Playing with the Big Boys

A Detective Conan Alterverse Fic
By
Deborah J. Brown
Detective Conan is copyright Aoyama Gosho.

Author's Notes: While not part of the Psychic Detective Heiji series, I'll probably end up putting it into the same universe to simplify my life. Icka is the master of multiple alternate universes, but I have trouble remembering where I put my shoes in the morning, much less which universe I'm supposed to be in. Please note, this fic is set during the current Japanese run of Detective Conan, not Case Closed. There will be spoilers for the series here and a character you won't have heard of if you're only watching/reading Case Closed.

Anyway, the idea started as a joke and ended up turning into something a bit more edgy and a bit more serious. This one's also more violent than some of my other DC fics but seeing who I chose for my main character that can't be helped. The mysteries in this series won't be as deep, either. I'll also note that the series explores a theory I have about Ai and her relationship with another important character. Gosho may have fooled me, though, which is why this is AU.

I'll be making further comments on the story in my Live Journal (http/www,livejournal,com/kosaginolegion/). Review here, if you would, but feel free to comment there as well, or respond to stuff there.

Have fun!


DOG DAY AFTERNOON

PRESENT (Shoji):

The silence was absolute. Even the punk had stopped protesting to stare at the girl, though from the relief on his face it seemed fairly likely that his only real surprise was the fact that she'd made such an admission. Shoji eyed Conan, noted the intent look on the boy's face and waited. There wasn't much he could do at this point, after all. Conan might have an idea what was going on, but he was clueless.

"Tatiana!" Mrs. Kageshima gasped, voice shocked.

"I'm sorry, mom I snuck dad's old Ingram back home with us Broke it down and hid the pieces in the packing crates." The girl looked deeply embarrassed. "I was just going to show it to Taro cuz he likes that game. But he" she pointed at Hikari, "wouldn't go away."

It took everything Shoji had not to shout at the girl, to demand what she thought she was doing, sneaking a gun through customs like that. Fortunately, her mother did it for him, yelling at the girl in a combination of Japanese and Hebrew while the girl yelled back angrily. Only Officer Sato's sharp voice cutting through the argument stopped the two. "Enough. Mrs. Kageshima, could you look at the weapon, then, and see if it is the one belonging to your husband?"

"I already know it isn't," Mrs. Kageshima denied. "His had a lion's head engraving on the side. For the battalion he was in."

It occurred to Shoji to wonder if she was telling the truth but Hikari nodded. "Yeah. It did. And a big scratch on the barrel."

Shoji glanced over at the weapon. "Like that one?" he asked, pointing. "And there are two screw holes. Was the piece itself engraved or was it an engraved plate?"

The look on the woman's face was utterly unreadable, but years of instinct told Shoji he'd scored in an unexpected way. For some reason she hadn't wanted the gun to be identified as her husband's. She turned to Officer Sato and asked, irritably, "Why are you allowing these childrento interfere with a criminal proceedings?"

The young woman eyed Mrs. Kageshima. "They're here because they're witnesses," she noted. "As for interfering They've not touched any evidence – aside from that photo – and have stayed out of the way. For the most part." Her eyes narrowed. "And young Shoji has asked a very good question. Was that Ingram the one your daughter brought back with her from Israel?"

Mrs. Kageshima shrugged. "I don't know. I still say it doesn't look like Yuri's. Tatiana, what did you do with the Ingram when you were done showing off?" Her tone was sour as she glanced at her daughter.

Tatiana blinked, startled. "Uhm. I put it away where I've always kept it. In Dad's old gun safe. Upstairs in my room. Should I go get it? Or show someone?" At Officer Sato's agreement, the girl hurried upstairs, accompanied by one of the police officers.

"Now then," Sato said, once the two were gone. "Hikari. Tell me what it was you were fighting over."

oOo

PRESENT (Conan):

It didn't surprise Conan at all that Officer Sato returned to the earlier subject, but it clearly startled Hikari. "I."

Impatience in her tone, Officer Sato shook her head. "Boy, just don't argue with me. You may have been staying out of trouble these last few months but you're still on probation. Now, answer the question."

Hikari's shoulders slumped and it was clear from his expression that he really didn't want to say anything. Pleadingly, he looked at the policewoman. "Could I tell you in private?"

The sigh Officer Sato released came straight from her feet. "All right. But it better be good." She walked away from the counter with the boy, taking him to a corner and gesturing for him to talk. Drat. Vital evidence within a few yards of me and I can't tell what they're saying. It was so damned frustrating, sometimes. Even Officer Sato wasn't going to let a seven year old listen in on evidence being given in private. She probably wouldn't have let me listen in if I were my true size, either, he had to admit to himself. Still. Drat.

A startled sound from Shoji caused him to look at the taller boy. Green eyes were narrowed watchfully, small dark brows drawn together in a frown. Then a slow, highly amused – even smug – smile curved his lips. "Well, well," he muttered and Conan realized he was reading Soun's lips. Conan cocked his head at Shoji, who glanced over at him, then at the others, reminding him that anything said here would be overheard. Drat again.

Shoji's fingers moved, rubbing at his cast. "I hope we can go soon," he said. "It's getting late. Almost cocktail hour." For a brief moment Conan had to wonder what that had to do with the situation. Then it hit him. The Black Organization and their alcohol based code-names. Still, being a small boy gave him an excuse to stare blankly at the taller boy. Shoji grinned. "Like a Gin and tonic. Or Kirsch."

Gin. Soun is telling Sato about Gin. Or about someone who may be Gin. Conan frowned at Shoji, wondering if there was a way to tell if this was important to the case or not. Kirsch. That was the codename of that reporter I accidentally bugged. The taller boy grimaced. "Oh, never mind. I guess it's not important. I'm just getting tired." From his expression and the way his hand kept going to his broken arm, Shoji wasn't entirely faking it. Nor could Conan blame him. His arm had to be killing him and only natural stoicism kept him from showing it. And that's yet another proof for my suspicions. A kid his supposed age would be in tears by now.

"Do you want to sit down, Shoji?" Ran started to ask, only to be interrupted by the sound of the policeman and Tatiana re-entering the room, carrying an unlocked gun case with another Ingram in it.

oOo

PRESENT (Shoji):

As Sato listened to her fellow policeman's report on finding the case under the girl's bed, unlocking it and discovering the Ingram – complete with engraved plate - inside, Shoji contemplated what he'd gleaned from Soun's conversation. Glancing sideways at Conan he stepped back to the nearest wall to lean tiredly against it. It wasn't all that hard to play the exhaustion card. I've had a very bad week, he thought, still disgusted at himself for having broken his arm in the first place.

Conan joined him, looking up. "You okay, Shoji?"

"Been better. Been much worse." Shoji forced himself not to shrug, though the gesture was almost automatic. It hurt too much. "Think you can solve it soon? I really could use a lie down."

"Was Soun's evidence any use? Other than of interest due to our mutual 'friends'?"

Shoji sighed at the tacit admission of their situation. Watching the others closely he spoke as softly as he could, keeping his lips as still as possible, "He and his friend witnessed a gun deal for an assassination attempt." He saw Conan's expression shift as the boy remembered the chase after Kirsch, the desperate attempt to stop the assassination of the Diet member. "No names, though, and he didn't know who the dealer was."

Now that obviously intrigued Conan. The smaller boy gazed off into space, that expression on his face. "So he saw a gun deal going down. Could they have seen him?" Shoji couldn't answer that question. "But why use an old weapon like that Ahh! Of course."

At Shoji's puzzled expression Conan grinned. "The problem is, proving it." He moved closer to the scene near the counter, listening and Shoji watched from his position.

"You see? It's not my husband's old Ingram. Tatiana and I are going to have a long talk about it later, but." Mrs. Kageshima looked at Sato with an annoyed expression.

The annoyance was obviously shared. Sato gazed back with the sort of cool expression that Shoji had long since learned from other women was sure sign of complete and utter disbelief. "Mrs. Kageshima. Are you going to tell me, then, that there are two such weapons floating around Tokyo? So close to each other? Are you sure you didn't bring one back with you as well? You were apparently a soldier too, based on the photo. Not just a Red Cross volunteer."

"Yakuza."

"Would want new weapons. Even if there is an illegal market for guns and other armaments in Tokyo, I find it hard to believe that they'd accept such an old weapon as those two." Sato cocked her head at the manager, raising one brow and pointed from the murder weapon to the one in the gun case.

Ayumi's voice, small and high-pitched, sounded then. "Conan? Why does it matter if the gun was hers or not?"

Shoji couldn't help but smile to himself at the pleased look on Conan's face. The little girl had asked the question out of pure curiosity but it provided him a springboard for planting yet another clue in Sato's head. Not that the police woman needed much prompting. "Because," the boy said quietly, "If the gun belonged to her then it was locked up, upstairs. So only someone able to get into their rooms could have gotten to it. No one was allowed up there except Mrs. Kageshima and her daughter. Otherwise Tatiana would have taken Taro upstairs, not brought the gun down."

Mrs. Kageshima made a sour face. "Hikari could have found it somewhere else," she grumbled, causing the boy to shake his head, stammering denials. "I already told you that Taro was letting him in after hours. They must have had a bigger fight than usual and he decided to get rid of his friend. A lover's spat, no doubt." Her comment caused most of the adults to start and stare at the miserable looking boy, while the children – the real children – simply blinked confusedly. Sato, on the other hand, just rolled her eyes - apparently she already knew that little detail.

" I didn't PLEASE."

Shoji gave the older boy a sour look, wishing the kid would get it together. "You're giving punks a bad name," he muttered. Though if Mrs. Kageshima's accusation was more than just hyperbole his over-reaction to Taro's injury was more understandable.

"I'd rather DIE than hurt Taro! I swear! I. I" Conan and Shoji glanced at each other and neither were terribly surprised when the boy choked out, "I love him. I could never hurt him." The words was torn from his lips and Shoji couldn't really blame him for not wanting to speak. That just wasn't the sort of thing you admitted to.

"Of course not," Mrs. Kageshima continued, apparently unsurprised. Which she wouldn't be, because she'd probably had ample time to observe the two boys. "You two were always arguing. You probably got tired of him nagging you to reform."

The boy stood stock still and stared down at his feet, tears dripping down his cheeks. "No. I didn't. I didn't. I wouldn't. I couldn't."

Conan interrupted the flow. "But where would he have gotten another old Ingram, anyway? There was only the one, right?" He peered up at the young policeman who'd gone upstairs with Tatiana. After a helpless look at Sato, the man nodded. "See?"

It was clear from Mrs. Kageshima's expression that she was getting flustered and annoyed. "Maybe he found some gun dealer on the street with an old one that he wanted to get rid of. How should I know? All I know is that that isn't my husband's Ingram."

Dark blue eyes went as big as saucers as they looked up at Mrs. Kageshima. "Then that one has to be, right?" Conan pointed at the gun sitting in the case. "So its serial numbers will match."

"Even if the serial numbers didn't match my husband's weapon," Mrs. Kageshima pointed out, "there's still no way of proving the other is. The serial numbers were erased."

Conan smiled as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. "But there's a way to get the serial numbers even so? Shoji says they can in America." The boy glanced Shoji's way, adding, "Right, Shoji?"

Shoji knew why Conan was using him as an information source. A seven year old Japanese boy wouldn't have that kind of knowledge. "Somethin' like that. Saw it on CSI. Rub th' area flat and use acid. Place where th' numbers got printed will be harder and show up different."

Before Mrs. Kageshima could open her mouth to speak, her daughter moved, pushing her way past the policeman between her and the gun on the counter, grabbing it up and turning to aim it, shakily, at the rest of the room.

oOo

PRESENT (Conan):

Well. This is not what I expected. Conan froze as completely as he could. The girl was waving the gun around wildly, eyes huge and scared. "No. Mom didn't do it. I DID!" She aimed the gun at Hikari. "It's his fault. His and Taro's. They ignored me. Always ignored me. So I decided to kill Taro. Make Hikari hurt for having killed him!"

It sounded like a good story but Conan was pretty damned sure it wasn't true. With the girl armed and very dangerous – especially with that gun – he didn't dare argue with her. Beside him, he could feel Ran's hand on his shoulder, her body stiffening. DAMN IT ALL!

Mrs. Kageshima took a step towards her daughter. "Tatiana. Don't be a fool!" Her expression was terrified and Conan knew why. Those bullets. Those damned new bullets that she put in there. She knows what could happen if Tatiana fires. Only luck had prevented the first catastrophe.

"Please, mama. Get out of the way. I don't want to hurt you."

Angrily, Mrs. Kageshima yelled, "Stupid! You can't fire that thing. You'll be killed!" She halted, obviously realizing that she was revealing herself. Then she sighed. "The bullets, Tati. They're too new. Please don't pull that trigger. It'll blow up in your face. You might get one shot maybe even two but."

"Mama?" Tatiana's voice broke. "You you don't understand I have to." The gun wavered.

"Baby. Just put it down. Carefully. Please." The woman slumped a bit, looking exhausted. "It all went wrong. It's not your fault. You couldn't know. I didn't want you involved. I know you're trying to protect me. It's too late. I don't want you to get yourself killed, doing this."

Conan pulled himself together, moved slowly out of Ran's grip, despite her attempt to stop him. "Miss Tatiana? Even if the gun works, are you going to shoot us all? Even me? And Ayumi? And Ai?" The girl's lips trembled. "Please. You've always been so nice to us, Miss Tatiana. Please don't shoot."

Rather to Conan's surprise, Hikari spoke then. "The kid's right, Tati. You don't know what it feels like. You don't know how bad it can be shooting someone. It's awful. Don't. Please don't."

"YOU'RE JUST SCARED I'LL SHOOT YOU FIRST!"

"Wouldn't you be?" Shoji asked. "No one wants to die. And your mom's right. Those bullets'll blow that gun sky-high."

Tatiana stared at the group and Conan was dimly aware of movement at the doorway. "Quickly! Put it down before you get shot!" he shouted, realizing that other police were out there, preparing to fire should the chance arise. "Just put it down."

"Mama?"

Voice tired, exhausted, Mrs. Kageshima sighed. "Do it, child. Please."

Slowly, terribly slowly, Tatiana lowered the gun, bent over and put it on the ground. "I'm sorry mama."

Then the police were on both the girl and her mother, handcuffing them and taking them away.

oOo

PRESENT (Shoji):

"Mrs. Kageshima was the gun dealer Taro and Hikari had witnessed. She overheard them talking about it and thought she'd been recognized. Since she was afraid the boys would talk, she decided to kill them. She set up that trap because she knew about Hikari's game with Taro." Shoji listened to Sato finishing up the explanation to Inspector Megure – who had arrived not long after the arrest to find out what was going on.

Megure shook his head. "Awfully risky, though."

"That's why she put the out of order sign up. The machine wasn't really broken, but she knew most people would just go on to another game. Hikari was practically addicted to it, though and he'd certainly have a fit over it being broken. She also made sure not to have the store open until just after his classes let out, so he'd be among the first to arrive. He always picked on Taro – part of their relationship, I guess – and she could be fairly confident that he'd fire. Habit would probably make him pull the trigger two or three times before he realized what was happening. And even if it only killed Taro and failed to explode in Hikari's face, it would still put Hikari under suspicion." Sato sighed as she spoke, adding, "She hid the evidence that she'd had anything to do with a source for such weaponry, but I'm still not sure why she switched the weapons. She could have just used her own – apparently smuggled in along with the one her daughter brought along."

That Shoji thought he could answer, now that he'd had a chance to get a good look at the second Ingram. "Officer? It's cuz it's got a broken bolt handle." He pointed at the top of the boxy shape, where the knob in question wasn't. "It's gotta have that to fire."

"I see. Well, that explains it then." Sato shook her head. "I really have to wonder about you, young man. I know that guns are more common in America, and your father's a collector, but still."

Shoji smiled, as perkily as he possibly could, and from somewhere behind him Ai made a disgusted noise. "It's just cuz of dad," he answered. "And he's always careful t'teach me to respect guns. I'd never use one casually. Not ever!" Shooting the hell out of Gin doesn't count as casual. Besides. That was just a love tap. If I'd wanted him dead he would be. The memory of the look on Gin's face was precious to him and he had to force back the smile.

With a sigh that spoke volumes, Sato nodded. "All right. Unless you go around causing trouble I have no business questioning how you were raised." She looked at the Detective Boys and at Ran. "I think that you all could go now. I'll let you know if we need any of you for witnesses. From the looks of things, though, Mrs. Kageshima is going to be very, very cooperative."

Ran nodded and guided the little group out of the building. "Honestly. I don't know how you bunch get into so much trouble," she scolded as they left. "And you, Shoji. Surely you're old enough to know better."

Shoji sighed. How many times have I heard that one? he wondered as they headed down the street. The afternoon sunlight was just fading towards evening and he was feeling very tired, very hungry and a bit sorry for himself. I just hope She has some decent food waiting.

"You know," Ai said softly to him as she passed him, heading towards the front of the group to join Ayumi, "You'd pass a lot better if you tried harder to act like a child."

Now that struck Shoji as particularly funny and he tried not to laugh aloud until she was out of earshot. Beside him, Conan shot him a curious look and he grinned, genuinely amused for the first time in over a week. "Look who's talking," he muttered to the boy and Conan couldn't help grinning back in response. "Of course, she was that way when she was three. I don't know why she'd have changed."

oOo

PRESENT (Conan):

Startled, Conan stared up at the thin, taller boy. "Huh?"

"Think about our names, kiddo. Our real ones. Then you can guess one of the reasons you don't have to worry about me keeping an eye on her." Green eyes gazed off into the distance. "I'd keep her away from my 'father' though if I were you."

Conan blinked. Thought very hard about the question. Shiho. Akemi. Shuichi. Four, three and one. He gazed at Ai's back, spoke very quietly because if Shoji had meant her to know he would have said that while she could hear it. And I don't like that comment about the father. Does that mean his boss doesn't know about Ai and he doesn't want him to know? Or. "One's missing."

"Jichirou died in a bus accident when he was four. Following me around." The boy's voice went grim and achingly sad. "My fault. He wouldn't have been on the bus if I hadn't let him come. They never forgave me." A sudden mercurial change of emotional reaction caused Shoji to grin. "Ahh, it's all old news. Not part of the current situation. I'm talking too much. Must be tired. Sorry."

Conan nodded, walked in amiable silence beside the taller boy. Shoji wasn't like Heiji, not the sort of person to follow his line of reasoning, or even outstrip it, but it was sort of nice to have someone else - another guy - he could talk to like an adult. Admittedly, Akai Shuichi had been around ten years his senior before this, but the age difference wasn't all that great considering that Kudo Shin'ichi had been a rather mature seventeen year old. Or at least I'd like to think I was. It also helped that he was beginning to suspect Akai of being rather younger emotionally than his physical age. All that creeping around, acting like a suspicious looking stranger. And shooting out Gin's telescopic sight that day. That was just showing off. "So. Uhm Don't suppose you'd want to tell me how."

"Nope. Not a chance. Too embarrassing."

That was fair enough. For the moment, Conan would leave things where they stood. Someday, he might need to know how Akai Shuichi had ended up transformed down to Scarlatti Shoji, it was enough to know he had. "Must have been a whopper of a dose," he muttered.

"Yeah."

"Ai might find a cure."

"I hope so. I really, really hope so." Shoji grimaced. "I don't know how you put up with it."

Grinning up at the taller boy, Conan answered, "Practice. Lots and lots of it."

oOo

PRESENT (Shoji):

"Don't slam the door, Sho-chan. Did you have a nice day?" Scarlatti Giorgio, AKA Vermouth, AKA Sharon Vinyard, AKA Chris Vinyard, AKA The Pain In My Ass That Won't Go Away, looked up from the stove where she was scalding a simple meal of stir fried pork and rice and smiled at Shoji. "I'm afraid we're going to have to eat out again, by the way."

Shoji rolled his eyes. He was coming to the conclusion that Vermouth's decision to coerce him into helping her out with whatever crazy idea she had now had been one of her least thought out plans. "If we're going to be living alone, you are going to have to learn to cook, 'Dad'. I'm getting tired of take-out... and I'm too damn short to reach the stove."

"Always complaining. You haven't told me how your day was, child."

"Well, if nothing else, I see what you mean about that boy being a trouble magnet. Explain to me exactly how it is that the other kids' parents let them hang around playing detective?" That was one thing he had yet to figure out, and Vermouth had told him very little of the situation, feeling that he ought to get a fresh view of it before messing things up with facts. Which is, of course, bull. It's just Vermouth being herself again. Her and her damned secrets.

"I believe Genta and Mitsuhiko's parents let them run a bit wild. Ayumi's big sister isn't very observant. And, of course, I doubt the children tell their parents the whole truth. Rather like, I think, another little boy I knew. The one who would tell his parents he'd just had an argument with a door rather than admit that he'd been beaten up by the school bully."

"Low blow. They wouldn't have done anything about it, anyway." Shoji climbed up to the cabinet beside the refrigerator and got a glass of water out. "I see your point about the potential dangers to Ai. And Conan, of course." Vermouth's concern over Conan was probably because he was the son of a good friend, but it was clear that she very much wanted to keep the boy from harm. As for Ai, well the girl had to finish her drug research or something very unpleasant might happen to Vermouth. And I am the only unpleasant thing I want to happen to her, right now. "They need adult supervision."

Under the mask she was wearing, Vermouth giggled and Shoji snapped, "You know what I mean, woman."

"Even so. What are you looking for now?"

"My pills." She gestured at the next cabinet over and he got the bottle out. "Open 'em for me."

"Bossy." Vermouth complied though. "Are you okay? You haven't been wanting those in the day time."

"Just fine. Just dandy." Shoji took the painkillers she handed him, swallowed them down and sighed as he sat there. Noticing Vermouth's eyes on him, he forced himself to straighten. "What?"

"Does this mean you're going to cooperate?"

The decision had already been made hours ago. No. Don't lie to yourself. You knew days ago you'd end up agreeing. "Some caveats and conditions, though." At Vermouth's raised eyebrow he gave her as direct and intent a look as he could. "First off. Whatever you and I may have been to each other before, this" he gestured at himself "is a six and a half year old's body. Hands off. That means no dressing me and definitely no baths."

That brow rose a bit higher. "Even with your broken arm?"

"Considering what we were to each other once, the idea of you giving me a bath is just a bit too much to take. I'll figure out how to deal with it. But if I don't ask for help you keep your hands off me."

With a shrug that spoke volumes, Vermouth smiled. "Well, it's not like I have any particular interest in your body now." At his flush, she grinned a bit triumphantly. She does so love to score one over the guys.

"Secondly. Keep away from the Black Organization at least when I'm around. For all I know, someone in the Family might recognize me."

"I was already planning on that." Vermouth turned serious. "I can't avoid working with them, though. Not without arousing suspicions and putting myself in danger. And if I am in danger, Sho-chan, then so are you and so are our neighbors across the street, right?"

Shoji agreed with that. "Just remember. I won't go looking for it not in my condition but if I find out something you're up to, I'll pass the word to my boss. Somehow." There were, after all, limits to just how cooperative he would be. Protecting Ai and Conan was all well and good but he still owed a certain amount to Black and the others. Still had a duty he couldn't avoid. At Vermouth's nod of agreement, he continued. "Thirdly. You stay away from Ai. I don't want you doing anything to upset her."

"I plan on that, child. Your baby sister seems to have an instinctive sense for when members of the Black Organization are around. It could complicate things, but luckily Scarlatti Giorgio is a traveling businessman. We'll have to find an excuse to dump you on the good professor occasionally."

"Oh yes. That should be a thrill. I hate science." Shoji sighed. "One last thing, then."

"Hmmm?" Vermouth cocked her head, curiously. "You just covered all the bases I thought you would."

Shoji managed to shrug. "Take me to the hospital after supper. I may have messed up my arm again."

Her disguise was a good one. One could see her reactions through carefully applied makeup. "Shu...oji" Words failed her momentarily. At last she sighed. "This, I should have expected. You never could stay out of trouble. Could you at least pretend to try not making things worse? I don't need any more worries than I already have."

Shoji shrugged, feeling the faint edges of grogginess start as the pills set to work. "It sucks to be you. If you didn't want to get stuck with a six and a half year old boy then you shouldn't have given me that drug in the first place."

As Vermouth muttered under her breath, cleaning up her failed dinner, Shoji sat perched on the counter and watched her, grinning sourly. It wasn't going to be easy, nor was this something he'd have wanted to do, but it seemed he was stuck for the moment. In the meantime, he'd do his best to stay alive, his best to cope with the situation and his best to put whatever spokes he still could into the Black Organization's plans. As for Vermouth's plans he wasn't sure yet what they were and he didn't trust her or them. He'd just have to find out.

In the meantime, without actually pissing her off, he'd do his best to make his new 'Dad' regret ever having become his 'parent'. If one looked at it the right way this could get fun.

The End.