So you know, I don't own Case Closed or anything like that, though it'd be awesome if I did.

"A test?"

"Yes," Conan interrupted, serious. "It's very hard. In faxt, we're all going to take the test at the same time."

"So we get to do it too?" Amy asked excitedly.

"Yep. Sure do." He stood up. "I'm going to go grab the necessary items, then we'll start the test, kay?" With that he ran into the kitchen. Amy was already going on about playing detective with Rita, and Mitch and George looked as if they'd been hit in the head by cupid. No one even noticed Conan return until he had set a tray full of glassesdown.

"What is it?" George asked, blinking blankly at the beverages before him.

"Come on George, even you should see it's a soft drink!" Mitch insisted. He leaned in for a better look. "And by the looks of it, I'd say it's cola."

"Right as always, Mitch," Conan added lightly. "The initiation test is a soda-drinking contest! If Rita can beat at least two of us, she can be an official member of the Junior Detective League."

"Cool idea, Conan!" George told him, blushing clumsily in Rita's direction. Each kid picked up his or her own glass.

"Ready," Conan said, "set... go!" And it was bottom's up for the five. Mitch ended up in last place, Amy was next, Conan got third and Rita second. George beat the entire group by a landslide.

"So I'm really a detective now?" Rita smiled brightly, setting her drink carefully back on the table.

"Yep," Conan nodded. "You did a great job."

"Welcome to the team!" Amy squeeled, giving her new friend another hug.

"Gee, Amy, thanks a lot," Rita managed to get out.

"Now what should we play?" Mitch asked.

"Ooooh! Let's play Truth or Dare!" Amy suggested. Everyone agreed so they gathered together in a small circle: Mitch and George "happened" to grab the spots on either side of Rita.

"Well... I guess Truth or Dare sounds like fun," Rita said, offering a small smile. "Who wants to go first?"

Mitch and George automatically began arguing over which one of them would be the better starter, but Amy decided for them. "Conan, why don't you start first?"

"What, me?" Everyone waited. "Uh, alright. Mitch, truth or dare?"

"Truth," the boy replied quickly.

"Only babies say truth," George put in.

"Nuh uh!" Mitch snapped back.

"Mitch, what are you most afraid of?" Conan interrupted.

"Eh... well..." He thought a moment. "I'm really afraid of failing tests. I guess that'd be it."

"That's a stupid thing to be scared of!" George told him persistantly.

"You're just saying that because you don't get good grades as often!"

"That's because I like doing stuff other than keeping my head stuck in a book all day!"

"George, Mitch! Quiet down!" Amy whined. The arguing seised and the game continued.

"Amy, truth or dare?" Mitch asked.

"I pick dare!" Amy grinned blissfully.

"Okay... I dare you to... eat a big handful of pop rocks all at once!"

Amy pulled out the candy and popped the handful into her mouth. After minute or so of funny, scrunched-up faces, Amy was able to talk. "Nice one, Mitch," she said, then took a sip of her drink.

"I want..." She look around the circle, considering her choice of victims. "...Rita," she decided finally. "Rita, truth or dare?'

"Dare," the girl answered easily, as if she'd known her whole life she would choose that.

"Let's see... oh!" Amy began to giggle, then leaned in closer to the circle. The rest of the group immitated her. "I dare you to kiss the boy you like the most!" Everyone's eyes seemed to widen; the boys' faces growning brick red.

"Aw, Amy..." Rita tried, but to no avail.

"You picked dare, silly!" Amy continued to giggle. "Here, we'll all close out eyes. That way we won't even know who you're going to kiss until after you've done it!"

"But... where am I gonna... kiss him?" The boys' faces turned an even darker shade of red.

"How about... on the lips?" Amy offered.

"Lips?" the boys asked incredulously.

'I didn't know Amy had it in her,' Conan said to himself. 'Did I think like that when I was her age?'

"Amy, you sure?" Rita asked again.

"A dare's a dare, Rita. You know the game rules," Amy replied. She shut her eyes. "Whenever you're ready." Hesitantly the three boys too closed their eyes, leaving themselves blind to the result until it came.

Amy giggled to herself for thinking of such an excellant dare.

George's heart sped faster than when he'd been late and had had to fun after the school bus.

Mitch was panicking, but kept his fingers crossed.

Conan, unlike the rest of them, was perfectly calm. 'She doesn't like me anyway,' he told himself. 'She pretty much said so yesterday, and with Mitch and George swooning over her, she'll probably see something better in them. Honestly, a first grader kissing a highschooler? That'll never happen.'

Suddenly he felt someone come near him. Something was touching his lips. He had to open his eyes.

'No way,' he thought. 'No. Way.' Rita had chosen him, Jimmy Kudo -well, Conan Edagowa. She was kissing him right now. Conan hadn't any idea what to do; he couldn't think.

Then Rita withdrew. They locked eyes for a moment, but then they were interrupted by Amy.

"Wow, good job Rita!" Amy cheered. Mitch and George frowned but tried not to express their disappointment further than that.

Conan still didn't speak. What was he supposed to say? He wanted to ask "why" but didn't feel this was an appropriate time. Maybe when Amy, George, and Mitch were out of earshot. Yeah, maybe then.

"So... should I go now?" Rita asked. Amy told her to go ahead. The game continued another half hour, then the Junior Detective Team decided to end the game and watch the new Yaiba Man movie Mitch had just bought from the video store earlier in the week.

AN: woowee, been awhile, hasn't it? Anyways, if you're confused right now in chapter two, it's going to get even more interesting as the story dives in deeper!

Marikalay, Anonymous Lioness, Shimoyuki, Son of the Specter 992, and Amisha the Elemental Sorceress, thanks for reviewing!