A/N: I'm still alive! I started this chapter a long, long while ago... And only today finished.

So this is a filler-y chapter. Next time you'll get plot-y one. In any case we get a look into Red Moon's head and how she regards Tsukiko and Kage. And you'll notice from this one that they address people differently.

But enough pre-words! I'll blabble more at the bottom note.

Chapter 58.

'It's Magic!' the poster announced. Tsukiko was reading at it with a thoughtful frown on her face before nodding and rolling it up. She needed a good place to put it so as many people as possible would see in Teitan. The poster was about a magic show/competition for young promising magicians to show their skills and compete each other.

"Tsukiko-chan? What is it?" A voice asked nearby. It was Ran. The girl was on her way to her karate practice. Tsukiko was one of the few students that didn't participate in any club events. For example she knew for the fact that Toudou didn't. Neither did Hanajima who went to help at her late uncle's magazine. And the Maki twins… They both usually went straight home. Or then Tsunami went to spent time with Toudou while Namida walked with Mai and Tsukiko. Although now when Mai had moved…

"It's a poster for a magic show. My friend is performing and asked me to take a couple of the posters." Tsukiko replied with a smile.

"Performing? That sounds great. Is he any good then?"

"The best! I wouldn't be surprised if he were to win this competition."

"Competition?"

"Yes, there's a lot of young magicians to perform for live audience. At the same time it is a competition for them. There is some great critics judging them, like Sanada Kazumi-san who is also the quest performer." Tsukiko explained with enthusiasm. "By the way, Ran-senpai… Do you know where I could put this poster?"

"Why don't you try the library? The majority of student body visits it at least once a week." The karate champion smiled.

"Ah, that's right. Thank you very much." With goodbyes, the two girls parted ways, Tsukiko skipping toward the library. Well, Red Moon really. The thief had taken a proper liking on both magic and Tsukiko's school life so she sometimes even handled the conversations the girl had with her friends.

"You are worried about me." Tsukiko had noted once.

"Of course I am. I'm worried for both you and Kage even though it doesn't always look like it. You both are getting mixed with such dangerous stuff…" The woman had shrugged.

"Is this about the prophesy Koizumi-san told?"

"Yes. I'm afraid what will happen once you get lost in the illusion you've created with your lies. What will happen once that illusion is shattered…"

"Illusion? I'm not…"

"…I just hope when the time comes, it won't be too late to save you." Red Moon shook her head sadly at the girl's denial. "I certainly hope so…"

The library got its poster and so did Teitan middle school and elementary. Afterwards Red Moon skipped her way to a bus for Ekoda and once there made her way to the old theater where the competition would be held.

"Kaitoo!" The female waved when she saw the boy looking around the stage and taking measurements for his props.

"Hello…" The boy looked up and offered a wave too, hesitating a bit with the proper way to address her. "…Red Moon."

The girl thief stopped dead in her tracks.

"How'd you know it was me?" She asked, her hands on her hips. "I sure tried to be as much like Tsukiko."

"You are a bit too cheerful… compared to her. Tsukiko more calm and thoughtful. You are… a bit like me actually when in class." Kaito mused. "Why are you here anyways? I was waiting for Tsukiko."

"Don't worry, she's here alright." Red Moon tapped her temple. "Watching and commenting… And I'm here to get used to being like this. Who knows… Someday it might come handy. Like on heists!" The young woman giggled.

"Just be careful, will you? While I may the only one to know about your situation and thus recognize the real difference… someone else might think you as an impostor." The messy haired high schooler shrugged.

"True…" Red Moon's thoughts trailed to Vermouth and how the woman was getting on both Kage and Tsukiko's nerves. RM rather not messed up with their business. Kage was downright terrifying when disturbed. Tsukiko didn't know about it though as she usually was asleep when Kage and Red Moon had majority of their conversations.

In any case… if someone thought the phantom thief's assistant to be impostor, namely Vermouth, she'd be in big troubles. Right, technically she was Tsukiko but at the same time she was indeed an impostor… Though life.

"Did you happen to need any help?" RM decided to ask then.

"Yeah… Come up here." Kaito gestured the girl to the stage. Red Moon complied and once there, the teen magician get her the other end of the measuring tape and told her to keep it above her head, as high as possible.

"What's this supposed to do?" The girl frowned when the boy walked around her, sometimes stretching the tape to the floor and sometimes to the back wall. All while muttering the numbers he got.

"Oh… just stuff. Confetti and such. I need to see how far it might go so I don't slip on it." Came the vague reply.

"…Right." Was the skeptical statement following the answer. When hearing it though, Kaito straightened up from his half-crouch and grinned widely at the female.

"Now that sounded like Tsuki-chan." The boy told her happily. "Keep it up. You might learn it eventually."

"Hmph."

"Free tickets? Really?"

"Yes. I got them from Kuroba-kun. He is performing there. Can Mai-san come?" Tsukiko asked.

"Ah… this is on Friday…" The class president muttered. "I have an evening shift on that day. Sorry."

"Oh, I see." While Tsukiko was a bit disappointed, she couldn't help but feel an amount of relief too. After all around Mai… she couldn't let down her guard anymore. She could never know when and how the other girl would fish more information. Dangerous information at that. "Hey, right. You got a job at Poirot now… How is it?"

"It's a great experience. I meet all sorts of people and get to know more different personalities. It helps me a lot when building characters for my books. Enomoto-san is a great at guiding both me and Amuro-san with the tasks… although Amuro-san already knows his way around there like the backs of his hands. He is great too. Brilliant mind though he won't show it all the time. He is interested in my investigations by the way. Although I haven't specified what exactly I'm working on… In any case, on Sunday the three of us will go to Beika Park for picnic after the shift is over. I can't wait for it."

"That sounds great." Tsukiko smiled. The former blonde as happy for the class president. Mai really needed more friends. Azusa and Tooru were perfect people for that. Azusa was friendly and caring towards everyone while Tooru understood the problems other people had due his own darker kind-of past.

"I hope you have great time on Friday too." Mai wished.

"Thanks, Mai-san."

Eventually the free tickets found owners: Ran, Sonoko and Conan. What a surprise. Tsukiko could only hope that no murder would happen due the boy's presence.

"I hope there'll be as great tricks as Kid-sama would do." Sonoko gushed as the quartet made their way to Ekoda on Friday.

"Sonoko, they are just beginners… They aren't that good yet. Even the poster says the performers are from ages fifteen to twenty-three." Ran tried to calm down her best friends enthusiasm so she wouldn't be disappointed later on.

"You are such a spoil sport, Ran-senpai." Tsukiko pouted. "These guys are great. I've seen them practicing their tricks. This is no school talent show where you go to test if you happen to be any good. These guys have practiced years and years and have a true passion to magic."

"You've already seen them!?" Sonoko exclaimed. "When?"

"During this week. I've been helping my friend with his props and seen other competitors getting used to the stage."

"Used to? Is there something special with it then?" Conan frowned.

"Why yes. Not only was the stage used when Mars and Rosa was debuted… Kaitou Kid himself has also performed there. It is no wonder that the magicians are nervous to step on it, since one of the greatest has been there before them."

"Kaitou Kid? When did he-?" The chibi detective began with a frown but the rich girl's shriek cut him off.

"Kid-sama has performed on that stage!?"

"Yes. Have you ever heard of the Green Dream heist? It was around last year if I remember correctly."

"Green Dream? It is that emerald featured in Mars and Rosa, right?" Ran asked. "I've heard of the play before. It is a version of Romeo and Juliet, isn't it?"

"Yes. On its debut though, Kaitou Kid had sent his notice to get the Green Dream. And he… he made a plan to help a promising actress in process."

"Furuhata Megumi-san, right? I read about her. She was in the maid's role but rose to success afterwards."

"That's right. All thanks to Kaitou Kid. You see, the woman who got the leading role, Rosa's, was harassing everyone – a real diva – especially Furuhata-san. But then… Kaitou Kid interrupted the play, changed its course and made Furuhata-san the star."

"What happened to the diamond?" Conan asked.

"Kid-kun got his hands on it but gave it to Furuhata-san then. The play continued and he left." Tsukiko concluded her story. "You should find recordings from somewhere. It was a great performance."

"Did you see it then?" Ran frowned.

"I heard two accounts of it. From Aoko-chan, whom we'll meet at the theater, and from Kuroba-kun who's performing tonight. They both were watching the play. And thanks to Kuroba's storytelling skills and memory, I can easily imagine how it all happened."

In front of the theater wasn't much people yet as the show would start in one and half hours. Which mean they'd have nicely time to look at the backstage and chat with Kaito and the people he'd brought with the free tickets.

"Tsukiko-chan!" A girl's voice called near the entrance. A girl was with two other people there and waving at her.

"Aoko-chan." Tsukiko waved back as soon as she recognized who was there and with whom. It was Aoko, Akako and Hakuba.

"You made it in time." The messy haired girl smiled to the bespectacled girl. "And it seems you got all your tickets in use too."

"I did indeed. Here are Mouri Ran-san and Suzuki Sonoko-san. They are upper classmen and my friends. And here is Edogawa Conan-kun. He lives with Ran-senpai." Tsukiko introduced her company.

"Hajimemashite." Aoko smiled. "I'm Nakamori Aoko and these are my classmates Koizumi Akako-san and Hakuba Saguru-kun."

"Hajimemashite." Ran smiled back. The other basic greetings were also exchanged before Tsukiko began to lead the group to the backstage.

Some last minute adjustments were being made. The magicians were instructing the theater workers. Even one messy-haired one in his shirtsleeves, the magician's jacket discarded in his dressing room.

"Kuroba! We're here!" Tsukiko called happily, interrupting whatever the teen magician had been telling to a pair of ladies… It seemed he'd been pulling a few card tricks too. So she wasn't interrupting anything important.

Kaito glanced at the septet before fully turning to face them and give a cheerful wave.

"Hi everyone! Glad you could make it." He grinned.

"Shin-…"

"Alright then, this is Kuroba Kaito…" The new introductory round was made. Thankfully Tsukiko began it before Ran or Sonoko would accuse him for being Shinichi and being relatively close-by this whole time… The usual stuff one sees in a fanfiction where the Ekodans meet the Beikans.

The next hour passed by Kaito and Tsukiko giving the tour to their guests in the mids of props and costumes held in there… Sonoko and Aoko were the most interested ones since Ran and Conan had already seen the backstage of a theater in New York, Hakuba had seen this and that in Europe during his… well, whenever he was called to a crime scene. Akako in the other hand… She probably had a room like that somewhere in her mansion.

"This is like a déjà vu…" Ran mused.

"Hmm… How so?" Tsukiko tilted her head. While she had an inkling… better not say. After all she didn't have a legit explanation for that one.

"I've been once before on a backstage of a theater before. In New York with Shinichi and our friend Shugo. It was… nice as long as it lasted." The karate champion explained.

"What happened then?" Aoko joined in, having listened the first part of the conversation.

"Well, at first a heavy suit of armor was dropped on us and later… during the play Golden Apple that we came to watch, one of the actors was murdered by another."

"I see…" The inspector's daughter nodded thoughtfully. "I guess you run into situations like that a lot then? Being close to detectives and such?"

"Quite a lot." Ran chuckled.

"Ano sa… Who's this 'Shugo' you mentioned?" Tsukiko frowned. That was vastly different from the canon story… Who the hell was this Shugo person?

"Oh, he used to be on the same class with me and Shinichi when we were in the first grade in elementary school. He moved away but lately we've seen him more often." Ran explained.

"I see…" This needed some investigating. Could it be… Could it possibly be that there was someone else in this world? Someone else that had come from Jade's world? But who? And what were they doing? This far the Plot hadn't been disturbed…

It was time for the show. The six of them were sitting on their seats and waiting eagerly for the show to start. And soon enough, the judges were introduced and the first performer took the stage in a flash of colorful cloth.

Cloths, doves, balls, hats, roses, floating tables… The performances juggled through all sorts of props. Some magicians actually juggled while some had an assistant with them to help with bigger tricks. It was hard to believe that they were amateurs.

There was a fifteen minute remission during which the teens bought something sweet to eat from a cafeteria before it was the time to return on their seats again.

"Now is Kaito's turn, right?" Aoko asked.

"Yeah, at least according to program he is on this half. His is the third." Tsukiko read from the pamphlet she had.

"That's great. He has been so secretive about his performance and spent all of his time practicing and setting up the stage here that I've barely seen him outside the lessons." The daughter of the Inspector sighed.

"Well, I'm sure the result will be great then." Ran smiled.

"Oh, it definitely will. After all Kaito has learnt so much from his father."

"Be what it may but no one will beat my Kid-sama in skills in magic." Sonoko huffed. "This far no one here has managed to come to the required level to surpass him."

"Ah, but Suzuki-san… You obviously haven't seen Kuroba-kun at work then. He could easily give the elusive phantom thief the run of his money." Akako chuckled.

"That's right! Kaito definitely can!" Aoko nodded. Next to the girl Tsukiko was covering her mouth and trying her best not to laugh at the argument. Hakuba seemed to be at the same position. The few words that the girl had exchanged with the half-British sleuth had brought up an intriguing conversation and the teen detective hadn't exactly made it secret he was suspecting her to be Kaitou Kid's newest accomplice. Apparently he had come to the conclusion the same way than Akako had. Well, as long as no one figured out Kaito was Kid, Tsukiko should be relatively safe too. After all they lived at different parts of city and moved around in different circles.

"Hush, it's beginning now." Ran chided the rest of the girls. Conan in the other hand had a bored expression on his face. Apparently magic hadn't really entrapped him this time either. At least now Heiji wasn't with them to encourage him to comment every single thing and the boy concentrated on ignoring everything around him.

The first magician of this half of the show stepped on stage. Her show seemed to be about different robe tricks and intertwining hoops. But something was off. Tsukiko frowned. At first she wasn't sure what was wrong but then she got it. One of the judges was missing! The girl exchanged a glance with Hakuba who was busy reading an e-mail he'd received.

"I need to go." The detective whispered, pocketing the phone and beginning to get up. Tsukiko grabbed his forearm and pulled him back to his seat.

"What has happened?" She asked urgently and quietly so she would disturb the rest of the audience.

"The missing judge, Shirley Serena, has been found dead at the back stage. My assistant and Kuroba are asking me to come." Hakuba told quickly, and when the girl was about to interject, he continued: "Kuroba also told you to stay here and make sure Nakamori-san and others won't worry. He'll perform as planned."

"Alright. I hope you'll wrap the case quickly. I'll keep tantei-chan here so Ran-senpai won't suspect anything either." 'And so he won't be any closer to Kaito than already needed.' Tsukiko added mentally. Hakuba just nodded and left quickly and quietly. Akako gave a questioning glance to the former blonde but Tsukiko just shook her head.

And finally the person they all had been waiting for more or less, appeared in a puff of smoke. Kaito was wearing a black suit but he discarded his jacket soon enough and rolled up his sleeves with a flourish. He looked quite handsome in black slacks and waistcoat. Even Tsukiko had to admit it.

Card tricks and doves, Kaito's specialty. The show was filled with them. Only Tsukiko was able to notice how they boy's eyes occasionally darted towards the direction of the backstage but even then she managed only because she was looking for it. Otherwise the magician's poker face was impenetrable.

"Ladies and gentlemen! It's time for the last trick!" Kaito announced then. He held up a white cloth similar to Kid's cape in front of him. He had used it previously to balance a glass ball on its edge and was beginning this trick on similar manner.

"It's time for me to make my exit." The messy haired teen continued while making sure the cloth was ramrod straight, not a single wrinkle in it as he held it up. "And three…"

The cloth was lifted a bit higher, only his eyes were seen. "Two…"

Tuft of hair was visible until he was completely behind the cloth. It resembled now a cardboard wall. So smooth and straight-edged it was. "One!"

Bang!

Confetti fell down and the cloth flew up. Two doves burst from the folds but Kaito wasn't seen anywere…

The gazes of the audience followed the doves flying the spacious room until landing along with them to the white-clad figure on the balcony. Imitation of Kaitou Kid was standing in there and giving a bow as the audience began clapping. Tsukiko noted with amusement how there were 'mistakes' on the attire… The shirt was still white with light blue tie, the monocle was on wrong side and the cape was missing. But otherwise it was quite good. Not good enough to confuse him with the real thing but naturally good enough for everyone to see who it was supposed to be.

But the performance did gain the loudest ovations thus far. Some people (including Sonoko) even stood up to clap. Seemed that the winner was already decided among the audience.

An hour later the rest of the competitors had had their shot in the lime light and the second intermission took place.

"Let's go to see where Hakuba-kun went to. He missed Kaito's number." Aoko decided.

"Ah, I'm sure it's alright. Kaito will brag to him anyways and you'll give him the account of all the performances, right?" Tsukiko tried to dissuade. She wasn't sure if the murder was solved yet. Better not to go and disturb the police and the teen detective. And Conan definitely wasn't needed at that crime scene. Note the sarcasm.

"… Okiya-san. Why don't we take a look if there's any pamphlets for other performances?" Akako suggested suddenly and without much an answer, dragged the poor girl to the lobby. "Wait for us here!" The witch called to the remaining quartet who were left staring after them with perplexed looks. No long though and Sonoko was gushing over the show and engaging Ran and Aoko into the conversation.

"Alright… Here we are… By the pamphlet stand…" Tsukiko muttered. "What did you want to ask?"

"Where did Hakuba-kun go? And what was wrong with all those performers par Kuroba-kun?" The magenta-haired witch frowned with crossed arms. Tsukiko was about to reply when Red Moon took over once again. The thief rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip.

"There was apparently a murder. One of the judges. Performance was kept as normal as possible but everyone had already seen the corpse. And it seems not everyone has great poker mask like sensei."

"Sen-?" Akako blinked before narrowing her eyes. "'Thou are one, thou are three…' The split has gone even further then, hasn't it, Red Moon? Just before Tsukiko was calling Kuroba-kun Kaito."

"Correct. I like to take over occasionally. Normal life is fascinating on its own way. Usually that's Tsuki-chan's territory though…"

"Don't you realize how dangerous that is?!" The purple eyes of the witch flashed dangerously as the teen hissed at the other. "If you allow those… personalities drift apart any more, there's no way you three can become one again. One of you might even die and the other two are forced to take over the dead one's role. Role they aren't meant to. And that can rip the remaining personalities apart."

"I know!" Red Moon snapped before her expression morphed to one of sadness. "I know… But Tsukiko and Kage doesn't. The more we do our own stuff and keep information from others, the more we become individuals. Tsuki-chan has even slept a couple of times while Kage has been in charge of this body. And Tsuki-chan doesn't even realize how dependent she is of her web she has weaved around her. So I sometimes take over… That if needed, I can step in her stead. The web must not know if Tsuki-chan is ever gone…" The former blonde covered her face but didn't let tears fall. "Even now she can't hear us talking. She is too young. Too innocent. I love to see her talk with her friends. I love to see her carefree. She might not realize it herself. She thinks she must do everything herself when in reality Kage and I have taken over all that. We were created for those missions… So Tsuki-chan could live normal life in this world."

"… I see." Tentatively, Akako brought the other teen/young woman closer to her until the other female's head was resting on her shoulder. "This web… It's Okiya-san's life story and the people that she has brought into that story. Family, friends, acquaintances…"

"Yes. Web of lies and half-truths that she has begun to believe herself."

In the end Kaito tied with another teen magician to the first place and Sanada Kazumi took care of the last performance of the night. Accompanied by the messy haired Kudou Shinichi-lookalike, the six of them made their way outside where Hakuba was exchanging a couple of words with some police officer. To another car a young man was being escorted. Ran immediately recognized him as one of the performers from the first batch.

"Hakuba-kun? Has something happened?" Aoko asked once they are were close enough. The half-brit offered a brief smile.

"Ah, yes… The judge Serena was murdered during the first intermission. I solved the case and Ganta-san confessed."

"That's why you left!"

"Yes… I'm sorry I missed the rest of the show."

"Well, Kuroba-kun here was the only one worth of seeing." Sonoko shrugged.

"Sonoko! The other magicians were great too!" Ran chastised her friend.

"Nah, I don't mind. I love hearing lovely ladies praising my humble skills." Kaito smiled and produced a pink rose for the rich girl.

"Was it you Kuroba-kun who send Hakuba-kun the message?" Akako asked then.

"Ah, no. It was Shugo. I got him a ticket and he visited me during the intermission. Couldn't come sooner…"

"Where is Shugo then?" Aoko frowned.

"Had to leave." Hakuba answered. "Got some unfinished work back home or something."

The Ekodans continued conversation after the Beikans bid them goodbye. On the way back to Beika Town, Sonoko continued gushing about the marvelous tricks, Ran did her best to keep on with the conversation and tried not to think about the murder case, Conan was sulking that he missed the excitement (You magic-hater!) and Tsukiko…

"Just who the heck is this Shugo-guy?" The girl frowned.

A/N: I hope Akako and Red Moon's conversation made sense. It's getting late here so I don't know how badly I possibly messed up with it. If you have questions, just ask. I'll answer... when I happen to write the next chapter.

And Shugo was mentioned again. Le gasp! He won't appear for a long time though. There will be mentions time to time but he makes sure to stay out of Tsukiko's sight. He can do that because these are events that he read through before hacking his way in.

And yes! I ditched completely creating the murder itself. And decided to keep Conan out of the crimescene. Consider it revenge for being such a sour-pus, tantei-chan! But I can say about the murder that a magician's equipment was used and Kaito helped Hakuba to figure out the trick. And Kaito was pissed that the name of magicians was tarnished like that. Ganta killed Serena because Serena was taking bribes and going to give best points to some random snobby rich-bitch trickster. Or something like that.

Replies to Reviews:

-Kimmiko T:
Thank you. The update is finally here. Sorry I took so long.

-Nana von Bldsinn:
Thank you!
:D

-Natsuko:
Ah, Red Moon was here. You are welcome. :D
KaiTsuki... aah, not now but maybe later. Reds is the one to spend most time with Kaito nowadays... Gotta see, gotta see...
:D

-Kyomi Lok:
Eventually yes, but not until chapter 72.

-Zeladious:
Ah, good. Since I (and Tsukiko) read the manga, I'm sometimes worried if I'm going to spoil anything. :)