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.

Once again, I would like to thank OnyxKatana for all of her help and input in the seventh installment of this series! So without further ado, let the show begin!

This cannot be happening to me.

This was the singular thought that occupied the little grey cells belonging to a certain coffee-haired teenager as she stood in front of the Ekoda Grand Hall with an ashed expression on her face. Similar to the city hall in Beika, this facility was also used to host large social functions, such as the one that was being held this evening. Tonight there would be a fashion show, revealing an exclusive clothing line only available to the patrons whose pockets were as large as their sponsorship to the imposing building standing imposingly in front of Shinichi. What made this particular event stand out from previous ones that typically had an idol as the face of the product (i.e. Okino Yoko), the inspiration came from none other than the infamous Kaito KID.

Shinichi felt her heart sink lower and lower when Aoko excitedly approached the detective after their last class, revealing four bone-white tickets to her friend and asked if she was free this Sunday evening. Being a devoted police officer in Division Three, especially when KID's heists became involved with many members of Tokyo's wealthiest and influential families, Inspector Nakamori received these special passes as a reward for his work. Unfortunately, however, the mustached man gave them all to his daughter so that she could go with her friends instead, given that the date of the event coincided with another 'performance' of the Phantom Thief at a playhouse that recently opened to the public in Beika.

To an extent, being invited to this fashion show acted as an olive branch from Inspector Nakamori to Shinichi after he forbade her from attending any more heists. Especially after Aoko had discreetly heard about what happened through a certain class prankster, and expressed her displeasure about the situation as well as the unfair treatment towards the teenage sleuth. Once he discussed things with his daughter, Nakamori proposed a compromise: Shinichi will be allowed to attend the heists so as long as she a spectator and accompanied by Aoko at all times. If she kept up this promise over a three month trial or when he deems is more than enough time to trust the Detective of the East again, the police officer might allow Shinichi a front-row seat on the action.

While accepting this agreement gave Shinichi more than enough reason to execute a series of cartwheels from sheer joy, her delight was quickly overshadowed by one detail she suddenly overlooked: a formal occasion meant that she had to sacrifice street clothes for a...dress. Despite what others may think and being the only daughter of retired actress Fujimine Yukiko, Shinichi had zero fashion sense. She just threw on what was comfortable and rolled with the punches, as the American saying goes. Needless to say that after a quick shopping trip with Aoko, Shinichi felt incredibly awkward and out of place in her strapless powder-blue dress; the color supposedly brought out the brightness in her indigo orbs, a statement that the great detective utterly failed to understand.

Furthermore, standing next to her companions for the evening worsened Shinichi's self-esteem further to the point where she felt like a toddler playing dress up. Complimenting her pale skin and subtly amplifying her blossoming beauty, Aoko wore a cherry-red dress that came to her knees with a sheer neckline and matching shawl coiled in between her arms. Hakuba-kun was decked out in a gray-colored three piece suit from a British clothing line called London Fog, something Shinichi had not even heard about and could frankly care less about right now.

But despite these negative emotions floating around her stomach like butterflies, they were not the reason why Shinichi wanted to put as much distance between herself and Ekoda Grand Hall as she possibly could within a ten-minute sprint in her ballet flats. The fashion show was being sponsored by the Suzuki Financial Group. And when the Suzuki Financial Group became involved with a social function, Suzuki Sonoko was bound to be wandering in this sea of influential and wealthy individuals. A Kaitou KID fashion line? This event had Sonoko's name written all over it. Plus the person who had presented the special passes to Inspector Nakamori could be none other than Suzuki Jirokichi, the Senior Advisor of the Suzuki Financial Group and Sonoko's attention-seeking uncle. After going through the trouble to personally deliver them to the police station, Shinichi could not just up and leave without her actions been seen as exceedingly rude.

But most of all, Sonoko's presence also meant that someone else would inevitably be at the event. Mouri Ran.

Even after settling down in Ekoda with the chance to start a clean slate with a new school and some friends, Shinichi did not know if she was ready to face her childhood friend again after their disastrous meeting last time.

Steeling her rattled nerves, Shinichi walked through the front entrance with the pair who followed close behind. It was painfully obvious that Hakuba-kun had an immense affection for Aoko, and she sufficiently returned them; but how can two people not realize that their feelings for each other were reciprocated, even when being right next to each other, was once again Shinichi's comprehension. If Kuroba-san were here….at least she would not feel so out of place being the proverbial 'third wheel' as she did at this very moment. He was someone she could talk to, and easily engage in a conversation with him while Aoko and Hakuba were wrapped up in their own chatting.

Initially, Aoko had also invited Kaito along for the event but he declined in favor of tonight's heist. Not even a fashion show inspired by his idol deterred him from traveling to Beika for the 'show'. At that moment, Shinichi wanted to curse the Phantom Thief to hell and back, however irrational this thought appeared to be in her logical mind.

Once they were placed in their respectable seats by smartly-dressed ushers and served refreshments on small glass tables, the ceiling lights dimmed for a moment before fluorescent beams darted around the large catwalk. A few words between sponsors and the event's direction with the audience were exchanged, and then the fashion show began.

Thirty minutes passed and so far things were going smoothly; no one had screamed in terror, and the outfits that the models wore were very detailed as well as imaginative. The designers had even managed to incorporate the monocle, for crying out loud! An hour later the event concluded with a parting speech and directions to the banquet hall, because a scrumptious buffet awaited the guests as gratitude for coming to the show and sponsoring it via a donation or participating in an auction that would take place in another hour.

Just as Shinichi weaved through the guests her blue orbs had caught sight of Sonoko towards the back talking to one of the male models, and proceeded to leave the area in favor of following her companions.

So far, she had been fairly successful in avoiding the Suzuki heir and the sleuth wanted to keep it that way until it was time to leave. As much as she did not want to admit it out loud, Shinichi was able to enjoy herself a little, talking and laughing with Aoko and Hakuba as they nibbled on their expensive dinner.

Shinichi listened to the British detective as he narrated a case in London that he took, involving a fanatic who was obsessed with some time-travelling doctor in a phone booth. It was when he was talking that he accidentally jostled a young woman who was walking past them with a drink in her jeweled hand. Being the gentleman he was, Hakuba immediately turned to apologise to the dark-haired stranger, who had also turned to apologize as well. Time seemed to come to a standstill as Shinichi laid turned her gaze upon the stranger who wore a beautiful sleeveless onyx dress. A cry of outrage from the stranger's companion, a lovely-looking girl with chin-length light brown hair, fell upon deaf ears as Shinichi croaked out a single word.

"R-Ran?"

Just as she uttered that single syllable, an earth-shattering scream echoed across the banquet hall.

xPFx

A low growl rumbled in the back of his throat as KID gracelessly landed on the rooftop of an unknown house, his hang-glider precariously teetering on the edge of disrepair and uselessness. Tonight's performance, stealing a ruby tiara nicknamed The Rose Bride that would appear in a play based on the famous fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, did not go well. Inspector Nakamori and his men were shockingly able to catch up with him. He was only able to glance at the impressive piece under the moonlight for a mere second before he abandoned it to escape. When he jumped off the roof...things went from bad to worse, and that's all he was going to say.

KID looked around the vicinity until his indigo orbs fell upon a peculiar bird fountain near the mailbox. That birdbath...it looked familiar. But where he had seen it? He placed a finger under his chin and thought, until names and pictures flashed across his mind.

A birdbath that seemed to change every now and again, even blow up at one point.

KID looked to the right and almost gasped; sitting gravely on the right was a stately manor, unoccupied but looked after by one person. Agasa Hiroshi. An inventor and guardian to the one person that Edogawa Agatha held in high regard, so much that she begged him to impersonate her as an older, more developed woman on the Bell Tree Express.

Haibara Ai.

A shark-like grin then suddenly stretched across his mouth. If that's the case, then surely they wouldn't mind me paying a late-night visit would they? Especially since the reason is find the MIA Meintantei-chan. Once he carefully removed the harness from his shoulders, KID surveyed the area before he found an entrypoint that could not be seen from the dimly-lit streets by a random bystander or from the occupants. He did not want to end up running from the police again twice in one evening, thank you very much.

Once he picked the latch with a nifty little theft kit that Jii-chan gave him for his birthday last year, KID silently crept inside the house without making a sound (at least he hoped so. Who knows if this Haibara kid had sharp ears like his dear little critic?). He looked up and down the area three times until he deemed it safe to continue his search.

After discreetly exploring what seemed to be the top floor, KID made his way down the stairs and soon found something that caught his indigo-colored gaze: a dimly-lit office. Placing a gloved hand on the polished wood he slowly opened it all the way and slipped inside. He looked around, surveying his new surroundings. It seemed unimpressive enough for a typical office with with clipped papers strewn across the desk and a few folders tossed haphazardly onto the carpeted ground, as if whoever worked here was looking for something, and then forgot to clean up their mess. On one side of the wall was a heavy-looking bookcase while the opposite had a large whiteboard, positively covered with scribbles.

When KID took a second glance at the whiteboard he soon saw that these so-called 'scribbles' to be the structure of an extremely complex formula, and an organic one at that. There were multiple notes written in different colored inks and also tied together with blue, yellow, or red string. Guessing that it had something to do with the aging professor who lived here, the Phantom Thief did not give it too much thought as he glided towards the semi-cluttered desk.

As his indigo orbs scanned the color-coded documents, the magician's confusion grew even further. Nothing seemed to make any sense to him. Judging from the context written on these papers, they each had a reference that were also written on the whiteboard, seeing some footnotes on organic compounds and the like. However, the content was surprisingly obscure. Furthermore, KID could not make head or tail with the few repeating phrases he saw littered across the pages. In truth, it seemed like utter nonsense.

BO. Gin. Kudo. Silver Bullet. Apoptoxin. Vermouth. Sherry. APTX. Antidote. 4869. Shrinking.

KID continued to scan through a couple other pages as his interest in them began to wade, seeing that he could not find the words 'Edogawa Agatha' written on either the papers or whiteboard. Everything seemed almost indecipherable and did not shed any light on the matter. Just when he was about to give up and leave this place, KID felt his blood run cold when his excellent hearing caught the sound of a gun's safety mechanism being removed.

"I think it would be in your best interest to step away from that desk Kaitou KID."

Shit. How had he not heard her approach? He knew that melodious (if not deadpanned) voice, having heard it once before. Slowly, the Phantom Thief craned his head to the side, just enough to see who was standing behind him.

Haibara Ai. The object of his search.

KID slowly raised his hands on either side of him, palms open, he lifted his head to look in front of him, at the door where the young auburn-haired girl stood with a silver firearm aimed straight at him. Immediately setting his face to his trademark poker expression, with a hint of that teasing arrogance he was known for, the teenage criminal calmly addressed her.

"Now, now, Haibara-san. I haven't come here to pick a fight with you. I'd rather we solve this peacefully, like two mature adults." KID did not miss the way she stiffened for a moment at his last words, before regaining her previous composure.

"Then would you be so kind as to state the reason why are you here, KID? And if I don't get a satisfactory answer, I'll make sure the entire Police Department knows you're here."

Ah, straight to the point. It seemed that Haibara-san was not a person for niceties; oh well, the sooner he got to the bottom of this impromptu investigation, the sooner he could get out of here and fly home to his incredibly warm bed.

"The thing is, Haibara-san, my pride as a magician has taken a serious blow. A certain, mutual detective friend of ours decided to stop coming to see my performances. And I do miss my favourite critic. Heists are just so boring without little Meitantei-chan to spice things up! So, being the dutiful friend that I am, I decided to take a look to see if everything was okay with her. Imagine my surprise when I find almost no record of the existence of Edogawa Agatha, despite her being splashed across the news in the past few years. So, here I am, at the only other link I have to her. Would you mind enlightening me?"

KID unknowingly derived a small bit of sadistic pleasure while watching Haibara's cute face became a ghastly mixture between white and gray. Her body language told him that she did have an idea of what he was talking about, opening and closing her mouth for a split second. Trembling ever so slightly, Haibara's eyes hardened until she composed herself with a straightened back once more The glint in those light grey orbs made Kaito narrow his own. Her tiny finger still remained coiled around the trigger, ready to pull it back at any moment.

"Normally I would divulge information to a wanted criminal like yourself, but because you helped me once before, I will return the favor. I'll say this once, so please listen very carefully: Edogawa Agatha is gone and she will never return to Japan again. Wherever that girl is, she is safe and be looked after. I cannot tell you anything else. And if you are thinking about scavenging for a clue on that desk, you won't find anything related to her unless you are suddenly interested in complex organic chemistry." Haibara inhaled a deep breath before she continued. "But take my advice, and stop hunting her down. Edogawa Agatha...has been through enough as it is, and she doesn't need a crazy magician to be hounding after her trail. Now, please get the hell out of here or I will alert the authorities. I have their emergency number on speed-dial."

KID glared at Haibara-san, but soon realized that he would not be getting any more information and decided to heed the girl's command, taking off into the night with a flutter of his bone-white cape.

It was only when he had gotten home and was mentally reviewing his encounter that he realised something. His photographic memory showed him the material he had found on the desk, and he locked onto a particular detail that he had missed earlier in his search for the elusive critic. Of the multiple phrases that had featured repeatedly among the scientific papers, one thing struck him as exceptionally odd.

What in the world did Kudo-chan have to do with 'complex organic chemistry'?

There was something that he was missing, and it seemed like once again that the only one who could give any answers was still his new classmate Shin-chan. Or at the very least, a lead. But due to the latest "inconvenience" at his prior heists, there was no way for KID to interact with Kudo-chan unless

He decided to go ahead and invaded her apartment or cornered her on the streets late at night, neither of which were appealing options. It would make him look like a stalker, something that he was not, despite popular opinion. This left KID with the only possible solution left: Kuroba Kaito would have to be KID's messenger to Kudo-chan, and become a 'middle man' between the Detective of the East and Ekoda's Phantom Thief.

KID never would have thought that searching for his critic would prove to be so troublesome. Then again, it wouldn't be as fun without a little obstacle here and there, would it?

Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying the winter holidays so far :) I had a great time over my own vacation with the family, but unfortunately a family emergency came up as soon I got back a few days ago, so it might take a little while for the eighth act of Paper Faces to be published. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and will do my best to update this story as soon as possible.

I hope this little present will bring a smile to the readers, especially for those who have been following, favoring, or reviewing it since the very beginning. Merry Christmas! :)

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.

See you next illusion - (KID caricature)