SailorStar9: With Chapter 22 uploaded, this is Chapter 23 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Disclaimers: I own absolutely nothing, except this plot and potential pairing.

Pending pairing: Furuya Rei/Mizuno Ami

Chapter 23: Dancing Demon at the Noh Mask Mansion, Part One


Time passes...

"The plan takes all contingencies into account." the masked Nagata Seinosuke informed his co-conspirators. "Everything is set to make it look like an accident."

"I've already prepared the poison." Mibuin Moyono informed.

"Soon, we'll find out if his blood is as red as ours." Seikanji Tatsurou declared.

"Fortunately for us, the museum will be closed next Sunday." Nagata spoke. "No staff members besides us will be there."

"Very well." Seikanji nodded. "We should get this over with as soon as possible."

"Speaking of which, Seikanji," Mibuin noted. "You're in a hurry since you have to repay your loan soon."

"If you're going to bring that up, I should remind you the manager's embezzlement has been found out and he'll be fired at the end of the month." Seikanji warned.

"You're the one to talk." Nagata scoffed. "Given your heavy losses from investing in worthless shares."

"I guess it's just me then." Mibuin shrugged. "I'm the only one who isn't in a hurry to get this over with."

"Is that right?" Seikanji snorted. "We all know you're anxious that he could strike you from his will any day, being his ex."

"Quarreling will get us nowhere." Nagata chided. "We only have on common goal; the death of Izumi Jisaburou. That's why we have gathered here. Moyono, let me confirm once more: should we be successful in killing Jisaburou, you'll divide half of the fortune that you inherit between us three. The one who kills him receives 80% and the other two receive 10% each to keep quiet."

"Somehow, it seems that I'm the only one losing out here." Mibuin sighed. "But I have no choice. If I try on my own and end up being exposed, I'll lose everything. And if we work together, we'll have a better chance of success."

"Then, we'll carry out the plan next Sunday." Nagata declared.


One week later...

"What's this?" Conan wondered, he, Ran and Mouri were at the Noh Mask Museum.

"You're right." Ran blinked.

"It doesn't matter." Mouri scoffed. "We have urgent business, after all."

"Yes?" Mibuin spoke from the intercom.

"I'd like to see the curator please." Mouri requested.

"I'm sorry." Mibuin replied. "The museum is closed today, so the curator is not available."

"Excuse me." Akaza Naruya pushed Mouri aside. "I'm Akaza Naruya. I have an appointment with Izumi. Mibuin Moyono?" he recognized the female at the greeting booth. Long time no see."

"Let me open the door." Mibuin removed her Noh mask. "Sir, you can't just walk in." she stopped Mouri at the entrance. As I just informed you, we're closed today."

"Please don't mind me." Mouri replied. "I've come here to see the curator on urgent business. I received this letter; saying that Izumi Jisaburou's life is in danger. And so, I decided to come and investigate."

"And who are you?" Nagata asked, he and Seikanji had also removed their Noh masks.

"I probably should have said earlier." Mouri handed out his name card. "Here's my card."

"You're the great detective, Sleeping Kogoro?" Akaza instantly recognized the name.


In the forest in the back...

"Good morning, Curator Izumi." Akaza greeted the wheelchair bound Izumi.

"Akaza, right on time, it seems." Izumi noted. "Who would you be?" he noticed Mouri's party. "I'm used to threatening letters." he assured, as Toba Hatsuho wheeled him to the shrine. "No need to fuss about it."

"The sender went out of their way to send it to me." Mouri stated. "I don't think it's just an empty threat."

Just then, Izumi's wheelchair snapped the rope Nagata had used to hold back the pile of logs he had hidden in the shed.

"Run!" Conan barked, hearing the sound of rolling logs. "Over there." he pointed to the Torri gate where everyone took refuge.


Afterwards...

"If it hadn't been these kids, I would have been crushed by that lumber." Izumi refused the tea Mibuin served. "Get me another wheelchair."

"Yes, of course." Nagata, Seikanji and Mibuin made themselves scarce.

"I can't let me guard down around anyone here." Izumi snorted. "But I think I can trust the boy who saved me." he turned to Conan. "And the young lady as well."

"Ojii-san, you never know what may happen." Conan pointed out. "So, you should take precautions, don't' you think?"

"That's right." Izumi nodded. "But what kind of precautions?"

"For example, what's that exhibited over there?" Conan pointed to the display case.

"Medals and odoshi." Izumi replied. "They're plaited cords, arranged in belt form and used as decoration. Odoshi is a part of traditional armor."

"Then, they're probably pretty very sturdy." Conan remarked.

"Is that a wasp?" Mouri spotted a hornet fly in. "It's rather big."

"That's not it." Akaza corrected. "It's a hornet. Curator Izumi's already been stung once."

"There's another one." Mouri gaped when a second hornet flew in.

Ran's kick knocked out one of the hornets while Conan trapped the second insect in his jacket.


In the family shrine...

"This museum is originally a mansion built during my grandfather's time." Izumi explained. "The only thing that remains from that time is the mansion's heart, this fireplace. This place is called the yokoza; it's where the master of the house would sit. There used to be a lattice up there known as a fire rack to which the pot hook is fastened. But it's gone now because it got in the way."

Just as the hanging wooden fish hung down at Izumi, the raw chestnut Conan had accidently dropped into the heated coal snapped up, forcing aged curator to move aside to avoid getting hit by the chestnut and also saving him from being hit by the wooden fish.


In the dining hall...

"I brought a little something." Akaza entered. "Washed rind cheese from Burgundy."

"You just returned from France, didn't you?" Izumi reminded. "Then, should I open some wine as well?"

"The smell is so strong that some people call it 'the smell of God's feet'." Akaza chuckled, Ran and Conan wincing at the rancid smell that emitted from the cheese block. "But if you give it a try, it has a rich, milky flavor. You usually just scoop some up with a spoon and eat it as it is."

"Hatsuho, would you be so good as to taste it?" Izumi requested.

Toba took a spoonful and gave the cheese a taste test. "It's delicious." the nurse declared.

"I should hope so." Izumi noted. "What do you think, Akaza? Which of these white wines would fit better?"

"I'd have to know what it tastes like first." Akaza smiled.

"Then, take a spoonful too." Izumi stated.

"All right then." Akaza ate a spoonful. "It's truly profound taste that..." he stopped short when he started choking, before falling over to the ground.

"This scent clearly shows he was poisoned." Mouri took a whiff. "Nobody move." he ordered. "Where are you going, Executive?"

"To call the police." Seikanji replied.

"We'll take care of that." Mouri stated. "So, please stay here. Ran."

"I'm on it." Ran made her call.

"Don't touch the cheese." Mouri instructed as Toba moved to pick up the dropped cheese.

"Dad, I can't reach them." Ran reported. "Seems like we're out of range here."

"There's a phone in the kitchen." Mibuin informed. "I'll go make the call."

"Then tell Inspector Megure from Police HQ that Mouri Kogoro told you to call." Mouri reminded.

"Is this the police?" Mibuin made the call. "One of our guests has been poisoned. Please come quickly."

"Even if they race here, it will take the police 20 minutes." Izumi pointed out.

"Toba, please just clean his immediate surroundings and leave the rest to us." Mouri requested.

"Onee-san, where did you get this butter knife from?" Conan asked.

"There was one on everyone's bread plate." Toba replied.


In the family shrine...

"This is so much better." Izumi was roasting mochi over the fire pit. "Don't you think, Mouri?"

"Absolutely." Mouri agreed. "Everyone, please be patient until the police arrive. Ran, where's the brat?"

"I thought he was over there." Ran looked around to find Conan gone.

"I'm getting some coffee of the curator, so I'll look for the boy as well." Mibuin offered.

"So, there was a motive for killing Akaza?" Mouri noted, after Izumi explained.

"He flattered me a lot, but apparently, he was a vicious businessman." Izumi stated.

"Excuse my tardiness." Mibuin returned with a fresh cup of coffee after Conan had thwarted her attempt to poison Izumi.

"I don't want to die like Akaza." Izumi related.

"Please don't worry." Mouri assured. "No one would be foolish enough to try to poison you when the police are on their way here."


SailorStar9: Any OOC-ness is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Read and review.