Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan. Never did and never will.
A/N: Gomenasai everyone! I'm very very sorry for updating so late. There've been school, clubs, even summer school that've kept me busy. And on top of that, I was experiencing major writer's block. Well, I know they are just excuses and I'm truly sorry for not updating sooner. Thank you all for your patience. I wonder if many of you have already lost interest. That would not be good but I can't blame anyone but myself for letting it happen. Hopefully there will still be some readers. Hopefully.
"Shinichi, it's not your fault. You shouldn't blame yourself for this," says Yukiko Kudo to her son who is sitting wordlessly by the window. Ever since the accident at the warehouse, Conan has not spoken a single word. His expression remains unmoved. His eyes cloud with unspoken emotion.
Yukiko shakes her head. Heiji Hattori, Dr. Agasa, and Yusaku Kudo sighs. It is useless.
At least he's not doing anything stupid. She reminds herself the main reason they boarded the earliest plane to Japan when they heard the news from Dr.Agasa. They were all afraid he would do something stupid like committing suicide. Even Heiji Hattori, Shinichi's rival and friend, came as quickly as possible. His friend, a girl named Kazhua came with him but she's with the Mouri in Eri's apartment, lending her shoulder for them to cry. The Mouri still can't bring themselves to go back to the agency, knowing that they would have to face the reality that their daughter is not there anymore.
Conan has not left his spot by the window all day. He refuses to eat much and sleeps only when he collapses on the couch, exhausted for being up so late. Everyone is worried about his health and Yukiko fears her son can't hold on much longer. Ran's unexpected death has certainly broken Shinichi's heart and diminishes his will to live. But nothing in the world can bring Ran back to life again. Yukiko is at her wit's end.
Shinichi stares out the window, looking at nothing in particular. He could feel the pain in his heart and the frustration in his mind.
Why Ran? Why did you follow me that day? I don't understand. Why when I try to hard to keep you alive, things still end up this way. Oh, Ran why must you be so cruel? Do you actually have the heart to leave like this, taking with you my love and everything I hold dear in this world? I won't forgive you for getting yourself killed Ran! And I won't forgive myself either for putting you in danger…
"Damn you Kudo! Why must you be so stubborn all the time?!" yells a very frustrated Heiji. "Can't you see everyone's worried sick about you? If Nee-chan is watching from beyond the grave, she wouldn't want to see you like this." Before anyone can stop him, Heiji grabs Shinichi by the shoulder and starts shaking him.
"Speak Kudo! I demand you to say something right now!"
Shinichi turns his head and looks into Heiji's eye. For a minute neither spoke. Suddenly Shinichi opens his mouth.
"Leave me…" he croaks, his voice not used to speaking for a long time. "All of you… leave me… alone…"
Heiji releases him immediately. He couldn't take looking at Kudo's eyes as he spoke. It was almost as if he has already died and this was only his corpse. Heiji walks to the door. Seeing Kudo's expression, he loses his reason to argue. Yukiko, Yusaku, and Dr. Agasa must have seen the same thing too because they leave with him.
Alone and in the dark, he remains in the same spot by the window. A few minutes pass. The door creaks open. Shinichi doesn't bother to look up. Footsteps and someone nudges his shoulder. He turns around and finds Haibara holding a gun.
"Here, take this," She speaks in that emotionless voice of hers. "I thought you might need it."
Shinichi takes the gun. "Why are you giving this to me?" he asks.
Haibara's face remains the same. "Isn't it obvious? To kill yourself."
Shinichi's eyes widen. "You mean suicide?"
Haibara looks at him confused. "Why are you looking so surprised? Didn't you lost your will to move on?"
Shinichi remains silent and stares at the ground.
Haibara shrugs. "I don't get you Kudo. You mope around all day thinking about your pain. Now I give you the chance to end that pain and join your beloved on the other side. I thought you'd jump at that chance but instead you hesitate. What exactly do you want to do?"
Shinichi points the gun to his temple.
"You're right, Haibara. This is what I want to do." He smiles and pulls the trigger.
A seven year old girl sleeps soundly on the train. Several days ago, she was the seventeen year old Ran Mouri, daughter of Kogoro Mouri and Eri Kiseki. But that Ran is dead. According to the newspaper and media, Mouri Ran is the unfortunate victim of a sudden warehouse fire. The reason for her being there is unknown but it is for certain her body has been burn to crisp since the firefighters has found her jacket half burnt in the warehouse. The famous Detective Kogoro Mouri has confirmed this in an interview with the press but he was so upset by his daughter's death that he didn't answer much and was immediately escorted home by Tokyo Police's Inspector Megure.
The girl turns on her back and opens her eyes. She is a ghost now. A ghost of a girl who is proclaim dead. What she experience back at the warehouse when the drug took effect was very much like death. The pain, the suffering, they were of such magnitude that it felt like she did actually died. Was she for real? Is she really the same Mouri Ran or did she really die back in the warehouse? Did she reincarnated into another body and is just living another life? No, she is Ran all right. She knows this well in her mind that without a doubt she is still Ran, only ten years younger. Unfortunately this is only known to herself. To her family, friends, and anyone who knew her, Mouri Ran is dead and this strange seven year old just happens to resemble her when she was younger.
Her hands lazily finger her braid as she admires the beauty of Japan's country side from her window. She knew she resembles too much of the old Ran. So she braids her hair into a single long braid and gives herself an entirely different look. Of course on a closer inspection, she will still look like Ran but for anyone just glancing in her direction or with bad eyesight would definitely thinks she's someone else. That was what she is aiming for. A different look that is good enough to fool a person with bad eyesight and that person happens to be Shinichi's grandmother.
Since she and Shinichi are childhood friends, Ran has been invited to meet many of Shinichi's relatives. One of them is his grandmother who lives in the countryside. Ran's own grandparents died many years old but Shinichi only has this one left from his father's side. She writes a lot to the family but never comes to visit them in the city. And now that Kudo Yusaku and Yukiko have moved to America, she has stop writing all together. But Ran knows the pleasant voice old lady who happens to be a terrific cook still lives on her peaceful life in the comfortable house her husband brought for her there so many years ago. She knows this because she still writes to the old lady and unknown to the rest of the Kudo, she and the old lady are so close that Ran sees her almost like her own grandmother. Even though Yusaku and Yukiko Kudo would very much like to visit her as much as possible, the old lady knows her son is very busy with his job and doesn't ask too much of their time with her. Shinichi is the same.
Her house would be the best place to hide. She can keep low in a place where she knows for certain no notorious crime organization would ever step foot in. It took her a while to convince the lady at the ticket booth to sell her a ticket. The woman looks skeptical at why a child like her is traveling alone on a train trip. Out of ideas, Ran finally breaks down and starts crying about how her stupid brother always teases her to be too young for anything and that buying this train ticket herself is her way to prove him wrong. The lady looks at her with sympathy in her eyes as if she had similar experience when she was young and without hesitation sold her a ticket.
A few more hours and she'll be there. Ran hugs her bag tightly with a small smile on her face. She can't wait to see the old lady again and for once in a long time since her "accident" she feels at ease.
Shinichi shuts his eyes. Click
Nothing happens. He opens them and sees Haibara smiling at him.
I can't believe she fooled me again. He groans to himself.
Haibara wags her finger like a mother would do as she scolds her child. "I say you want to do this but I didn't say you should do this."
Shinichi looks confused, "What do you mean?"
"I'm surprised at you, Kudo-kun," said the redhead, "For someone like you who works with evidences and deduction all the time, I didn't think you would jump into conclusion without finding any proofs."
Shinichi is baffled by her words. "I still don't understand what you mean."
Haibara sighs. "Look, Kudo, the only thing right now pointing to her death is that burnt jacket. But it was torn in half. That other half isn't found anywhere and the marks on the torn piece does not indicate it has been burn off. Therefore, she must have ripped it while escaping."
Shinichi shakes his head. "But it could also mean the other half is already burn by the fire."
Haibara puts a hand over her head. "While that may be true, you can't completely dismiss my theory."
Shinichi is again confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"Remember Kudo, don't jump into conclusion unless you have full proof of it. As a detective, you should know this better than anyone."
Shinichi eyes widen with hope, "Are you telling me she could possibly be alive?"
She turns to leave. "Follow me and I'll show you what I mean."
Shinichi follows her out the door. Heiji looks amazed at how Haibara is able to get Kudo out of the room.
"And I think your dark skin friend might want to come along too." The redhead remarks without looking at Heiji.
The two detective look at each other and shrug. Neither has any clue what's going on but both know that following the pint-size scientist will lead them to the answer.
"I don't believe this!" Heiji cried.
Shinichi too was amazed but he was too surprise for words.
"This is exactly as I predicted. She is still alive." Haibara looks on with a thoughtful expression. "When I saw that half torn jacket I knew there is a possibility that she might have escaped. So I check back here in her room and found this." She holds up the other half torn jacket.
"I found this on the floor of the closet. She must have came back to get some clothes but in her hurry she drops this jacket here because it was getting in her way. I would understand because half of it is gone and it would be hard for her to move around with part of it dangling. Seeing as how she obvious she left it here, I'll bet she didn't even know she left this jacket or even the fact that she had a jacket on."
"But why would she run away?" Heiji asks.
"That can be answer by Kudo," Haibara turns to Shinichi.
Shinichi begins telling them about him meeting Gin and Vodka, the warehouse meeting, pills turning human into water, and everything in between.
"Because she knows her death will keep us alive. If she is dead, the BO will not come looking for her but since she didn't die, she must still be careful not to reveal it so that we are safe from their inspection." Explains Shinichi.
"So… Nee-chan is doing the same thing like you only she is proclaiming herself dead rather than mysteriously disappeared." Heiji scratches his head. "And to think you didn't bother to tell me this until now. With the silent treatment you were giving us, I was made to believe this whole thing was just a simple accident."
Grinning, Heiji nudges his friend. "She obviously had a better plan than you, Kudo. Because of this, they will stop looking for her all together while for you there will always be suspicions that you might still be alive."
Shinichi glares at his friend and Heiji sweat drops.
"Now that we know she's still alive, the question I have is how did she survive?" Shinichi asks, turning to Haibara. "The pills, as I have mention, could one of them fail to work even if the rest do?"
Haibara leans back on the wall. "That is certainly a possibility; however, I don't know what the side effects are in that pill so I don't know what kinds of dangers she might be in right now."
"In that case, we better go look for her. Who knows what danger she might be in?" Heiji declares as he heads for the door with Shinichi following him.
"I wouldn't be so quick to do that if I were you."
The two turn to look at the red hair girl.
"What do you mean?" asks Shinichi.
"Think about it, you two. She could be anywhere and in any form. What if the side effect for that pill makes you ten years older?"
"We'll still recognize her, wouldn't you Kudo?"
Before Kudo could reply, Haibara speaks up, "Remember, she could be in any shape or form including… having the face of another person."
Shinichi and Heiji stare at her in disbelief.
"Is that even possible?!" they cry.
Haibara shrug. "Frankly I don't know but I'm just warning you to be careful not to eliminate too quickly."
Heiji and Shinichi nod in understanding before opening the door.
Once on the other side, Heiji turns to Shinichi and whispers, "Should we tell the others?"
Shinichi shakes his head. "No, that would only lead to more innocent people getting involved. We'll keep it a secret until this is over."
Heiji nods in agreement.
Meanwhile on the other side, Haibara Ai stuffs the half-torn jacket in a bag she brought with her. Since Mouri-san has the other half, it wouldn't be wise leave this here. Even though he is at his wife's apartment, Mouri-san and his wife will eventually find the courage to come back. Walking out Ran's room, she notices Kudo and Hattori have already left.
Haibara sighs. She could be in any shape or form… I say that because I know she is now a seven year old kid.
I saw her the other night. I was running an errand for Dr. Agasa and I passed by her house. I saw her coming out of the agency. She was no longer seventeen. At first I wasn't too sure. Yet so much of that seven year old resemble the older one. And in my guts I know I'm correct.
A/N: Again I apologize for my bad grammar and possible Japanese language mistakes. If there're anything wrong please don't hesitate to comment.