SailorStar9: With Chapter 62 uploaded, this is Chapter 63 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 do not own Sailor Moon or Detective Conan, I only own this plotline and the pairing.
Pairing: Established!Furuya Rei/Mizuno Ami
Chapter 63: Conan and Ebizo's Kabuki Jūhachiban Mystery, Part One
Time passes...
"This is Mizuno." Ami took the call on her ringing phone, she and Amuro were at Teitan Shrine for a belated hatsumode visit.
"Mizuno, I know this is your day off, but you're needed at the Tohto Kabuki Theater." Megure informed.
"I'll drive you there." Amuro pulled out his car keys.
The previous day...
"Over there, Mitsuhiko." Genta called out, the Detective Boys, minus the girls, were playing soccer in a field.
"Where are you aiming at?" Conan protested, Mitsuhiko's kick sent the ball over his head. "Mitsuhiko, don't trap it." he passed Mitsuhiko the ball Genta headed to him. "Volley."
Mitsuhiko jumped to attempt a overhead kick, but missed his mark, causing the ball to hit him on the chin.
Retrieving the ball from the roadside, Conan dipped his finger into the brake fluid dripped from the car that had skidded past the field.
"There's a railroad crossing up ahead." Haibara warned and tossed him the Turbo Engine Skateboard.
"Call someone." Conan instructed and went after the out-of-control vehicle. Moving in on the roadside before the car could cross the railway crossing, he attached the Anywhere Ball Dispensing Belt to the railing and inflated the soccer ball from the buckle, the impact enabling the car to crash into a pile of cardboard boxes in the Tohto Paper Recycling Plant.
"Someone clearly messed with the brakes." Chiba informed Hosoo Takuya.
"I know that." Hosoo replied. "But I'm in a hurry today."
"Why don't you take your time telling us about what happened at the station?" Takagi requested.
"I'm sorry, but I don't really have the time." Hosoo refused. "Can I open the truck?" he asked the forensic officer.
"Kid, what did you do?" Mouri fumed, entering the scene.
"This boy stopped my car when it went out of control." Hosoo explained.
"But Sonoko called to say she happened to see it." Ran blinked.
"The brakes were manipulated, so they won't work." Takagi supplied.
"That's attempted murder." Mouri concluded. "We should secure the scene immediately and get forensics here."
"That's what we're doing." Takagi pointed out.
"Aren't you President Suzuki's daughter?" Hosoo recognized Sonoko.
"You know each other?" Conan blinked.
"My dad is a huge kabuki fan." Sonoko replied. "I've met him a bunch of times at kabuki after-parties. I've dined with Ebizo-san a couple of times." she bragged.
"Is that sushi restaurant any good?" Mouri inquired.
"Kogoro-oji-sama, that's enough." Sonoko sighed.
"Kogoro-san?" Hosoo's interest was perked. "Are you Mouri Kogoro, the famous detective? Ebizo-san is actually a big fan of yours, Mouri-san."
At the kabuki theater...
"What play are they doing?" Ran asked, the group was watching the rehearsal backstage.
"It's 'Nanatsu Men" of the Kabuki Jūhachiban." Sonoko replied. "Ichikawa Ebizo II performed it in 1742, but it hadn't been performed that often. In recent years, it was performed in 1893 and 1983. Seven years ago, Ebizo-sama performed it himself."
"'Nanatsu Men' is a complicated play." Hosoo cut in. "I heard the only script was lost in a fire during the Edo period. They didn't have copy machines back then, and it wasn't copied by hand. Today's story was passed down from person to person, so it's a bit different from the original."
"And so, Ebizo-sama decided to create a modern 'Nanatsu Men'." Yabusaki Yoshiyuki added.
"We're working pretty hard on it." Ebizo supplied.
Backstage...
"So, this is it?" Ebizo wondered, placing the carrier case Hosoo brought on a table. "The two-faced mask. Then, I'm opening it." he unlocked the case to reveal the crafted mask. "Splendid." he lifted the mask to admire it.
"This mask was made during the Kamakura Period." Takahashi Hitoshi explained. "We don't know who made it, but it's made from the very same wood used to restore the Buddha at Todaiji Temple between 1185 and 1195. In other words, it's made from the wood leftover from making the Buddha. Our president bought it from a foreign collector."
"Previously, Hosoo-san showed me the two-faced mask." Ebizo added. "So I decided to use it in this play."
"Ebizo-san, why did you decide to perform 'Nanatsu Men'?" Conan asked.
"Conan-kun." Ran rebuked. "I'm Mouri Ran."
"Don't try so hard to push yourself on him." Mouri retorted.
"Dad, be quiet." Ran snarled.
"Conan-kun?" Ebizo echoed. "Mouri Ran-chan? Dad? That means, you must be Mouri Kogoro-san." he gushed.
"Since you're such a big fan, I brought him here." Hosoo supplied.
"Conan-kun." Ebizo turned to Conan. "I know about you, too. I clearly remember when you defeated Kaito Kid. Earlier you asked 'Why I chose 'Nanatsu Men'? People wear all kinds of masks. Kindness, rage and jealousy. And I'd like to try to expressing those. I suppose it's a human mystery."
"I'll hold on to this." Yabusaki kept the mask.
The following morning...
"What?" Yabusaki opened the locker where he stashed the briefcase away, only to find the locker pried open and the suitcase missing. "It's gone." he turned to Minowa Takuzo who was the security guard at the kabuki theater. "The two-faced mask I left here is gone."
Meanwhile...
Sodesaki was on his way to distribute the morning papers when he came across a white van parked in an alley. Peering inside, he saw the strangled Takahashi and the empty cache case in the passenger seat.
SailorStar9: Any OOC-ness is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Read and review.
