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.

I would like to profusely thank OnyxKatana and Vivian Gray for their assistance in creating this segment. It simply would not have been possible without their help. So without further ado, let the final act of Paper Faces commence for an eager audience, and just in time for the holiday season! :)

KID's orbs remained locked onto the Snake imposter, a neutral expression still stretched across his face whilst keeping an eye on his dear detective. Granted it was a delight to finally come face-to-face with the person responsible for his father's murder, but it seemed that time was starting to become of the essence. Jii had hacked into the police comms and relayed information that Inspector Nakamori's task force was starting to move their search towards their location. It was only a matter of time before this little "meeting" was interrupted.

In his lazy and honeyed tone of voice, Kaitou KID drawled out, "It's a shame, honestly. You're so much more entertaining than Snake was. However, I have a feeling this game is going to end sooner than I'd like it to. There's a lot to talk about, you know? I'd have preferred to draw it out a little."

To his shock, the Maestro smirked. The barest trace that his lips had twisted into a smirk, while being just this side of condescending. "Ah, but I'm afraid you're wrong in that assumption, KID. This game isn't going to be a stalemate, and neither of you are slipping away from here. I took the liberty of calling in a few favors, and they were...more than happy to lend me their aid in stalling the task force just a little longer until we've settled this matter."

KID blinked. "Oh? Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you'd pull something like that. Corruption runs deep, even under the supposed scales of justice and honor."

Now fully aware of his opponent's move on the chessboard, the question remained as to who would interrupt it- the Organization or the Task Force. While the Phantom Thief did not hold the moustached police officer in the highest regard, Kuroba Kaito still thought of him as the uncle he never had growing up; furthermore, the magician would be damned if something happened to him, Ahouko, and that bastard Hakuba.

Shinichi spared a glance at KID before she blinked at the imposter, unwavered at the sight of his silver pistol. "It's obvious that you're planning on killing us soon and make it seem like an unfortunate accident, but there's something I'd to know, two things actually. First of all, how were you able to pull such a stunt when there were so many officers stationed for tonight's heist? And for my second question, what is your motive to steal Pandora? Is it the money? Or something else?" The Detective of the East asked, mindful that there was a fifty-fifty chance that the false Snake would even bother to answer her questions. "It's hard to believe that this gem is worth killing someone over, unless I'm proven otherwise."

The Maestro kept his pistol trained on the pair as he raised an eyebrow. "I'm old, not stupid Kudo Shinichi. You're trying to weasel a confession out of me so it can be given to the police."

Shinichi blinked. "Oh? But you just said that your friends will be keeping the police, didn't you? So what makes the difference if what I tell the police is true or not? They'd need your testimony as well, so it would be your word against mine. And it's obvious that you have no intention of letting us get away so easily, even if we comply with your demands."

The Phantom Thief looked at his partner from the corner of his eye, while maintaining his Poker Face. He really didn't know what the girl was trying to do, but his guess was that she was stalling for time. Perhaps she wanted to cause enough delay for the police to show up, or something else. Anything to give them an edge and that split-second chance to get rid of the gun trained on them. In that case, why not help out his dear sleuth by playing along?

Clearing his throat, KID began speaking. "No, honestly. I, for one, am curious. How did you manage to infiltrate the event, with all the security they had? I'm the so-called Phantom Thief, and yet, I had a difficult time figuring out an escape plan. Besides, if I'm dying tonight, I might as well die knowing how you managed what even I couldn't have done without disguising as Meitantei-chan here."

The Maestro looked back and forth between the two of them, a momentary silence falling upon the roof until his scratchy voice echoed across the empty vicinity.

"It was easy with the information my second-in-command gave me. I believe the Phantom Thief became well-acquainted with him at the Blue Birthday theft, when Snake warned you the second time to stay away from the Big Gems we planned to steal. Yet despite his tenacity and loyalty to our cause, I was already aware of Snake's incompetence after that botched heist. From there, it grew worse and worse, yet I simply couldn't allow him to die just yet. He knew KID better than anyone else in the Organization: his M.O. all the way down to the mechanics of his card gun. While I did allow him to stay within the ranks of my syndicate, I didn't allow him to come here tonight. I've come too far for everything to be ruined now, especially when I was looking forward to seeing Pandora itself in a civilized meeting between myself, Kudo Shinichi, and Rabbit. Though I suppose you, detective, know him as the antique dealer Ishikawa? Yes, he works for me, if that wasn't obvious enough. Once I had the information about the heist, the rest was easy. I pulled a few strings, put on little makeup and changed my clothes, then lo and behold I become the henchman I despise so much."

Then the Maestro paused for a moment, his beady eyes suggesting that he was remembering something. A memory, perhaps? "However, none of that matters now. Even if I had to orchestrate everything myself, I would do it ten times over. And my efforts have yielded fruit- the sweetest fruit of all my labour. Tonight, I shall finally hold Pandora in my hands. With its power, nothing shall stop me now. Bice will be with me again. She will be here, and she will see what I have done for her. Bice will be here again, just like she used to be. Oh, Bice, my dear..."

The dark-haired magician kept his Poker Face intact, albeit it was almost a difficult task at hearing a confession of motive from the puppeteer himself. "Resurrecting a loved one? I am surprised, Sir; with all of the atrocities you and your Organization have committed, I was under the impression that you'd use Pandora to manufacture immortality itself, make a profit to nations across the globe who want super soldiers in their arsenal or even a cure for an inoperable disease. After all, the value of money is equivalent to the value of life itself in this country."

The older man looked at the teenagers in front of him for a few seconds in silence. He blinked a few times, before shuddering deeply. No, it wasn't quite a shudder. He was still trembling, before suddenly jerking. He threw his head back, and his entire torso quaked with the intensity of his laughter. He was laughing, without a care in the world. A loud, raspy sound, as if his throat was hoarse from disuse. It evolved into howls, but his "amusement" showed no signs of stopping. However, there was a certain edge to it, one that did not accompany the laughter that ensued when someone made a particularly hilarious joke. This was closer to hysteria than anything else.

Shinichi felt a tremor crawl down her spine at hearing such a sound, all too aware just how much it would take to push someone to the brink of madness. The human mind was impregnable as it was fragile; even the simplest reason could drive an otherwise innocent person to murder, and hearing such logic from the suspects churned the detective's stomach no matter how many times she had solved as a case. Both as Kudo Shinichi, and the shadow of the Sleeping Kogoro.

The raven-haired teen flinched a little at the touch of silk gloves squeezing her hand tightly, but did not allow her surprise to be given away. It would all be over soon if things went according to plan.

Soon the man's laughter died down as suddenly as it had begun, and his gaze seemed even more crazed than it was just a few minutes ago.

"That had been her idea, you know. Make a profit from Pandora's tears, sell them to the highest bidder so the Organization could expand itself even further. She'd always been the pragmatic one between the two of us, had been since I took over the Organization as its leader. That's my Bice, such a good head on her shoulders. Always looking for the good of the Organization!

The Organization had been operating in America for many years, so when it was my turn to step up to the plate I had a little thought in my head: why not plant a seed in Japan? It was untainted soil, ripe for the taking and perfect to make some new friends in the government. Another syndicate thought the exact same thing, and look where it led them! My Bice did so much for the Organization, running its drug industry with an iron fist while she played a meek, simple-minded board member of a pharmaceutical company in the outside world. Oh, she fooled them so well, my Bice! Never would have suspected what that jumpy exterior hid.

Unlike most of women in the underworld, sows who'd amuse themselves at country clubs or extramarital affairs with younger men, my Bice was more refined in her vices. She adored history and would be buying antiques from auction-houses that had even the small inkling of mythological reference. She especially loved the tale of Pandora's Box, and one afternoon she came home with the biggest smile on her face, showing me several blueprints of a machine dating back to World War II; a machine that could remove the deadly toxins of a gem that granted immortality, a fantastical amulet that actually existed in the shadows of history! And that gem had been Pandora, the proof was in those papers! 'Think about', she said, 'If we have that gem in our hands, then anything is possible! We could cure cancer, even sell the very essence of immortality to the highest bidder! Your Organization, its legacy, would be secure for years to come!' "

The Maestro stopped himself for a moment before he shook his head in pity. "But, sadly, she couldn't see things my way, when I told her what I saw the future held. Time was our enemy, and both of us were only growing older. There was no one quite like her in the entire Organisation, none at all. And when I stepped down, there would be no one worthy of taking the reins. The Organization that both of us had poured our life's blood into, to get it to such heights, would crumble away. I warned her; I did. None of our children were worthy of inheriting our empire, and I would burn it down rather than hand it over to a spineless scoundrel who would tarnish it's honour, and the honour of my family. No, I couldn't let it come to that now, could I? The difference in our opinions grew worse, right to the point when I...when I took my Bice's life, in a fit of childish anger and my hands around her neck. At that moment, I knew what I had to do: I needed Pandora to bring Bice back to life. It's the only way I could make amends for what I'd done, but I couldn't do that in jail. So I burned our house down to make it look like an electrical fire, and took her body with me."

"So you did what you had to do." Shinichi asked, carefully selecting her words. "You had to find Pandora to apologize for what you've done, to the woman and partner that you love."

The Maestro's eyes glinted with an unidentifiable emotion. However, it didn't speak of anything good. KID felt his blood freeze in his veins at the dark look on the older man's face, as he straightened, completely alert once again. All traces of his previous behaviour had disappeared, save for the dark look in his eyes. "Bice may not have listened to me, but I know someone else who will listen to their partner. Kudo Shinichi, if you would do the honours. Talk to your partner, won't you? Tell the Kaitou KID, that he can either hand Pandora over to me right this moment, or lose his partner as I'd lost my Bice."

The safety of the gun was clicked off. The sound echoed around the roof, as threatening as the gunshot itself.

KID stared long and hard at the Maestro. In a way, he could understand why he'd done all of these terrible things for love. If KID had lost his rival in such a manner, he wouldn't know what to do. Hell, he might've gone and searched for Pandora with the purpose of seeing the detective's insufferable smirk one more time. He blinked once, then twice as another message from Jii came over the comms.

"What are you waiting for, girl? Tell your partner to make his choice. What will it be, hmm? His little detective, or the priceless gem he wants to keep so much he'd be willing to sacrifice your life for it?"

Shinichi looked at the Phantom Thief with wide,dark blue orbs. "K-KID, please d-don't do this. There has to be another way!"

"Unfortunately, there isn't another way. And for the record, I'd gone after this jewel for the thrill of a theft. It's a vice I live for, the game of cat and mouse, police versus criminal. It's too big for my jewelry box anyway. You want it, you got it." KID then pulled out Pandora from his pocket, subtly pressing a thumb on its side before he threw it towards the Maestro. "Here."

Snake's imposter easily caught the prize as it swiftly landed into his outstretched palm. Both of his hands quivered in excitement before using his teeth to pull of a leather glove. Even though KID had been so cooperative tonight, he wasn't going to take any chances. That was why he kept the gun trained on the Phantom Thief and his cohort. Holding up the jewel to the moonlight with his bare hand, a Cheshire-like grin stretched across his face as the gem glowed an eerie red. "Finally," he said. "Finally, after all of these years, I finally have Pandora in my grasp."

Once he had pocketed the precious stone inside his coat, the Maestro grinned, though a slightly unnerving one if you asked the monocle-wearing criminal. It almost looked like he would be laughing that insane laugh again. "I must thank you Kaitou KID, for being a good sport instead of being stubborn. It's so much easier to surrender than fight when the odds are stacked against you, isn't it?" The Maestro chuckled slightly at his words (what he found humorous in them, both the thief and detective could not fathom) as he took a step backwards towards the ledge. "And this is where I take my leave. Good-bye, Kaitou KID. It's been a fun game. And you're right; it is a shame that it had to be cut short under a full moon."

The moustached man then disappeared, allowing himself to fall from the roof with his arms spread like an eagle's wings. Seconds later, an all-too-familiar sound of a hang glider opening suddenly snapped the heavy silence in half. Both the Phantom Thief and Detective of the East watched their foe soar off into the night, his means of escape resembling a large and unseen raven.

With her small hand still coiled around his, Shinichi stole a glance in KID's direction. "Is it working?" Those three little words earned the young woman a shark-like grin from her companion, pulling out a remote control from his pants pocket to hold up in front of the full moon. There on its opaque screen was a tiny red dot, moving northwest from their location. "Of course~!" Just when he said that, a small beeping noise began to echo across the silent rooftop. "The tracking device is working, flawless as always~! Oh, and Jii's already 'in pursuit of KID', as he put it. Shouldn't take too long until it's all over, should it?"

Shinichi hummed in approval, and then asked him another question. "Why did you give into his demands so quickly? I thought our plan was dissuade him and then catch him off guard before he ran off with the gem." KID blinked at his detective before releasing a dramatic sigh.

"Oh Meitantei-chan," The Moonlight Magician began, "Sometimes all that seems good for the world isn't true in reality. I didn't know just how unhinged our dear friend would be after we've foiled his plans so many times, especially since the Volley Comet would be appearing any day now. And if he intended to use Pandora to resurrect his beloved Bice, there's no telling what could've pushed him right over the edge. It was a gamble I didn't want to partake in," KID paused for a second, and added in a much softer voice. "Plus...I really don't want to be sitting in the ER again because of my mistakes, Shin-chan. Once was enough for this gentleman thief, thank you."

Shinichi opened her mouth slightly to respond when her cell phone began to ring. Pulling it out, she glanced at the caller ID and pressed the receive button to answer it. "Yes?"

"Kudo-chan," Shinichi's ears perked at the unmistakable voice of Haibara Ai. "Professor Agasa and I are on our way home. Just wanted to call and say thanks for the evening as well the little gift you gave me. You really shouldn't have~!" The dark-haired sleuth felt her eye twitch at the upbeat note in the scientist's voice. This girl….

"You're welcome. Be safe and good luck on your vocabulary test tomorrow. We'll celebrate with a cake from your favorite cafe, okay?" Ignoring the indignant noise in the background that quickly followed with an old man trying to calm his little ward, Shinichi hung up. She turned to KID.

"They're safe and with Jii-san. The 'gift' I gave them is in good hands for now. So...what should we do now? It's all over, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid not Shin-chan," KID corrected as he suddenly dragged Shinichi to the other side of the rooftop, right behind the HVAC unit. "I'm certain that our dear friend left us a little present." Shinichi raised an eyebrow at the Phantom Thief.

"How sure are you that he'd sent his men to finish us off?"

KID shrugged, digging into his coat pocket. "Call it a gut feeling. And the Kaitou KID is never wrong about these sorts of things, is he?" The dark-haired teen rolled her eyes before blinking in surprise at the sudden weight pressed in both of her palms. KID's card gun. "Use it." The eccentric gentleman instructed, keeping his eyes on the door and not taking a refusal for an answer. Unfortunately for him, this young woman was Kudo Shinichi. Brilliant and bull-headed with an unhealthy dose of paranoia.

"No need. I figured I would need it for a situation like this." KID swiveled his head to argue when his gaze fell upon an ebony belt coiled around the sleuth's waist, something he hadn't seen until now. Seeing his curious gaze, Shinichi smirked.

"The Anywhere Dispensing Soccer Belt, with a slimmer design and upgraded system. Courtesy of Professor Agasa. I have to say, it's much better than the KID Killer's prototype." KID grinned. Well, at least he wouldn't be on the receiving end tonight.

Five minutes later the door to the rooftop slammed open, masked individuals dressed in black from top to bottom poured out across the vicinity. For an underground syndicate, they really did need to learn how to be less conspicuous. And expected the unexpected. It took the pair almost fifteen minutes to ambush and disarm the entire group; it was child's play, especially with a deadly combination of smoke grenade, flying soccer balls (once again, KID was happy that those flying devils aren't aimed at him), and a plethora of cards.

As they stood over their fallen opponents, tied up and gagged as a precaution, Kaitou KID's ear perked at the information he was receiving through the police comms. "…Suspect is found roughly four blocks away from the scene where the heist took place...Missing jewel on their person. Requesting medical assistance and back-up immediately."

A grin stretched across his face. Looks likes the professor's tranquilizer on the gem worked faster than I thought~! Good thing our dear friend took off his glove to look at the fake Pandora or else it wouldn't have absorbed into the skin. Kaitou KID then slid his left arm around Shinichi, pulling her small frame towards his larger one. "Now it's all over. Time to go home~!"

Shinichi looked at him in surprise. "How? The hotel is still swarmed with police and reporters, and Jii is with the other others." When she saw his smile become even wider, the sleuth felt her face turn pale.

"Kaitou KID, you are not suggesting that we - "

"Aw, come on Meitantei-chan, it'll be fun! Many would consider it an honor to share a hang-glider with the one and only Kaitou KID! Think of it as an award for all of your hard work~!"

"I'd like to keep my feet on the ground, thank you very much."

"Please~?"

"No."

"How about me buying you a large cake of any flavor you want, to sweeten the deal?"

Shinichi fidgeted. "...Even the coffee-flavored one that just came out? At the bakery on 34th Street?" The sleuth saw the magician stiffen at her words but quickly hid his distaste with a sunny disposition.

"Of course~! But we'd better get a move on or else they'll close up soon!"

"...Alright."

Grinning, the Phantom Thief unfurled his own hang-glider and made the necessary preparations for proper take off at the edge of the rooftop. Once everything was ready to go, he gestured Shinichi to come closer. Hooking one arm around her arms and the other under her pant-covered legs, KID jumped from his position and took off into the night. Good thing Jii had upgraded his hang-glider to be on auto-pilot before this heist. It definitely had come in handy.

Almost an hour later the pair returned to the Kuroba household, a smiling Shinichi holding a white box that contained the cake Kaito had promised after an exciting night with Professor Agasa and his ward. It took very so little to make his dear Shin-chan happy, and what he wouldn't do to protect that such an adorable expression. Sadly, the two of them were exhausted after having a slice of the (disgusting, in Kaito's respective opinion) coffee-flavored treat with some refreshments.

It didn't take Kaito very long to prepare the spare guest room for his tired Shin-chan, much to her groggy protesting. Nonetheless, he gently guided the young woman to her sleeping quarters and tucked Shinchi under the covers, pressing a kiss against her forehead as he wished her to have sweet dreams.

Once he had turned off the light and left the door slightly ajar, Kaito walked back into the kitchen when his cell phone rang. Not even bothering to look at the caller ID, he answered it. "How's everything, Jii?"

"Everything had gone according to plan, Bocchan. Professor Agasa and Haibara-kun are at the safehouse with me until tomorrow morning, including her gift from Kudo-chan. It seems that all that is left to tie up some loose ends."

Kaito hummed softly. "That's true. Get some rest Jii, and...thank you again for all of your help tonight. I'll call again in the morning to check on the three of you. Keep an eye and ear out for anything in case things go awry."

"Of course, Bocchan. Rest well." And then the line disconnected. Shrugging, Kaito cleaned up the kitchen and proceeded to get ready for bed himself. Tomorrow was Sunday, so at least he and Shin-chan would be able to sleep in and not worry about classes. As he walked down the hall to his own room, the youth with indigo eyes had a sudden thought.

Why not?

With a mischievous grin stretched across his face, Kaito gave into his reckless impulse and snuck into Shin-chan's room for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cuddle with his adorable detective. Sliding underneath the covers, he gently held Shinichi's waist and pulled her close, inhaling the light lavender scent that perfumed her hair. Yeah, he could definitely get used to this.

.

.

.

"Kaito, please don't make me kick you off the bed."

And there we have it, the twenty-fifth act of Paper Faces has concluded with an adorable KaiShin dose :) Please stay tuned for an epilogue as we see what will happen next to our beloved detective and Phantom Thief. Have a safe and happy holiday! :)

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)