside the kids was something that he took note of earlier on and had made various contingency plans because of it.
Conan turns to the Professor. "And what about you, Professor?"
"Well, I'm just going to drive you to Tropical Land myself since I have an errand to run with an old friend of mine at the Blue Parrot," Agasa explained with a smile.
"("And by old friend, he probably means Konosuke Jii.")" Conan thought, thinking that they must be collaborating on experimental gadgetry that would be in use for both him and a certain phantom thief magician who was his greatest rival and best friend.
"So in other words, I'm going to have to spend my time with you three specifically from now on," Conan looked and said to Sayaka, Naho, and Aiko who were flashing smiles in their own way.
Unlike most, Conan Edogawa wasn't a dense man. He very well knew that out of all three of the girls, Sayaka and Aiko were the more leaning towards having feelings for him, although they never really showed it much. In fact, they and the other women in his life, one way or another to varying degrees, were quite disappointed or devastated when he finally chose a girl that he fell in love with, in this case, Ai Haibara, also known as Shiho Miyano, the shrunken scientist of the Black Organization whose drug made him into this in the first place. She was his Irene Adler in a sense.
And speaking of said girlfriend, Haibara was giving him that look that didn't need any words. She said with her thoughtful look: "("Have some fun for once, Kudo-kun. Too much work, and no vacation, deserves at least a small libation.")"
Conan understood that look immediately with a nod.
Tropical Land.
The amusement park where a lot of things had happened. And this was the same place where Conan Edogawa, now dressed in his iconic wardrobe consisting of a blue blazer with a single button, and a pair of shorts, red trainers, and white socks. He looks from all directions and sees people coming and going about their daily routine. Some just wanted to have fun. Some just wanted to spend time with their families. Some were on dates. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar couple that was holding a pair of cotton candy.
One was a tall young man with black hair and eyes, wearing black shades, a white shirt, a black jacket, black pants, and black shoes. The other would be a blonde young woman, quite beautiful, long blonde hair tied in pigtails with small red ribbons, and light-brown eyes, wearing a simple pink jacket, red shirt, gray pants, and brown shoes. They were both talking and smiling with one another, their conversation being rather lively.
Conan smiled subtly as his glasses flashed because of the reflection of the sunlight. "("Harima-san, Sawachika-san, glad to see that you're both having fun and getting along for once.")"
Now, he was alone with the three girls of Paulownia Academy. One of them, Sayaka, grew rather excited.
"Yosh! It's time for us to have some fun!" Sayaka exclaims with a cheerful smile. Eventually, she dashed a few steps in order to take on the sights while Conan and the other girls only walked slowly.
"Hmmm," Aiko giggled. "Sayaka seems rather in high spirits for today."
"It's Sayaka, she's always been like this since I've known her in middle school. Her energetic personality actually makes her quite the successful radio personality and model, well regarded by her peers. And I can definitely see as to why," Conan simply said with a smile.
"And what does that make me, meitantei-san?" Aiko made an amused smirk, raising her right clenched hand to her mouth.
To those unaware, Sayaka Ooue may not look it, but she leads a very busy life and schedule based on her part-time job as a radio personality which in turn makes her try her best to balance between this and her school life. Conan recalled that her career started back in their middle school days which only grew from there. In some cases, she was always choosing the best individual selections of recorded music for the listeners to listen to after a hard day's work. In other cases, there were various talk shows that were hosted by her, many of which involved guest speakers. Conan Edogawa, as Shinichi Kudo, had attended this radio talk show for a personal interview from Sayaka regarding his detective work in the field.
"You on the other hand are the greedy type, meaning that whatever suits your best interests may be for the sake of personal profit," Conan explained with a deadpanned tone.
"Wha..." Aiko made a surprised expression.
If there was anything that Conan knew about Aiko by now, she was quite the shrewd businesswoman that has a knack of interest for spiritual items that she would buy and sell for a proper price. She's an information broker
"Hmmm. He's got you there, Aiko," Naho giggled with a smile, putting her left clenched hand to her raised right shoulder.
"I...I'm not that bad, am I?" Aiko made a comedic depressed expression.
"You ask for the question and I simply delivered with the rational truth," Conan deadpanned.
That comment made Aiko a little down as if defeated, with Naho patting her on the back while making a sympathetic expression.
"Of course, that doesn't mean that you don't mean well," Conan clarified, not turning around. Aiko and Naho were a little surprised. "Your information skills are quite useful for my investigations from time to time so I'm at least grateful for that."
And that hint of praise coming from Conan Edogawa, or rather Shinichi Kudo, made Aiko Niwa smile a bit brighter before eventually coughing herself in order to act cool and collected than she really was.
"I...ahem...I see," she said, closing her eyes.
How does one have fun in an amusement park?
Simple.
You just do it. No need to think much of it.
Conan Edogawa and the girls were simply enjoying the sights just like your typical group of friends that would hang out and have fun.
There was that time that Conan showed them the same spot where he showed Ran one year ago, standing in the very center of a circular floor, waiting for a few seconds before the fountain burst forth its streams, amazing the girls who were looking at it and with Conan smiling.
There was that time when Sayaka was embracing a squirrel mascot while Conan got embraced by a bunny mascot. Aiko and Naho were simply laughing from the sidelines.
There was that time when Conan was firing a toy gun in the shooting range with pinpoint accuracy, amazing the girls, the owner, and everyone else who was watching. He naturally won a few prizes that he gave to the girls.
There was that time when they were riding the Ferris wheel and the girls were looking at the ground with amazement. Conan was simply smiling as he was also looking down at the ground that has multiple people walking about.
And there were many other things that had been done by them that lasted until the afternoon sunset. Conan of course was the official photographer of this trip, having taken every photo either as requested, with some of them being direct via selfie.
"Hehehe, Conan-kun, you're the only one who looked rather serious in this picture," Sayaka said, smiling as she and the rest of the girls were looking at one of the recent pictures on Conan's cellphone. They were now currently sitting on a bench nearby, resting for a bit after seeing the sights.
"I'm smiling aren't I?" Conan raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, but not enough. You were always serious even when you're smiling," Sayaka pointed out, making a pouting expression.
"Not all of the time..." Conan muttered. But there was a reason why he was serious this time if only because for the last couple of hours, he noticed that there was someone watching them from afar and was following them. "Girls..." he said with a strange expression, one that was still smiling but there was something undecipherable, bringing their attention. "Wait here for a bit, I need to go and check something."
"Hmm?" the girls were looking at Conan who was putting his phone back into his pocket and hopping out off the bench.
A few meters away, Conan, with his expression blank, was walking toward the back of a few stalls. He turns left and after a few minutes, appeared to be speaking with someone.
"...!"
The three girls were very surprised as they see a young man who was frightened and surprised when he was called by Conan, wearing the standard Paulownia Academy High male uniform consisting of a light blue blazer, white shirt, purple tie with black stripes, dark blue pants, and brown loafers.
"What the?! Inumaru?!" Sayaka exclaims in shock.
Insert Song: End
Insert Song: Start
Heavy Rain Soundtrack Main Theme HD
"Mou! What the heck are you even doing here, Inumaru?! And stalking us?! Really?!"
"I'm sorry! I just couldn't help it! You were all looking like you were having so much fun and I feel that I was feeling left out! I'm sorry!"
Sayaka looked displeased and annoyed at her childhood friend, Haruyuki Inumaru, now initiating a dogeza position who had been discovered by Conan as having been following them for quite some time, feeling quite left out of the outing. Naho and Aiko were only making exasperated smiles.
Conan in the meantime was only carrying a grave expression.
If it were only because of Inumaru, he wouldn't have minded and was very considerate of him, knowing his obvious genuine romantic feelings for Sayaka. But that wasn't what made him worry as he wasn't the one that he was looking for.
There was someone else who was watching and it fell on Conan specifically, the latter feeling it and the interest that it had, his honed sixth senses kicking in. He glances around from all directions until his eyes turn to the Ferris wheel nearby. Standing on top of the roof of one of the passenger cars was a young woman with a petite doll-like appearance, wearing a dark revealing suit showing off her skin appearance that speaks of her prideful and seductive character. She was smiling and that smile was directed at him, with the afternoon sunset showering on her back. It was one of interest, a seductive kind of interest.
"("Mizuki Magari.")" Conan thought grimly while his expression was blank, recognizing the girl through the help of his glasses that were zooming his location.
The girl, after her smirk grew wider as if she knew that her beloved little detective had managed to spot her and the smirk itself was a hidden challenge that was now being proposed to him.
Conan narrowed his eyes as he sees her opening her mouth and making lip-synced words. He can read it as follows.
"("Martuba's Tomb is now on the move. Beware when nightfall comes, my dear Heisei Holmes, because someone is going to die tonight.")"
He widened his eyes. He sees the girl licking her lips in a seductive manner before eventually jumping off of the passenger car and disappearing into parts unknown, leaving him to his reflective thoughts in spite of the noisy background wherein Sayaka continues to scold Inumaru.
His eyes narrowed.
It would seem that the afternoon sunset was merely a passing flicker as night would become engulfed in the shadows.
But...
It was for that very reason that Night Baron would come out from underneath.
For he is the shadows.
It was nightfall...
Somewhere in a bedroom from an unknown location...
D...I...E...
D...I...E...
D...I...E...
The lights in the bedroom were all off and everything except for the active computer screen was covered in darkness.
The accursed words, all written in Fuþark, were written on the computer screen.
There was a girl that was accessing a certain website and what had suddenly occurred was this trance-like state wherein she was uttering the words:
"I..want...to...die..."
And her face was haunted and disheveled...
Afterward...
"Shiori-chan, are you still awake?" one of her friends asked as she opened the door. But then, she noticed the windows completely open without anyone inside. The tied sides of the curtains were swaying by an ominous wind. "Shiori-chan? How rare...I wonder where may she be this late at night?"
The only thing that she noticed was the numerous letters on the laptop's computer screen. The computer appeared to be glitching as they were all showing one word, first in kanji, then in Fuþark, then in English.
死にたいですか？
ᛞᛟ ᛃᛟᚢ ᚹᚨᚾᛏ ᛏᛟ ᛞᛁᛖ?
Do you want to die?
There was a shock...
There was horror that can now be found on her face...
Now...
Akari Roen could not scream...
She could not scream for she lost her voice in silent horror...
Silent horror...
Even in spite of the horror...
There was a sign of hope that was seen from the very skies that would shine brightly for all to see. Everyone, human and non-human, looked up to see hope in their eyes as the symbol of the legendary hero that had made his mark on world history would now be summoned once again.
From the very rooftops...
There was a young boy of about seven years old wearing a set of magician clothing with a dark blue color scheme for the majority that blends through the color of the night sky. A dark blue top hat, suit, and caped overcoat, with a pair of white magician gloves, and a pair of non-reflective glasses that cover one's narrowed and determined eyes and face, thereby keeping his identity strictly confidential and hidden. His expression was blank, one that was considered by others who knew him to be very hard to decipher, being considered as the "poker face" that is put into effect, an inscrutable type of face that reveals no hint of a person's thoughts or feelings or emotions.
His cape blows from the wind, almost as if it were signaling the Earth's favor.
The moon was shining its light on his back as if the Great Lady Goddess Tsukuyomi was by his side for this night and giving him her divine blessing to do what needed to be done.
The Dark Knight of the World has come again.
He was Shinichi Kudo.
He was Conan Edogawa.
But now, he is known by another name and face that gives fear to the criminals and the corrupted and the supervillains and gives hope to the major populace composed of innocent people and individuals who would defend the ideals of justice and truth and other fellow superheroes.
The Night Baron.
And he begins to slowly walk to the edge of the rooftop and makes a sudden free fall with his cape flapping high.
And through the help of his memory cloth cape, used it as his transport to carry him to the main headquarters of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department where Inspector Juzo Megure would no doubt be there to meet him as he's usually the one to activate the Baron-Signal.
Somewhere in the Mouri Detective Agency...
"Shinichi..."
Ran Mouri muttered softly in worry. Along with her parents, Kogoro Mouri and Eri Kisaki, they all looked to the skies from their windows" and see the beacon of hope shining down on the populace.
Somewhere in the Baroncave, the lair of the Night Baron...
There was Ai Haibara who was acting as the operator of the Batcomputer's controls that monitors every known pattern of Tokyo. But even in spite of being concentrated, she could only have one thought in her mind.
"("Kudo-kun.")" she thought as she looked at the symbol of the Night Baron flashing from the skies.
And there were accompanying her three individuals who were all looking at the screen that was showing the symbol of Night Baron.
Hanako Edogawa, Professor Agasa, and Shuichi Akai.
"Shinichi..." Hanako muttered softly, putting both of her hands together. Shuichi Akai simply put his right hand to the latter's shoulder, crouching while doing so as he still looked at the screen.
Somewhere in the neighborhood of Ekoda...
Kaito Kuroba was looking at the skies with a grim expression on his face, knowing that it was that time of night for his old friend to be summoned once again.
And he didn't need to say a word.
"Hmm, it's that time of the night, huh."
Eikichi Onizuka muttered grimly. He and his wife, Shizuka Hiratsuka, and many others who were in the streets of Tokyo, were looking at the skies and seeing the iconic symbol complimenting the moonlight.
Other locations throughout Tokyo...
There was Naho Saenoki, Sayaka Ooue, Aiko Niwa, and Haruyuki Inumaru who were all looking at the skies and see the iconic symbol complimenting the moonlight.
Inspector Juzo Megure, holding a folder, was waiting for Night Baron on the rooftops of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department headquarters located somewhere in the Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda Ward. Accompanying him were many police officers that were surrounding him from all sides. Among them were Detective Wataru Takagi and Detective Miwako Sato who, like the rest, was looking on from the skies for any sign of their anticipated visitor.
The stylized emblem of a magician with a hat and glasses was seen shining from the Baron-Signal that was installed long ago sometime between the late 80s to early 90s.
"You wanted to see me, Megure-keibu?"
The Inspector and everyone else would look to the back, seeing Night Baron standing tall and walking towards them. The Inspector, nodding in satisfaction while maintaining a grim professional expression, simply cut to the chase and gestured his right hand towards Night Baron which holds the file folder containing everything that he needed to know.
Night Baron gently takes it from the Inspector and inspects it with narrowed eyes.
He reads.
He finds the symbols of Fuþark and a list of potential missing victims, all of which appear to mostly consist of teenagers and some adults, that are being reported for the past few nights before and today that are not to be ignored by the police force any longer.
And then, he remembers the lip-sync words of Magari Mizuki that were echoing beneath his inquisitive and calculative intellect.
"("Martuba's Tomb is now on the move. Beware when nightfall comes, my dear Heisei Holmes, because someone is going to die tonight.")"
And so begins another battle in the proxy war between the Night Baron and the accursed order that hides beneath the realm of shadows and rumors and urban legends.
The war between Night Baron and Martuba's Tomb.
Insert Song: End
OP Song:
Corpse Party: Book of Shadows OP OST - Hana no Saku Basho (Full Version)
Main Companion Protagonists:
Shinichi Kudo/Conan Edogawa/Night Baron - VAs: Kappei Yamaguchi; Minami Takayama
Main Love Interests:
Shiho Miyano/Ai Haibara - VA: Megumi Hayashibara
New Characters:
Akemi Miyano/Hanako Edogawa - VA: Sakiko Tamagawa
Ran Mouri - VA: Wakana Yamazaki
Kogoro Mouri - VA: Akira Kamiya
Eri Kisaki - VA: Gara Takashima
Professor Hiroshi Agasa - VA: Kenichi Ogata
Shuichi Akai/Subaru Okiya - VA: Shuichi Ikeda
Kaito Kuroba/Kaitou KID - VA: Kappei Yamaguchi
Naho Saenoki - VA: Ayano Yamamoto
Sayaka Ooue - VA: MAKO
Aiko Niwa - VA: Rikako Yamaguchi
Haruyuki Inumaru - VA: Tomohiro Yamaguchi
Magari Mizuki - VA: Maaya Uchida
Inspector Juzo Megure - VA: Chafurin
Detective Wataru Takagi - VA: Wataru Takagi
Detective Miwako Sato - VA: Atsuko Yuya
Kenji Harima - VA: Hiroki Takahashi
Eri Sawachika - VA: Yui Horie
Eikichi Onizuka - VA: Wataru Takagi
Shizuka Hiratsuka - VA: Ryōka Yuzuki
Shiori Izuru
Akari Roen