File 7: It Tolls Not for Him


Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.

-Isaac Asimov


"It's 3:37," Conan told the man who looked like he was almost on the edge.

Conan thought, He could ask anybody on the street the time but he feels compelled to ask a seven year old? If I recall correctly he was down at the base of the bridge. Did he realize he was late for something and his watch was broken? It's almost as if he went out of his way to ask me.

However, future musing was cut short by a shaky yet strong grip on his shirtfront. "Whaaa?!" Conan reflexively cried out as he was lifted the bridge railing.

What did he just say? 'If I don't they will kill her.' It sounds like his wife, maybe daughter, is threatened. …Ayumi, Genta, Mitsuhiko, I don't think scolding this guy is going to make him put me down. …What's he pulling out of his jacket.

OH CRAP!! He has a GUN!

Conan had no time to express his internal horror as he watched the man put the gun up to Conan's chest and pull the trigger. Simultaneously, he felt a searing hot pain form and grow in his chest as his hearing was temporarily lost by the close discharge of the gun. The pain was so intense that he felt his mind and body descending in the blackness of unconsciousness.

SPLASH!

Suddenly, a cold and very wet feeling replaced the searing hot pain, releasing Conan from the grips of unconsciousness.

Conan mentally yelled, AHHHH! COLD! Yet, it cools the burning. He must have thrown me in the river.

Thrashing, Conan struggled to stay above the turbulent water. When he did get a view of the land he was swept by he could see he was already far downstream.

Blurb! Gulp! COUGH COUGH!!

He tried not to swallow too much water. But the tumultuous river would drag him under time and again, would throw a wave a water right onto his head seemingly every time he tried to take a breath of air.

When Conan felt he could no longer stay afloat he discovered that he rested on the shore on a curve of the river. With the last vestiges of his strength, he pulled himself from his resting place on the shore to rest underneath a rotting, overturned rowboat, where he then passed out.

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Oh! It burns! Why do I hurt…so much? My head feels like it is being squeezed. Wait…I think…I remember now. Pain in the chest… I was shot, wasn't I?

And thrown into the river. Now…now I…rest underneath a boat. Oooooooh…I feel like going back to sleep. Sleep is bad…isn't it? Should…try…should try…and call…someone.

By some miracle, Conan's cell phone had dried out and worked. Somehow, Conan was able to dial the professor's house in his growing feverish delirium.

"Hello?" answered a familiar voice.

"Pro…professor?"

"Shinichi! Shinichi, where are you?" asked the worried professor, "I thought you were dead! I heard you were shot a couple of hours ago…"

Agasa could hear Conan's ragged breathing but no matter how much he talked, he could not get a coherent response.

"I burn…yet…am cold."

"Hold on Shinichi. I'm on my way. Just stay on the line," said the professor, trying to keep the concern and pleading out of his voice.

Agasa looked at Haibara. She was shaking and curled up in a state of terror, thinking they were coming after her.

She's not going to be any help for a while. She is still shaken from the news. Maybe…I can break her from her terror. I need her assistance, thought Agasa.

"Ai-kun. Shinichi is still alive. I need you to get medicines and bandages ready. I don't think he's in good shape," informed Agasa.

Haibara opened her eyes a little from the spot she was curled up in fear, "Kudo-kun? Alive? How?"

"I don't know," he replied while getting an extra set of tracking glasses to locate Conan, "but I need you to get the house ready for him. We will discuss the ramifications what has happened after I've picked up Shinichi. I also need you to continue to talk to him. We can't have him falling asleep."

Haibara watched Agasa walk out the door and lock it behind him. She watched the door for a few more minutes before she awoke out of her fearful stupor. She picked up the phone from where Agasa had placed it and finally began speaking typical comforting things that are spoken to people who are in shock to Conan as well as gathering medicines and bandages.

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Conan was trying to listen to Haibara on his cell phone, when, suddenly, he found himself soaring through the sky with a flock of migrating birds. He plummeted to earth only to be caught by Ran.

"Shinichi," she said, "it is wonderful that you are back."

He opened his eyes and was back to being Shinichi.

Shinichi enclosed Ran in his arms and said, "Ran…I've wanted to tell you for so long, but I love you."

"Shinichi," he heard a voice say, "I…ot…Ran…Drink this…ichi"

Suddenly, Ran disappeared from his arms and Gin was standing in front of the kneeling Shinichi.

"Die, Detective," Gin said with a cold smile and pulled the trigger.

Shinichi yelled as it felt like the bullet hit him in the chest. Abruptly, Shinichi descended into peaceful blackness.

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"Shin-chan? Shin-chan?" he heard.

"Mom?" he mumbled. "I want to go out and play," begged young Shinichi of his mother. "I want to go and play with Ran."

His mother suddenly turned into a little girl. She grabbed his hand asking him to play with her. Young Shinichi pulled his hand from her hand and ran away.

Running, the scene changed to a flat plain with an enormous thunderstorm. He began running for shelter from the thunder and lightning when he fell down a black hole.

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Conan blinked multiple times as he opened his eyes trying to work the sleep out of them. His attempt at stretching was arrested by a pain in his chest. Looking down, he saw bandages. Abruptly, what had happened, came to the surface of his mind.

I am alive? How?.

Though, his brain was still a little sleep muddled he took a quick glance around his surroundings.

This is my room. Shinichi's room. How did I get here?

Conan noted that the room was getting lighter, which meant that the sun was beginning to rise.

Okay. Let's establish the facts. One: I'm alive. Two: I'm in my own bed in my own home. Three: Don't remember much after falling in the river. Think I called someone. Four: I recall hearing Agasa and Haibara. I think I've even heard my parents. Five: I'm not dead…

Conan dozed back off before finishing his deductions. But instead of feverish dreams, he had a deep and restful sleep.

He woke later to a soft rustling in his room. Opening his eyes he was greeted by the exiting back of his mother.

"Mom?"

She turned around quickly, walked over to the bed, and sat down on it, "Shin-chan, I hope I didn't wake you."

"I was waking up. But what am I doing here?" he asked.

"Well, after Agasa picked you up after you called him he-."

"I called him?" interrupted Conan "Wait…I thought that was a dream."

"Hmph, don't interrupt me, Shin-chan. Getting back to what I was saying, Agasa picked you up and both Ai-kun and he cared for you. You had slipped into a pretty bad fever for a while. Agasa contacted us, took a while because you know how hard we can be to contact. We didn't make it back till about a week and a half after you'd been shot. It had been touch and go until a couple of days ago. Now it looks like you'll make a full recovery," she said with a smile and a quick pat on his head.

Conan smiled a little because of the relief he was feeling.

Suddenly looking more serious, his mother said, "But there are some problems…"

"Yes, son, you have to make a decision about what you are going to do from here," his father said, walking into the room. "Everyone believes Conan is dead. The memorial service for Conan Edogawa is tomorrow afternoon. You've been out of it for nearly three weeks."

Conan's jaw dropped in shock at this news.

"Before you make any decisions, there is one important piece of information you need to know. Agasa and Haibara have acquired a sample of the Apotoxin, you'll have to ask them how," he said, forestalling Conan's question, "and are currently working on a cure," Yuusaku sat down on the chair for Shinichi's desk. "You can either stay here and remain hidden until a cure is found or you may accompany your mother and myself back to the U.S."

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"So…you have to decide if you are going to stay or go?" asked Heiji.

"I've already decided that I am going to stay," said Conan twiddling his thumbs nervously. "There are a lot of good ones for me to stay. Especially since I know Haibara is probably working around the clock to create an antidote."

"Hmmmm," said Heiji, "You're dad probably said something about cabin fever, too."

"Yeah, he did when I told him my decision but I'll deal with it," replied Conan, "Speaking of dealing with stuff, you are going to have to act really well at 'my' memorial service in a bit. You can't let anyone know that I am alive."

"Yeah, yeah, I get you," Heiji paused, "I've got one question left though."

"Shot away," said Conan, then he winced at his choice of words.

Heiji chuckled a little at the slip of the tongue. "So, why didn't you use your watch?" he asked.

"Well…," Conan looked a little abashed, "it didn't occur to me right off hand."

Heiji face faulted. "Oi, oi!"

"Actually, I think it did occur unconsciously to me. But only as I saw him pulling out the gun. Thinking back, I realize that if I used the stun watch right then, there would have been a really good chance of him falling asleep right on top of me and making both of us fall into the river," said Conan.

Putting his hand up to stoke his chin in thought, Heiji considered this information.

"Yeah, I do see your point, Kudo."

Yukiko came to the door dressed as Fumiyo Edogawa stopping any further conversation. She sniffed, holding a handkerchief up and dabbing her eyes, she said, "I have to go to my little Conan-chan's memorial now. Are you coming, Heiji-kun?"

"Uh, yeah. I'll catch up with you a minute. See ya later, Kudo." He paused at the doorway and added, "Oh, and a piece of advice, give Neechan a call soon. She's not taking things too well right now and I think a call would help." Heiji waved as he walked out the door and departed with 'Fumiyo Edogawa' and Yuusaku Kudo.


Almost the whole chapter I wrote in one go. In a couple of days, I'll be posting an interlude. It's really short. It's meant to be that way.
I hope I answered your questions about why Conan didn't use his watch. Personally, I love the Conan-Heiji banter.

To answer the question "Why was Conan upset about Heiji calling him Kudo?" Well, for established fans this is a simple question to answer. Heiji on multiple occasions calls Conan "Kudo" in public and in front of Ran.

I love the quote for this chapter. Hehe.

Posted: 6-30-04