Authors Notes:

Hello. Sorry about last week. I wasn't planning on missing it. I did write… but it just didn't feel right…. to post what I had… I ended up scrapping it entirely. I felt like it was dragging so what was originally a full chapter has been condensed into a paragraph… (I mean a lot of things just got moved to different parts of the story. Because I feel like I've been condensing in some areas too much and dragging too much in others.

The Lycanthropy of a Shrunken Detective

Chapter Seventeen

It was an early morning for the group. Ran and Conan had to head back to school and although Hattori and Toyama had the day off, with permission, their families were expecting them back. So with trepidation, Conan stood by Ran and waved his fellow detective off. "Don't worry Conan. We'll see them again." Ran said as she lifted him up into her arms and carried him out of the station.

It was now the end of the day and Conan was walking back to Professor Agasa's with the Detective Boys and Haibara. "You seemed to do better today…" Haibara commented quietly.

Conan blinked before he frowned at her. "We both know that's not true."

"Actually, you only had your head down a third of the time you had before. You also responded without a flinch when called on."

Conan blinked. "Was I really that bad before the trip?"

Haibara nodded. Conan considered this as they walked and took note of the fact that the noises were still mind-numbing and the smells were assaulting but he wasn't paralyzed by it now. Clearly, he was walking with the group. Haibara wasn't gripping his hand and guiding him as she told the others to give him space. "I'm glad." Ayumi said with a chirp. "Conan seems to be feeling a lot better!"

"It's about time!" Genta crowed. "You've been ill for forever!"

"That statement is outlandish." Mitsuhiko said with a frown. "Still, it has been a long time…"

"Well…" Conan hesitated. "I'm getting better… so nothing to worry about."

The three kids shared glances. "Then would a movie be okay?" Ayumi asked. "We've been wanting to do something together for a while now, but since Conan wasn't well we've held off."

"Yeah!" Genta cheered. "There's the new Kamen Yaiba Movie that came out a few days ago."

"What do you think Edogawa?" Haibara asked studying him seriously.

Conan took a breath to answer only to freeze as a strange yet familiar scent hit his nostrils. Overpowering the sent of the grunge of the city streets. Looking up sharply Conan spotted a foreign man in his 40's standing outside a shop looking through the windows in curiosity. It was just a fraction of a moment before his brow quirked curiously and he turned his gaze to the shocked boy.

The man blinked owlishly before he smiled a twinkle dancing in the eyes that hid under his angry looking eyebrows. "Hello, Kumpel."

"Hello!" Ayumi greeted immediately. "Where are you from mister?"

Conan was immensely uncomfortable with talking with this man. "You have a funny accent!" Genta said.

"What is kupel- er- what you said?"

Chuckling with humor the man brushed his white mustache lightly. "I am from Deutschland- or Germany- Allemagne- ur… Doitsu."

'How many languages does this guy speak?' Conan wondered.

"Oh!" Mitsuhiko said excitedly.

Haibara noticed Conan's unease as he subconsciously was taking a step back from the man. "I was just giving a formal greeting to your little friend there." The man nodded to Conan looking at the little detective and finally noticing him stepping back slightly. The man frowned in confusion noting Conan's wide eyes and fear.

"There is nothing to fear Kleiner- ah?!" The man gasped in surprise as Conan spun and took off running.

The boy was hardly aware of his actions. Too many new feelings and emotions were running through his mind and body. Being who he was the only logical course of action was to run and allow himself the space he needed to think.

Back with the others, Haibara studied the man with suspicion as he scratched his head in confusion. Clearly perplexed by Conan's reactions. Ayumi looked after where her friend had disappeared with worry. "Conan?"

"Should we fallow him?" Genta asked.

"I think so." Mitsuhiko said. "That was not normal- even for Conan. Who likes to run off a lot."

The three nodded. "I will help you." The stranger said.

"You don't have to-

Haibara's words were interrupted as the three primary students excitedly accepted his offer. "We're the Detective Boys! I'm Kojima Genta the leader!"

"I'm Tsuburaya Mitsuhiko."

"I'm Yoshida Ayumi, what's your name Mr?"

"My name is Ingolf Corbin. You are detectives?"

The little aspiring detectives excitedly began to tell the man about some of their adventures as they walked. Haibara sighed. As much as the three had been through they were still kids, and at times too trusting. Still, maybe this way she could study this stranger a bit more and figure out what it was about him that spooked Kudo.

Authors Notes:

Sorry, it's so short, even with the extra time… and sorry if the little bit of German I'm using is being used improperly… I know a little… but only enough to get it wrong most of the time… haha… I did think hard about which words I wanted to use… I'm just not sure if they are in the right grammatical form…

edit: Thank you Tobina for the suggestions in regards to what German words to use.

(words used 764. Date posted 04-09-2018.)