A/N:

This is going to be really short because I wasn't planning to post until next week…however, the circumstances are forcing me otherwise.

You see, I having a real nasty problem with the way my fic is going… as you may read from my previous notes, I'm not really familiar with the latter characters of DC. Actually, all I know about Kazuha, Ai, and the alter ego of Kid are what I read from sites and other fanfics.

I was told that Ai was very much OOC in chapter nine. My problem now is this? Should I rewrite it or just write an Ai POV chapter or just write an OOC Ai warning? How would she really react under the circumstances? Upon analysis, my bet would be she would just stay frozen in shock, knowing that her past had caught up with her. Hmmm…suggestions, anyone?

BTW, thanks to Kaitou Magician and M for their reviews and for pointing out my mistake. Sigh. Anyone know where I can buy a the latter issues of translated manga of DC here in the Philippines? Believe it or not, the only ones available to me is only up to the second volume (the one where Agasa gave Conan his toys and Conan started giving the credit of solving cases to the Sleeping Detective, Mouri Kogoro).

Help me if you can!

And as for this chapter, this is a teaser, as I don't want to pose my million questions without at least posting something, anything. Please review. Thanks.

Chapter 10:

The Real Him

          To say that Mouri Kogori was not having a good day was an understatement. First off, Ran had pleaded to stay the night at her friend's house even if it was a school night. That means no breakfast for him and the little squirt. Actually, they both attempted to, but that turned out to be a disaster, a disaster that would cost thousands to repair. And that's enough for his already sour mood to turn even more so.

          And then there was last night…

          Mouri Kogoro cursed as he saw the news clip on the television for the nth time that morning. The media was having a field day.

          He decided to take a walk to ease the humiliation of defeat from last night. However, he was not to escape the news as it was being shown in almost all television stations, as the TV Sets in the shop he had walked past would attest.

          Last night, while the Beika museum was swarming with policemen and detectives alike because of the note the Phantom Thief sent, the Immortality Stone was stolen.

          It was stolen by a young woman at that.

          At first, they thought it was the Kid. However, at the end of her heist, the idiotic tux-clad criminal arrived, and he, too seem to be in shock that a new blood had stolen the limelight and the stone from him.

          Great. Now they have two thieves running around Japan.

          But the thing that hurt the most was that they couldn't do anything about it. The woman (they knew it was a woman because she was wearing a form-fitting black jumpsuit that seemed like second skin, her long hair fluttering in the breeze) had also outsmarted the police and the Greatest Detective that grazed the planet.

          And the media had caught all of its glory on tape.

          Even what happened after the new cat burglar had escaped outside.

          She was standing on the rooftops, seemingly oblivious to the ruckus she caused. She then raised the Immortality Stone she was holding up high until it was directly behind the moonlight.

          Suddenly, the moonbeams struck the stone and light started to refract on the stone, giving it the appearance that it was crying.

          The Phantom Thief, who had also followed her, stood in shock.

          Moments later, she was gone.

          Who is she?

          A man dressed in dark clothing followed the Sleeping Detective as rambled aimlessly that morning.

          No doubt that the detective was smarting over what had happened last night. He grinned. That would make his job so much easier. With the detective distracted, he wouldn't notice someone shadowing him, right?

          Then, he saw his chance.

          The detective had made his way over a deserted alley.

          The man quickly followed. Once he was near enough, he brought out a handkerchief soaked in chloroform. He applied it on the detective's nose from behind. The larger detective struggled for a while. Then, he became limp and started to slide down.

          The man caught the detective and grinned at his accomplishments. He took out his transmitter and radioed for help.

          A few seconds later, a car had stopped at the other end of the alley.

          He dragged his load in the car. Afterwards, it sped away, leaving neither evidences nor witnesses for what they had just committed.

          Once again Akai Shuichi had performed the tasks given him.

          Akai grinned as he tore off his wig and pale makeup, revealing his hair to be of a lighter shade of brown and his skin of a darker tone. Yes, he was Akai Shuichi in another lifetime. But now, he was better known as Miyagi Ken.

          "This is Akai." He called out to his transmitter. "Mission accomplished.

-tbc

P.S.

Hey, congratulations to my blockmates (and their band, Flawed) for their very successful gig yesterday! Rock on! I've sung with all your songs until I've become hoarse! And that I still say that the guy near the bar was flirting with me…If only I got his number…  And if it's not too much to ask, please review my fics. If you so much as make a mistake in playing your instruments, I don't hesitate to say it to your face, but when it comes to me…OK, so now I'm babbling…sorry. I missed you guys though. Nice seeing you again. Hope to do that once more sometime soon. And no, I;m not expecting you to help me with my dilemma. You know even less about DC than I do.