With the exception of the plot and the original characters that are depicted in the story, the author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended on the franchise of Detective Conan that rightfully belong to its owner Aoyama Gosho. Furthermore, I do not have any claim on the historical information that is depicted in this segment of the story. If there is need for corrections, please let me know.
I would like to profusely thank OnyxKatana and neonkoi for their assistance with the fifth act of Paper Faces, because it would be put on hold for an even longer period of time due to the arrival of snowbirds in my little corner of the world and real life suddenly getting much busier. I hope this chapter will meet the expectation of the readers who have been waiting for the story to update! And so without further ado, please take a seat and enjoy the show! :)
When Konosuke Jii had heard from Bocchan that he had found a detective worth enough to be KID's critic, the wizened man did not know whether to be happy or silently dread that history is about to repeat itself. Heaven knows he had had enough experience of the cat and mouse game that the first Kaitou KID and the creator of the Night Baron series had played. Jii had sat through many sessions of Toichi pacing the room, trying to think of new ways to stump Kudo Yuusaku. It was almost like seeing a war being conducted; Toichi more extravagant traps for his heists, while the bespectacled critic rushed to decode the riddles sent yours truly. It reminded Jii of an ongoing tennis match with the ball being smashed from one side of the court to another, with a challenge to outdo the previous shot. Now, almost nine years later, Jii was hit by a wave of nostalgia as he watched Kaito pace up and down in the secret room, muttering furiously to himself while being dressed in his KID regalia, minus the trademark top hat.
"No, no, no. This won't work. It's too simple. I need to give Meitantei-chan a challenge. I have a reputation to maintain!"
And then, five minutes later-
"Gah, this is too much. I can't go all out right now. It might seem like I'm showing off. Plus, there's that idiot Hakuba to bother with too."
Jii had only just opened his mouth to offer a suggestion when Kaito jerked, and tensed, becoming perfectly rigid.
"I got it!"
He leaped for a pen and paper, and began scribbling down his plans. Jii closed his mouth. Apparently he did not have to worry about history repeating it, for the wheels of fate have started to turn. And after making a small comparison between the two successors of KID, Kaito was going to be much worse than Toichi had ever been.
Before his mind could ponder any further on his old friend, Jii was jolted back to reality by Kaito's excited voice. "I've done it, Jii-san! This time, when Meitantei-chan shows up, which she will, she's going to be flabbergasted! I'll send you the list of the equipment I'm gonna need, shouldn't be too long! A few days, maybe even tomorrow!"
Seeing the hopeful glimmer in his almost-grandson's eyes, Jii could not bring himself to inform Kaito of an alarming discovery he had made. At least four weeks into the disappearance of the KID Killer, Edogawa Agatha, the thief's civilian identity requested to find her last known whereabouts. Utilizing his computer skills Jii went through every known database, but had turned over nothing that the magician and his assistant did not already know:
1. Her address at the Mouri Detective Agency.
2. Listed as an alternative guardian is an inventor named Agasa Hitoshi.
3. A diligent student at Teitan Elementary.
4. Mentioned in a few media reports relating to Sleeping Kogoro's famous cases.
There was no information about this troublesome child afterwards, and that was when Jii's suspicions started to increase. Acting on a hunch, he tried to trace her parents in America through the contact details listed but nothing matched up, and there was not even a photograph of them or the KID Killer. In the clearest terms, it was like she had never existed at all. A twisted version of Schrodinger's Cat theory; to be alive, yet at the same time 'dead'.
How could Jii inform Bocchan that the "Meintantei-chan" he was desperately searching was possibly gone, and for good this time?
xPFx
The stage was set. The spotlight was shining. The entire police force, as well the audience outside, waited with bated breath for KID's arrival. One of the junior officers was standing to the side, near the window. He cast a cursory glance around the room. The central banquet hall of the Haido City Hotel was the venue for the United Kingdom's exhibition of priceless jewels, including a large amethyst ring called the King's Phoenix.
Originally named the King's Favorite, it was a piece commissioned by King Henry VIII for his third wife Jane Seymour after she had given birth to his long-awaited male heir. But despite fulfilling the most important duty in her role as a queen consort, she died less than two weeks when her only child had been born due to postnatal complications. Historians speculated that the nickname came from the epitaph from the only wife of Henry VIII to receive a proper queen's funeral during his tyrannical reign. The inscription went something like this:
Here lies Jane, a phoenix
Who died in giving another phoenix birth.
Let her be mourned, for birds like these
Are rare indeed.
The gem had been brought to Japan for exhibition, but had achieved instant fame when, three days ago, a very fancy scroll had been delivered to the Police Department. Kaitou KID had declared it as his target for his next heist.
And that brings us to the current scenario. The young officer was excited, as it was the first time that he was on the field for a KID heist. He looked around at the other officers who were standing in position, and Inspector Nakamori, who was shouting last minute orders.
"Say, what time is it?"
He turned to look at the young girl next to him. She was barely over sixteen, with long, coffee-colored tresses, and clear blue eyes. Kudo Shinichi, if he remembered correctly. A little while ago, he had seen her talking to Nakamori Aoko and Hakuba Saguru, both of whom were very familiar to the Police Department.
The excited British sleuth had dragged both girls to the banquet hall, and then proceeded to pester Nakamori-keibu about his plan to capture KID. After a long discussion, during which Hakuba had pointed out at least ten things that were wrong with the inspector's plan, he had pulled in the young girl to back his views. Kudo had talked to his superior in a much calmer and more polite manner, and had explained possible loopholes that KID could exploit.
Inspector Nakamori had been more inclined to agree with her, and had made a few changes in the plan, accordingly. It was at this point that Hakuba had issued Kudo an unexpected challenge- which Detective would corner the Phantom Thief first?
xPFx
Kaitou KID swore under his breath as he reached the rooftop of the Haido City Hotel, preparing for take off on his hang-glider. He went all out to make sure this show would be the best one, and that damned brat still didn't come! He sent the heist note on the most expensive paper his measly allowance could afford, used craziest antics and traps that would definitely label him as a psychological nutjob, but the elaborate theft for the King's Favorite went up in proverbial smoke.
The Phantom Thief shook his head in frustration. Everything had gone by perfectly. The room had been plunged into darkness the moment he began his signature "Ladies and gentlemen!" spiel. The magician had successfully avoided all traps and laser alarms before he had taken the ring from its display case. At the very moment that the officers shouted his name, they pulled out their classic 'dog-pile' tactic before being led on a wild goose with Inspector Nakamori as the leader. But the biggest highlight of this heist was transfiguring Tantei-san's blonde hair to a startling shade of violet with glitter.
And yet, in spite of everything, there was no sign of a pint-sized kid with an acidic tongue waiting for him on the rooftop. Seriously, is it really too much to ask for him to see his critic at least once?
KID was about to propel off the roof with the evening's spoils in his pocket until he heard the door be thrown open. His indigo orbs widened in surprise as hope began to bloom in his heart, immediately stopping to see the source of the noise.
"Meitantei-chan! Where were- What the heck are you doing here?"
KID's civilian identity nearly fell into place when he realized who was standing in front of him with a flushed face. Kudo Shinichi. Detective of the East, and a student who recently transferred to Class 3-C in Ekoda High. Kuroba Kaito may know this young woman as the school prankster, Kaitou KID merely knew her via reputation and brief introduction at the Clock Tower heist. In short, this was a different Tantei-chan than the one he had been praying to see tonight.
Nonetheless, the thief did not allow his surprise to show while simultaneously muttering his father's mantra over and over in his mind: Never forget your Poker Face.
He watched the detective closely as she inhaled a deep breath and extended a palm towards him. "Give me the King's Favorite, KID. It belongs to the exhibit." Shinichi said, determined expression dancing in her eyes.
KID tilted his head ever so slightly before a smirk stretched across his face. "I'm afraid I can't do that Tantei-chan. You see, I have taken a shine to this particular jewel and I was thinking about giving it to someone very special when if she came here tonight. But unfortunately she didn't, and I might even hold onto it until she comes back~!"
Shinichi gritted her teeth at the magician's audacity but did not dare let her temper take control of the current situation. Arrogant bastard. The detective as she kept her gaze on him. "I'm asking you nicely, KID. Return the King's Favorite. Now."
The Phantom Thief rolled his eyes. Compared to a certain British prat whose presence oozed with breathtaking boredom, at least this particular Tantei-chan had some spunk. Unfortunately for Kudo Shinichi, she was not the person he wanted to see right now. At this point KID was honestly worried about the pint-sized Meintantei-chan. And the sooner he wrapped up this heist and called it an evening, the sooner he could go back home and resume his search for one Edogawa Agatha. Which meant that the earnest detective would have to take a back seat in the audience until the KID Killer was found.
Having examined the King's Favorite under the moonlight, Kaitou KID concluded that the amethyst ring was not Pandora. There was no reason for him to stick around anymore or else Inspector Nakamori might catch him this time; an emphasis on might, depending on how Aoko was going to be acting tomorrow morning at school. KID took a few steps back until his feet were on the edge and raised his card gun at Shinichi.
"Well, I'm afraid I cannot return the gem right away. But since you've obviously avoided any or all of my traps to trace me here, I suppose I can give you a little gift. It's the least that a magician could for a member of the audience, don't you think?"
KID pulled the trigger and released a single card that landed at the sleuth's feet. Somewhat satisfied with the surprised expression on her pale face, he jumped off the roof and activated his hang-glider.
"Make sure you rub the victory in Tantei-san's face when you see him!" KID hollered with an insufferable grin stretched across his mouth as he took off into the inky skies. Hakuba's expression was definitely going to be worth watching when he realised that Shinichi won the challenge. Maybe he should text Jii to take a picture of it! To the victor goes the spoils! KID cackled in his mind.
Meanwhile, in an isolated area of the heist location, Jii breathed a sigh of relief as the shouts of KID's escape echoed around him via Inspector Nakamori. Despite being fully aware that Kaito was not an amateur when it came to pulling off these heists, the old man still worried about all the what-ifs and what-could-go-wrong possibilities every time he saw Toichi's successor put on the alabaster suit.
He loosened the collar of his security guard's uniform, and prepared to wind up everything and exit the scene. Jii's job as an assistant was over with the conclusion of tonight's show, at least for the time being. After paying close attention to the breached security footage since he set foot in the building, Jii did not see the KID Killer amongst the crowd.
Edogawa Agatha remained absent.
However, just as he was about to shut it down, his eyes landed on the section that showed the rooftop. There was a young woman standing there, and with a face he recognized. Kudo Shinichi, Bocchan's classmate. Yet as he closely examined her physical features, an insignificant piece of information came to mind. It was from an equally unreliable newspaper, yet there was a paragraph on its eighth page that the Detective of the East had a distant cousin living with the famous Sleeping Kogoro.
The relation in question? Why, it was was none other than an honors' student at Teitan Elementary named Edogawa Agatha.
Realizing that he had overlooked a piece of very important information in KID's search for his critic, Jii scrambled to assemble his equipment and leave the Haido City Hotel without being deemed suspicious by the police. He had to tell Bocchan about this development as soon as possible. After what seemed like an eternity, there was at last a new lead on the KID Killer's disappearance.
xPFx
Shinichi sighed heavily as she used her arms and made a makeshift pillow on the desk, burying her face while disappointment danced in dark blue eyes. While she had been able to corner the Phantom Thief at the Haido City Hotel last night with evidence to back up her statement, Inspector Nakamori was...less than pleased with her. Scratch that. The head of the KID Task Force was pissed. Both at the Detective of the East and at its own local sleuth.
Apparently it had been bad enough to have Hakuba-san be involved with the heists since he came to Japan almost three years ago, and bringing another brat to pretend being a sleuth was a recipe for disaster. The King's Favorite heist definitely fitted that word like a tailored glove; furthermore, what she brought back to Inspector Nakamori was insufficient in his mind. Shinichi brought him a card with an ace of spades as 'proof' that she cornered the Phantom Thief. Not KID in handcuffs. At that very moment Inspector Nakamori took the card, and in a fit of seemingly righteous anger tore it up to pieces with the order that the young woman was never allowed to come to the heists unless she was part of the audience that stood outside.
Failure to comply would result in being arrested on the change of interfering with police work.
"Besides," Inspector Nakamori snorted as he walked away from the astounded teenagers with his weary men, "You haven't been playing this game with Kaitou KID for as long as I have Kudo-kun. I have the experience, so I'm the one who's earned the right to catch him. Not you, not Hakuba-kun, me."
The detective's eyes glowed with a brief glimmer of sadness before she closed them again. So much for going to the heists as a reprieve from seeing horrendous crimes on daily basis and using my intelligence without being restrained by fear or idiots with higher-ups on their side. Shinichi exhaled, jumping slightly when she felt her phone vibrate on the desk. Curious, the Detective of the East punched in her access code and raised an eyebrow at the ID. It was a text message from Kudo Yusaku. What could he want this time?
Shrugging her shoulders, Shinichi unwittingly unlocked Pandora's Box with a single tap on the Messenger icon.
KID and Shinichi have at last met under the moonlight of the very same place where they first met, though this time it isn't the critic that the Phantom Thief has been frantically searching for. But with a new lead discovered by Jii, what lengths will both parties go to in their quest for the truth or to keep it locked up in Pandora's Box? And what exactly does Shinchi's old man want? More magic and mystery on the way!
Please feel free to review or PM me with any questions, comments, or constructive criticism. Thanks to everyone who has favorited, reviewed, and added Paper Faces to their alert lists.
I hope everyone has enjoyed the show and reached your expectations. See you next illusion. - (KID caricature)