Detco M19... is fine. There were great new characters. KID was really sketchy. The mystery was decent. The plot was great. A service for CoAi shippers. This is the movie we got tired of KID disguising as Shinichi, but it'd still be a great DetCo movie except for one thing.
THEY DID MY GIRL RAN DIRTY!
Setting aside that she's been sidelined to focus more on Kid-Conan dynamic (which I can live with). Are you telling me Ran "I fought off sharks to protect my bestfriend" Mouri would pass out over swallowing "a little water"? That Ran "National Karate Champion" Mouri would lose to a child and a thief in terms of stamina? That Ran "I dig the snow until my fingers bled" Mouri would simply shout and beg Conan to come back when she knew he was near without saving him herself?
Fuck you TMS! Ran is more than just fodder! Bring back Ran "I emergency landed a plane and disarm a bomb" Mouri then we'll talk about good detco movies.
Bring back Sweetheart Badass Heroine Ran 2k21!
Thus, by this rant. You know this is an AU and heavily ShinRan chapter. Just warning y'all.
Chapter 8
"Eh? Shinichi is there with you?" Ran's heart leaped simply at the mention of his name, the longing and affection she had of her mystery maniac childhood friend filled her head. Followed by the memory of his confession in London that she still hadn't replied, making her cheeks reddened. Her mind began to float simply by the thought of meeting him again.
[We met right after KID-sama's appearance. A total coincidence, am I right? Who knew Shinichi-kun would be in New York as well.]
And then her dream-like feeling cracked and broken to pieces. "K- KID?"
[That's right! He appeared gallantly right in the middle of our press conference for the Sunflower Exhibition before leaping into the night sky. Then Shinichi-kun appeared and offered to help protect the painting. Looks like your husband is about to come home–]
"Sorry, Sonoko. But can you hold on for a moment?"
[Eh? Wait a sec– Ran–]
But Ran cut her off and instead went to her list of contacts. The detective boy was often unreachable, so it's not likely she'll get her proof immediately. However–
"Ah, Ran-neechan– I need the toilet!" She heard Conan cry out from the background, but Ran barely noticed his words as she waited for the line connected from the other side with bated breath.
[O– Oh, Ran? What's wrong? Aren't you supposed to greet Sonoko at Haneda Airport right now?]
"Shinichi… where are you right now?"
[Eh? Err, I'm in the middle of a case and the client needs this to be classified by outsiders so I don't think—]
"Then you're not coming back home on a plane from New York, right?"
[Huh? New York? There's no way I'd be there. Ran, what are you—]
"Thank you, Shinichi. That's all I need to know." Ran hung up without a word and felt the rising thirst for vengeance at a certain phantom thief. "So once isn't enough, but twice you've used his face." She cracked her knuckles so loud, everyone in her vicinity reasonably flinched. "I hope you've said your prayers, Kaitou KID."
In a certain bathroom stall, Conan was staring at his beeping phone in confusion after being cut off without a word instead of the one who usually does the cutting off, "So this is what it feels like… and why do I feel like I've doomed a man?"
That feeling intensified when Conan came back from the bathroom and saw Ran burning in ferocity.
"Ran… neechan… what's wrong?"
"Don't talk to me right now," she said darkly. Shinichi felt his babyish face palling from her tone, even though he wasn't the target of her scorn. "Hello, Sonoko. Is Shinichi still there with you?"
Shinichi was shocked by her words and leaped on the table to get a better grasp of the situation, 'That bastard is using my face again–'
Someone is asking to get a soccer ball on the face.
[Huh? Oh, right now he's out of his seat. What's wrong–]
"Sonoko, don't be surprised! But the Shinichi in the plane is–"
Explosions and screams filled the other line. Ran's heart leaped at the possible danger befallen her best friend and looked out the window, praying for her safety.
. . .
"DAMN IT!" Conan punched the rooftop as he watched the phantom thief fly away; out of reach and out of sight.
'But KID didn't have the painting with him when he jumped off, which means…' Conan zoomed in on the building, trying to discern any hiding spot for the Sunflower before easily spotting the painting.
'Hmm? Easily? Now that I think about it, we locked eyes before he jumped… was he not just taunting me but waiting for me too? So I could quickly find the Sunflower before the heat and UV rays could damage it further.'
Giving priority to the safety of the painting, Conan immediately called Inspector Nakamori the location of the painting so it could be quickly retrieved. His mind then swirled of the mystery KID left behind without giving out a word of explanation.
The phantom thief has a background of using bombs, so he can understand if there's mishap on the device to blow up too quickly or too big that led to that incident. But for self-proclaimed perfectionists to use faulty bombs on a plane would have been too dangerous.
Probable, yes. But unlikely.
Which means there are two other possibilities. A third party that had set the explosive… or it was someone from the passengers that could have done it. And if it's the latter and had the bomb worked as intended, then it's someone dangerous enough to endanger innocent people including themselves to accomplish their goal.
Whatever the goal may be.
"What did you get yourself into this time, Kaitou KID?" Conan growled frustratingly.
. . .
"So… where is the high school detective right now?" Asked one of the foreign security with scary eyes, "He's not around when KID is. It's as if that boy is Kaitou KID."
"THAT'S–" Ran yelled out without thinking, she blushed as all the eyes went to her, "I, I mean, that's not possible... be, because here!" She fished out her mobile phone in haste and showed them her calling record. "I called him around the time KID was in the middle of stealing the Sunflower, so it can't be him!"
"You're right," Sonoko unknowingly back up her half-lie, "This is proof that Kudō-kun isn't KID."
Ran breathed out in relief even as she was weighed by her own impulsive action. The high school girl felt a pull to her wrist and looked down at Conan, "Ran-neechan, can you come here for a sec."
He pulled her back from the crowd, not far enough that they couldn't grasp what the group was talking about, but enough that they could whisper to each other without being caught.
"Neh, Ran-neechan. Why did you lie that Shinichi-niichan on the plane wasn't KID?"
"I can't help it!" She cried softly, "KID and Shinichi have similar faces after all. If they've checked him for a mask, then everyone will believe that idiot mystery otaku is actually the phantom thief. It's not like Shinichi is here to defend himself."
'Well, that's true.' Conan conceded to her judgment. 'It's one of the reasons why that jerk likes to use my face.'
"But I wonder if I did the right thing, Conan-kun?" she asked hesitantly, "What KID did this time is pretty extreme after all… even though he doesn't seem like someone who would hurt people during his heist."
'Tell that to the stun gun burn on my back.' But it's not like Conan doesn't understand what Ran must be feeling.
"I'm sure Shinichi-niichan will be grateful for what Ran-neechan did. And don't worry about KID, it's not a guarantee it was his doing."
"Eh?"
"Holmes said it too; ' It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.' It's easy to suspect KID because he's a thief, but until all the data is gathered, there's nothing wrong with having faith until the evidence proves otherwise."
"That, that's true. It's not proven that this is all KID's doing yet." Conan smiled at seeing Ran cheered up before his expression turned contemplative.
'That's right. Evidence will tell us everything. Not just the proof of a person's crime, but their heart as well. After all the data is gathered, I'll prove once and for all just what kind of man you are, Kaitou KID.'
. . .
Conan watched as the news featured Sonoko and the Senior Advisor hyping the upcoming Sunflowers Dreamed of Japan exhibition held at Lake Rock Art Museum. Looking at his childhood friend, Shinichi felt impressed how Sonoko acted professionally as anyone would expect from an heiress to the Suzuki Financial Group.
'No one can imagine that she's actually a love-freak harpy.'
However, there are still unsolved mysteries. Conan still can't pinpoint the reason, but there was something odd about the KID Card left before the ransom card. Why is he even after a painting instead of a jewel? What's the point of insistently going after the Sunflowers more than once before the exhibition and raising... it's… security….
'I see, so that's his real aim!'
"You look like your head is full of thoughts." Haibara sat beside him as he watched the news in Professor Agasa's house. "Aren't you overthinking this?"
"Huh?"
"Since you're dealing with Kaitou KID, you always seemed to look beneath the underneath. Have you considered he's simply acting as he is. Not everything about KID has to be a puzzle."
"That's because KID is a magician as much as he is a thief. Everything he lets the audience see is an illusion for his motive and means he hid from behind. If he's making himself the villain who cares little for anyone then there's more to it than that."
"Or you can't believe that Kaitou KID has changed and is suffering in denial. Maybe it's time you open your eyes to reality and stop dreaming of a fairy tale rival."
"Ha? What's with you today? You're starting to sound like Charlie-san."
Haibara's lips tightened, the shadows of her hair hid the glare that would have made ordinary men cower.
"Don't you understand? I'm trying to tell you that KID won't forever be the good person you believe him to be. Maybe this is how he truly is without anything holding him back. Even if you have data on the thief that says otherwise, it's of no use if it's out-of-date."
"It's too early to tell at this stage and there are too many inconsistencies if that's the case–"
"I'M TELLING YOU WHAT IF HE IS DANGEROUS?!" Haibara cried out, which shocked Conan. Her voice strained and her tone tinged in alarm. "You and I both know what he's capable of. If you let your guard down because you're too caught up with who he was, then you're the one that might get hurt."
"Haibara…"
The girl gasped at the loss of her composure before glancing away, hiding the sardonic smile she had. "In the end, people's nature isn't so easy to change."
"I agree," Conan lightly replied.
His answer caused Haibara to flinch, she rubbed the side of her arm in self-conscious. Hyper aware of who she was… and who she might still be.
"People's real nature don't easily change. As proof, you're here with us right now."
Haibara gasped and gaped at Kudō, who kept an easygoing smile that matched the boy he looked to be currently.
"Despite the life you've lived, you endured and stayed with us. You decided to fight. Even if they tried to taint you with their color, you overcame that and kept your unfriendly stubborn nature."
The former Syndicate member felt the wind knocked out of her. She wasn't sure why his words surprised her still, even after getting to know Kudō for so long. His kindness was still too unbearable for her.
"Sorry for being unfriendly."
Had Conan not known her, he would have figured Haibara was pouting.
"Well, it's not like I don't get your point of view. But aren't you misunderstanding something?"
"Of what?" She glared annoyingly at the mystery maniac.
"You seem to think that I believe in an annoying crook like him, but you can't be further from the truth."
"Eh?"
"The only thing I have faith in is my own deduction… that Kaitou KID is hiding his true nature within the smoke of white lies. When he's simply an annoying thief who can't keep his nose out of people's business."
'Isn't that the same thing?' Haibara wanted to shake her head at his choice of words but decided she'd given up on convincing the stubborn boy. Kudō has never been wrong before, she can only hope he doesn't start now.
. . .
"How's the security, Jii-chan?"
"Formidable as always, Bocchama. As expected of Senior Advisor Suzuki, he doesn't pull any punches."
The pair of magician-assistant were reviewing the latest "impenetrable" security of the Lake Rock Art Museum that Jii managed to copy for his young master. The latest X-rays will see through his disguise and tools hidden within his person, adding to the metal detectors that are already equipped by the entrance. Security cameras in practically every corner makes it hard for Jii-chan to hide any of his trade tools beforehand.
Well, there's no problem with the disguise itself. That's the beauty of having the same face as Kudō. However, with no gadgets at hand, it'll be difficult maneuvering around the security. Especially with that damn American Inspector around.
Kaito was playing with the pen in his mouth as he tried to come up with a solid plan, his chair leaning back by the edge while he kept his balance.
"Bocchama, you don't need to force yourself. It's already enough that she'll be able to see the painting again for the exhibition. There's no need to go this far."
"Nope. Now that I'm all in, there's no going back." Kaito's smirk has gone feral at the deathly challenge the woman was giving him, "Besides, there's no way I'll let it stand after the length she has gone through."
"At any other time, I would have fully supported your endeavor. However… that painting… the Ashiya Sunflower has already taken away a dear friend of mine. I couldn't bear it if I lost you to it as well."
"Jii-chan…" Kaito's eyes soften at his surrogate grandfather. The first time he ever said anything remotely selfish and it had been to absolve the 60 year old regret. "Don't sweat, Jii-chan. After all, there's a reason why you even asked me in the first place, and that's because there's no obstacle in the world that can hold back Kaitou KID from achieving his goal. That's why, Jii… at least let this humble magician grant your dream."
"Kaito-bocchama~" Jii's eyes watered before he started tearing up and blowing his nose like a trumpet. Thus, breaking the tender moment.
'The problem now lies on this crazy plan the slick woman had set.' To avoid the worst possible scenario, Kaito needed Miyadai-san to be apprehended before she could go through with her plan. He began writing out a code for his notice in order to point out Judas, the Traitor.
'I'm counting on you, Meitantei.'
. . .
"Shit, this is bad." He pulled the stopper with all his might, but it still wouldn't budge. KID gritted his teeth before the flame would swallow him up along with the Sunflower. His mind racing for any idea, anything that could make this… damn… painting… MOVE!
"KID!"
KID whirled around in shock, "You– you came back?!" Tantei-kun wasn't supposed to be here. No one was supposed to. Not with the building burning down and everything.
It hadn't occured to the thief that Tantei-kun was willing to risk his life to protect the painting. Just like him. Kaito thought he was the only idiot around who would do that.
"Move, KID!" The order was unexpected from the little detective., Kaito felt the blood drain from his face at the sight of his kicking pose at the ready.
"Stop it, idiot!" Conan ignored him.
"This is the Sunflower!" He found a chunk of scarily hard and sharp looking rock.
"IT'S HUMANITY'S TREASURE!" He went and kicked the rock as hard as possible. Kaito swore it was aiming at his head before he dodged out of reflex.
"Did it work?"
"You were aiming for me, didn't you?!" KID checked the walls. His heart fell to find it didn't work even with Meitantei's help. 'I know I'm a miracle-maker, but I could really use some right now, Lady Luck.'
"Conan-kun!"
And a miracle did come. A terrifying one in the form of a Karate Master. Exactly who they need to free the Sunflower.
"Kaitou KID!"
Who also looked ready to maul Kaito. But at this point, the phantom thief would gladly get beaten if it meant getting her help.
"You have a lot of nerve disguising as Shinichi again, but right now the both of you need to get out of here quick! It's getting dangerous!"
KID and Conan shared one look at one another and grinned for having the same idea.
"Ran-san." "Ran-neechan."
""Lend us your strength."" They said in unison.
For a moment, Ran felt she was facing two Shinichis and wouldn't have been able to deny them any request. "What do you mean?"
Conan and KID explained the stuck painting and they asked the unreasonable demand for her to break the wall around it.
Ran might not fully understand the value of such historical painting, but she knew that a lot of people hold dear to it enough to risk their lives. Ran wanted to help protect it so she agreed to their request.
"Alright, both of you get back!"
They listened without protest as they watched the Karate Master break the wall with her bare hands before kicking the stopper out. Thus, succeeding in saving the painting.
"You did it!"
"Amazing, Ran-neechan!"
However, there was no time for them to celebrate before the fiery building started collapsing on them and had the entrance blocked. Conan wracked his brain for any idea before noticing KID pulling out the earpiece from his pocket and whispering instructions to it.
"Brat, Ran-san, hold on to me!"
"Eh?" Ran was hesitant to follow the words of a thief, but she watched Conan-kun practically leaping at the thief's leg without hesitation. Ran may not trust KID, but she trusts Conan-kun. Ran often forgot that he's the most reliable during a pinch despite his age.
She couldn't help the blush at the sight of Fake-Shinichi holding her close and wondered how it might feel with the real one. KID pulled Conan up, so the three of them were face to face.
"Both of you, don't let go no matter what." KID had his eyes on the roof, and Conan had gaped at the same place once he heard the walls cracking.
"Ran-neechan, hold your breath!" He yelled out, almost at the same time as the roof collapsed and water rained down on them like a waterfall.
Ran was shocked by the sudden flood after suffering from the fire. But the girl was always one who's quick to adapt. Swimming by KID and Conan's side and making sure none of them got separated. Especially by keeping hold of Conan as they swam to the surface to breathe in a new lungful of air.
"Keep holding on! Don't get swept away!"
They nodded at KID's warning and kept themselves over the surface until they reached an unknown floor down the tube. The water then started to recede around them until the risk of flood was gone. The three teens took their time gaining their breath after the near-death ordeal.
"You guys… are you both okay?" Kaito asked them.
"I'm fine," heaved out Conan.
Ran coughed up water she accidentally swallowed but nodded, "Yes… somehow…"
"Ran-neechan… by the way… how did you know I'd be on the second floor? You went straight there to search for me, right?"
"Of course I did! You were so concerned about the 2nd and 5th Sunflower that I thought you went back to check on them. Though KID was an unwelcome addition…" Ran narrowed her eyes at the disguised figure of her crush.
"Oi, oi, is that the attitude of someone who saved your life? If it hadn't been for me, we'd be burned to smithereens by now."
"But you knew the traitor was going to set the fire, right?" Ran walked over to KID, there was danger in her determined steps, and the thief backed away from her heated glare. "You were on that floor knowing the painting would have gotten burned otherwise. If you had told the police that Azuma-san was the traitor from the beginning instead of sending confusing code, this wouldn't have happened in the first place!"
Of all things Kaito expected from her, a lecture certainly wasn't one. And he wasn't brave enough to push away the accusing finger from the same hand that broke down a wall.
"Azuma-san wasn't the traitor." Conan rebutted her claim. "The traitor is someone who suggested the fake sunflowers decorated in the museum so it'll burn easily, isn't that right?"
"Eh?" Ran blinked before she watched the panic bleed out from KID's face into one of his composed smirks.
"So you finally figured out the real culprit."
"The real culprit… then…"
"That's right, the culprit is still with Jirokichi-ojiisan and the others; Miyadai Natsumi-san. KID-san certainly knew it was her, which was why he was trying to protect the paintings. Since the culprit's aim was to completely destroy them."
She turned to KID for confirmation, and he nodded.
The blackout museum and the whole cave began to shake. "Anyway, let's get out of here. We should hurry go up the tube. That's where the nearest exit is!" KID began running up the tube, knowing that Ran and Conan would not be far behind.
"But, but if you knew everything, why didn't you simply warn us from the start?" Ran asked the thief.
"At first, I thought she simply wanted the 2nd and 5th Sunflower to be stolen, but I wasn't exactly sure how she's going to do it. It was only during the plane crash that I realized she wanted those paintings destroyed instead. The bomb was a complete surprise. I barely managed to save that one.
"The plan to burn the museum on the other hand was something I learned after hacking into her computer. But I wasn't sure if she had an accomplice, and I failed to stop the blackout when Charlie-keiji chased me around."
KID looked over his shoulder and smirked at the shrunken detective, "I figured that if I gave the notice to the famous KID Killer, the case would be closed sooner."
"Well, sorry for putting off the case!"
Ran slapped the back of KID's head, "Don't blame this on Conan-kun! He's just a child!"
Conan snickered at witnessing the thief being reprimanded and ignored the stink eye from him.
There was a suitcase being stuck in the middle of the tube. Conan suspected it had all the tools KID needed that he couldn't get through from the main entrance. Probably his assistant set it up beforehand.
"By the way, what was your original plan?" KID looked back in question at the kid, "Your escape plan? There's no way you wouldn't come up with one."
'Ah, I was afraid he'll ask that.' Kaito smirked before answering, "Originally I was going to fly through an exit that I prepared deep in the cave and be out in no time. But I can't do that carrying both you and the lady along."
Conan and Ran had to quell the guilt they both felt squeezing their chest. Ran did not like having to be the cause of someone risking their life, while Conan hated the fact of being a burden. Especially to the phantom thief when they were usually on equal ground even with his physical disadvantage.
Shinichi would never forgive himself if anything happened to KID and Ran because of him.
'If there's no other way of escaping, then I'll have to…'
"Don't look so gloomy, you guys," KID lightened the mood, "I'm going to check for other escape routes so don't lose hope yet. Ran-san…"
"Yes?"
"...there's no telling how bad the cave-in has gotten so this might become a two-person job. Would you mind lending me a hand in surveying the elevator shaft with me?"
"I'm, I'm fine with that. But Conan-kun…"
"I'll be fine, Ran-neechan!" he chirped, "You should go with KID-san so we can hurry and escape together!"
Ran was hesitant but nodded in the end, believing this was the best course of action to hastily escape from the tube. She crouched on her knees, held him by the shoulder, and fiercely met his eyes, "Wait for me, Conan-kun. I'll definitely come back for you."
For a moment, Shinichi felt like a heroine from a romance novel because he had certainly swooned then.
By the time Ran turned her back, KID threw the earpiece at Conan, who deftly caught it in one hand. The thief winked at the little detective, sending a silent message.
'I'll leave the culprit to you. In the meantime, leave the escape to me.'
Conan shared a smirk, understanding the message clearly.
"Then let's get going, Ran-san." The girl nodded before the both of them ran up the slope toward the shaft. Leaving the High School Detective to play his part in exposing the truth.
. . .
The journey to the shaft had been a bit more perilous than either of them expected. But it was nothing the two physically-abled teens can't handle. Throughout the time, Ran kept glancing at KID. Conspicuously at that, so Kaito can feel the burning question at the tip of her tongue.
"If there is something you wanted to know, you only needed to ask, ojou-san." 'Anything is better than this straining silence between us.' "A gentleman shall always answer his lady's question."
"Then let me ask you," from Ran's expression, she was dubious if she'll get any answers, but asked nonetheless. "Shinichi…"
"Eh?" ' Don't tell me she still thinks…'
"How is Shinichi? You met him at some point, right? Or else you wouldn't have been able to know about the UFO story."
'...oh thank you kami-sama, she scared the shit out of me. I already risk a broken hand just to prove I wasn't him last time.' Kaito admits that he could be a pervert, but making a move on Ran Mouri was one of the most life-risking endeavors he hoped to never repeat.
"Unfortunately ojou-san, I didn't have the grace to meet Kudō-san face-to-face. It was an accident that I met him before and happened to eavesdrop on his conversation regarding you."
"I see," Ran glanced down forlornly, "Shinichi… he always goes up and disappears without telling anyone these days. I'm really worried he might be involved with a really dangerous case. Shinichi is the type who keeps sacrificing a lot of himself for other people after all. So if you had seen him, I thought you might tell me whether or not I'm overthinking things."
There was an unpleasant stabbing feeling in Kaito's chest. 'Urgh, your secret is a pain in the ass to keep, Meitantei,' thought the international wanted thief.
"I have no idea what case he's involved in so I have no idea what state he's in." 'Aside from being shrunken.'
Ran had physically deflated from his answer and forced out a smile to hide the sadness she wouldn't let anyone see. The sight made Kaito's chest squeezed in guilt.
"But, but I do know that he misses a certain girl he left behind."
Ran looked up, surprise colored her face.
"I told you before, right? That I eavesdropped on him. At the time he had been with his colleagues when an airship reminded him of you. I may not know the depth of his feelings, but at the very least I know that he misses you… and that he's fighting to come back to your side."
Even within the limited light space, there's no mistaking the blush adorning her adorable face. Kaito wasn't sure why he ended up being the wingman for the little punk, 'I owe you for using your face, so this better makes us even.'
They finally reached the elevator shaft. KID checked the inside as Ran watched his back, "How is it KID-san? Can we go out that way?"
"It's no use. The passage will take too much time with three people. Since the pressure has dropped too low from the fire, it'll be too dangerous when the whole thing can collapse on us at any given moment."
"You say that, but is there any other way out?"
KID bit his lip, his mind trying to come up with an answer to the girl's desperate question. "There's no point in dallying around here, let's go back to that four-eyed brat before deciding how to move forward." 'Maybe together, we'll actually find an idea.'
. . .
"Ran-neechan! KID-san! How was it? Can we climb out?"
Ran shook her head, and Conan wanted to cuss at the news.
"What now? Do we call for help?"
"Not if we want to risk more people getting trapped," KID argued against the idea, "It's already a miracle as it is that the place hasn't completely collapsed on us–"
"WATCH OUT!" Ran pushed KID aside from the falling stalactites. Narrowly missing him by a hair's breadth, but one of the rocks hit her head.
"RAN! KID!" Conan ran toward them, panic laced his voice.
The two of them ended up rolling down the slope of rubbles. Kaito tried to protect her the best that he could, but when he checked up on Ran, and saw the blood dripping down her head. Kaito felt like his heart stopped at the sight.
"Oi, get a grip! OI!"
"How is she?"
"She passed out from the blunt force. The wound looked shallow but better to give her treatment sooner than later… though at this rate there won't be a later for any of us."
Conan listened as KID explained how dire the situation had turned as fewer and fewer options were available for any of them. Which means they'll have to cut ourselves short. He gazed at Ran, helpless and unconscious, and knew he needed to at least save her at all cost.
He would not lose her.
Shinichi will not lose her.
Gritting his teeth, he made his resolve, "KID! If it's only Ran, do you think you can fly?"
Kaito felt a cold shiver run down his spine as the words registered but he couldn't… didn't want to believe what he was suggesting. "Oi, don't talk nonsense–" 'There's no way I would leave you behind!'
"Can you fly or not?! TELL ME!" Meitantei demanded, leaving no room to debate on his choice.
Kaito knew full well the weight of the life he's practically handing over from the little detective. He smiled the only way he knew how through his poker face and from the faith the thief was entrusted with, "Probably… I can."
Their time went up; the wall, floor, and the whole museum began to collapse on itself. Leaving them falling down the cave.
Conan held Ran close to his arms, but his too small arms had no strength to carry her, "KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIID! "
He threw her into the thief's arms.
"Take care of Ran!" Conan cried out his last words before he fell to the bottom of the abyss.
KID will curse him to death if that ends up being his last words.
"Dammit, quit trying to act cool–!" He barely missed another falling rubble. KID has no time worrying over another with both his and the girl's life on the line. Kaito will make sure to survive no matter what. Because there's no way that stubborn guy won't do anything less either.
'You and I aren't the type to die in a place like this!' KID thought with a desperate grin.
Using every bit of focus and tools that he had, Kaito managed to get both of them out in time. He spotted a lake bed by the forest that should be a good place for people to swiftly find the girl as well as a vantage view to spot where Tantei-kun might escape.
"Holy–" Kaito watched as the museum began to collapse on itself and the whole cliff crumbling before his eyes. His fist tightened at the sight, "You did make it out right, Meitantei?"
Kaito heard the distance calling for the sleeping lady and knew she'll soon be in good hands. He went on one knee, and softly brushed her wet bangs the same way the detective had done for her.
"I know it's rough, but wait for him for a little longer. He'll definitely come back for you. I know he will."
KID backed away into the shadows when her friends and family arrived, watching as they woke her up. Far enough to be out of sight but near enough to examine the situation.
He witnessed how Ran's eyes widened in horror at the thought of leaving behind her charge back at the collapse museum. The whole group started crying and calling his name, a desperate plea to the heavens and to the boy who creates miracles.
Kaito watched the scene unfold, being one of the people silently pleading to the heavens, to the tiny detective to survive. It took a lot of his will not to jump out from his hiding spot to blindly search for him.
"Shit, what the hell are you doing–" 'Hurry up and escape! You're capable of at least that much, Kudō Shinichi!'
But Kaito chose to wait. He was never one to patiently wait for things to get his way. But just this once. For him. He'll have faith.
And so he waited.
All her life, Ran had more patience and experience in waiting for the people she loves to come back. Knowing it'd make herself foolish to others. But when the Ashiya Sunflowers popped out of the lake with no Conan in sight, she was done waiting.
The Karate Master jumped into the lake without a second to waste and searched for the boy who reminded her so much of her crush. Who had always protected her without being asked. Who is always by her side. Someone she wanted to protect just as much in return.
'Please wait for me, Conan-kun!'
Shinichi didn't know how long he'd been holding his breath and holding on to the Sunflowers before everything went black. He's barely grasping the edge of his consciousness. The water muddled the sound, but Shinichi swore he could hear his name being called.
'Ran?'
His eyelids were heavy. However, when he opened them, he could see her almost as clear as day. Her hand held out as if beckoning him to her. Shinichi barely had any strength left. But for her, he'll get back up as many times as he needs.
Reaching out, he felt the grasp of her warm hand. Strikingly different from the cold blanket surrounding him. There was a roaring sound against his ear like the rushing of waves before everything became bright and clear.
"Conan-kun! Wake up, Conan-kun!"
Shinichi coughed out the water from his throat. Then, fully opened his eyes to the sight of Ran looking worriedly down at him. The sun shining behind her back almost made her glow. Conan thought it was fitting for her.
"Ran… Neechan… I'm back..."
The girl smiled with watering eyes, "Welcome back."
Conan heard the crowd cheering from the shore; all of his friends cried in relief of his safety that he couldn't help waving back no matter how listless he was. Kogorō-occhan even jumped into the lake to reunite with his freeloader and daughter.
All's well that ends well as they say.
"Really, way to steal the show." Kaito finally got to breathe out in relief, 'Just which one of us is the actual magician?'