Chapter 18 Not a threat

"Ran."

That voice. Oh shit.

Turning around slowly, Aoko (disguised as Ran as per the girl's request) faced the one and only person on this whole planet she didn't want to face.

"Oh. Shinichi. Or, whoever you are."

Aoko tried to sound as cold as she could muster knowing all about Ran's anger and aguish. Was this guy the real thing or was it an imposter? Surely, Aoko could find out and tell Ran, although she had doubts the karate champion would believe her either way. Somehow the idea of a dead Kudou had manifested so clearly in her mind that Ran wasn't able to let go of it even if it was absolutely wrong.

Turning around again, Aoko tried to mingle with the crowd and escape his hawklike gaze but of course, things weren't as easy when Kudou grabbed her arm and forcefully pulled her behind him.

"Oi!" She yelled at the boy angrily, having heads turn their way but no one actually stepped in to help her out. "Let me go! What do you think you're doing?!"

This was the tricky thing. Ran was able to just karate herself out of this situation while Aoko wasn't, which posed a big problem they still needed to address. How was she going to convincgly act as the other when they had different abilities? Aoko just hoped she'd never get into a situation where she'd need to use karate. This – she could explain away with wanting to hear him out, after all. But not being able to protect herself? Bad. Very bad.

And damn she still had broken ribs – and his pulling along hurt. But Ran was phisically in top notch condition so Aoko had to keep quiet about it.

After leaving the second hall Aoko stopped her struggling as his grip was hard as iron and there was no way she'd be able to escape him, anyway.

Currently, Aoko was with Ran's father at a vernissage (only because Okino Yoko personally invited him) of a very famous painter. As Aoko wasn't really interested in it she didn't care about remembering the name of that painter, but she knew he was a big fish in the art industry.

When Kudou tried to pull her into a dark room, Aoko stopped and tried her best to fight him off. "To be honest, whoever you are, I'd rather not be alone with you in a dark room far away from the main hall without any witnesses. I'm sure if anyone, you'd get away with murdering me and everyone'd be nonethewiser."

The look he gave her made Aoko shut up, bite her tongue and walk inside the barely lit room because damn, Ran wouldn't have said that, now would she? But Shinichi didn't seem to notice her slip up and so she watched him with bated breath as he closed the door behind him. Shinichi stood like that for a long while, with his back to her and his hand on the door as if it was his lifeline holding him upright. Or maybe to make sure she didn't escape him?

"Are you alright? Whoever you are…."

With a speed she wasn't expecting, Shinichi turned around and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her in despair. She would have jumped in fear had he not grabbed her.

"Stop saying that!"

He shook her and Aoko hissed in pain. "It hurts!" This couldn't be in any way or shape good for the healing process of her ribs.

Immediately, his grip weakend and he hung his head in defeat. "I'm sorry. Just – don't say that. You know who I am. You know it, Ran. If not even you know me anymore, then who does?"

Well, if that wasn't heartbreaking, Aoko din't know what was. Damn. She wasn't supposed to be here. Ran was supposed to be here and this guy was supposed to convince her and not Aoko. If she was honest, she'd believe him every single word because someone with such raw emotions? That wasn't an act and she's seen so many acts on people – on Kaito especially – that she could tell quite well what was and wasn't an act. This, definitely, wasn't. (Unless maybe if that was an especially skilled double, but she was sure not even Kaito would be able to fake something like that.)

But Ran's mind was so warped and set on the thought that Kudou Shinichi was dead that Aoko couldn't let him think he convinced her otherwise.

"How are your eyes?"

Should she ask him how he knew? So that he could tell her because he was Conan? Aoko hated this situation more that every second passed. Honestly, Ran was supposed to be here, dammit. Well, back to the matter of eyes. Due to a particularly happy stroke of fate, both of them which no one knew about, had been practicing swapping places two days ago. Sonoko had invited Ran to the new mall that openend just a week before. Conan had accompanied them of course, because he wouldn't let Ran out of his sight, and so it was a good trial to see if they had their acts together. But, wherever Conan was, there was also a case.

This time someone tried to kill innocents in said mall by flooding the malls' air system with poison. Said poison was deadly in high portions but police was able to evacuate everyone on time. As fate wanted it though, Ran had been close to the killer and once she knew it was him, she of course attacked the poor guy. Luckily, or unluckily, it highly depended on the view, he had the poison also in liquid form and when he threw that at her, he temporarily blinded the poor girl.

Once the effect had worn off, her eyes had still been irritated enough to warrant wearing dark colored glasses and so Aoko put the same poison, only in a smaller dosage, into her eyes, so both of them had a valid reason for wearing their Mission Impossible spy glasses.

"Has Conan-kun told you? Please stop using that poor boy. I honestly don't approve of it."

Aoko wondered if maybe she should act more out of it. Her version of Ran maybe looked too composed after what happened just a few days ago.

His grip on her shoulders increased yet again and when he raised his head, Aoko couldn't help but gasp at the emotions on his face.

(She hoped this whole thing was on tape so that Ran could watch it afterwards.)

"Ran."

Was this how a broken person sounded?

Aoko was sure she saw tears in his eyes and frustration and pain and fear. So much raw fear. The Detective of the East and fear? That wasn't right. To think that one girl could do that to such a guy – preposterous! And yet–

"What do I need to do to make you believe me?"

Aoko shook her head with a mirthless laugh. "Honestly? Haven't you tried, how many times now, to make me believe you're not Conan? So, even if I were to ask you about things only the two of us could know, even that couldn't convince me anymore."

Shinichi watched her without blinking even once and then nodded.

"You're right. I did many questionable things over the time. I'm sorry." He admitted ruefully. "Here, just. I'm not wearing a mask. Who else could it be if not myself, Ran?"

He put her hands on his face and in fact, Aoko couldn't find any traces of a mask. And Chikage had taught them all about masks and disguises so Aoko knew well enough he was telling the truth. Just to make her point clear, she checked all the spots for a wig and mask, so that Ran would see what she herself felt right now. There was nothing but natural skin and hair and those eyes – well, she'd looked into Conan's eyes often enough to know that those were the very same ones. Even if right now they were desperate and not angry like when they were fixated on Aoko as Aoko.

"See?" He grasped her hands in his. "No masks. It can only be the real me. Right?"

Aoko pursed her lips. "You're the detective, not me. Isn't that right?"

His hands felt warm and she wished Ran could experience this heself. This boy was exposing his soul to her – well, to the wrong girl. And it was so wrong on so many levels that Aoko couldn't even try to process it. And when he leaned in and she was sure he intened to kiss her, damn, Ran was angry at him either way, so turning her head away was plausible, right? Right? Nevertheless, turning her head away so his lips only ever touched Aoko's cheek, was the only acceptable course of action since she sure as hell wouldn't let her friend's (thought to be dead) somewhat boyfriend kiss her in the false believe that he was kissing his somewhat girlfriend.

Now, could she still show this to Ran? But to Aoko's defense had to be said that she sure as hell didn't intiate anything and swapping at a time like this had been Ran's idea so really, if anything, it was Ran's fault.

"Ran," he whispered sensually, making goosebumps spread on her arms. For a second she wished to be Ran so she had someone who loved her so damn much, who'd go to such lengths to show her how much he loved her. But Aoko was Aoko and though Kudou made many mistakes, mistakes she wouldn't easily forget, he still loved the girl so much that it hurt. She was glad she wasn't Ran so she didn't have to make a decision.

When he put his forehead on hers, Aoko yanked her hands out of his and turned around sharply. One – if his mind cleared enough he'd see it weren't Ran's but Aoko's eyes and she'd be doomed. Two – this intimacy? She wouldn't make a fool out of him anymore than she already did. And three? She longed for having her hands held. For forehead touches. For emotions on a face looking at her like she was the only thing on earth worth fighting for. She longed for it so much that it physically hurt. And here was one boy trying to do just that and that girl was too stubborn to see it while she herself longed for it so much and the boy she wanted to look at her like that couldn't give more fucks.

She'd have a very serious word with Ran. This needed to stop. If Ran wanted to be angry with him, that was fine, but she needed to rid her head of the thought that he was dead because clearly, his hands were too warm to be anything else but alive.

She had his back to him and when she felt his arms around her body, she noticeably stiffened. This was wrong on so many more levels it had to stop.

"Shinichi, please." Trying to unwind herself from his arms, she turned around. "Just let me go, alright? Don't make this any more difficult."

It seemed to be the wrong thing to say as his expression fell even more but at least it got her the desired effect. He finally let go and Aoko put some well needed distance between them.

"How are your eyes? You never answered me."

Well, no need to dodge the question any longer. He knew that Ran had been in the hospital for treatment but thankfully not when she was released so that she and Ran could swap easily. Deceiving their fathers? No problem. Deceiving their magicians and detectives? Well, that was a challenge. But so far things played into their hands better than expected.

"They still hurt and are too sensitive without the glasses."

Shinichi nodded in contemplation. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

"But you did, didn't you?" Because if he was Conan, then he saved her after all.

"But I was late. You wouldn't have to wear those glasses if I'd been faster. And your hair would be the same length, too."

Ah yeah, they had to cut Ran's hair so that it would match. It would have been too suspicious if Ran simply decided to have it cut short, like Aoko, when Shinichi and Kaito had seen both girls before. They needed a plausible explanation and if the killer held her by some of her hair? Good enough reason to cut it off in panic. Sure, they could have thought up some better reason, but they were running out of time and nothing better came to mind.

"Do you believe me now, Ran? That I'm still alive?"

Weeeeell, that was for Ran to decide. He put her in a really tight spot here. But if she went smart about it, maybe she could mend things between them.

"I – honestly, Shinichi. I don't know what to believe."

"I understand."

"Do you though? Can we please not talk about it anymore?"

Aoko wondered if her act was any good – probably not. What saved her must be the sole reason that Kudou seemed to be too out of it to notice her weird changes in mood. Or maybe he simply didn't know anymore what Ran's normal act was?

Was it her fault? Was it because she dragged Ran into this mess with her?

He was here now, the sole reason she went to that agency that one fateful day, he was here, Kudou Shinichi, and all she had to do was talk to him, tell him and ask him and let him handle things. She'd be fine, Ran'd be fine and things would turn out just fine.

But they wouldn't, would they?

Ran thought him dead already, their relationship was in shreds. Would telling him now change anything anymore? Could she really mend things without making them worse instead?

Ran was at the station now, searching and searching and while Aoko was sure the girl was searching more for the killers than their own perpetrators, she couldn't betray the karate champion, now could she? Weren't things way too deep already, what with those guys in black having heard them, nearly killed them? If those were the same ones that had something to do with Kudou's mysterious dis- and reapperances, then could she really put all of it back into his hands and let go? Just like that?

She wished he'd been there when she had expected to meet him. Things would be different then. But not anymore.

Things wouldn't change now.

They were too broken already.

There was no going back.

None at all.

"Then tell me how you feel, Ran. What's going on with you? Are you alright?"

Aoko bit her lip in frustration.

She didn't know what was truly going on with Ran. Was she angry? Was she hurt? Was she scared? Surely, all of those things applied at least partially but did she really want to lie to him? This boy who was struggling so hard to not lose her? (She wished someone would try so hard for her.)

She couldn't keep this up. She couldn't lie to him.

"Please don't look for them, Ran. Please don't try to help me in any way. This whole thing, It's too dangerous."

Now, that made her angry. She was sure Ran would be angry too.

"Oh, so things are too dangerous for me, but you can face all the danger of the world and it's fine, yeah?" She turned around angrily and stomped her foot. "Why is whatever you are doing alright but if I want to do something on my own then it's too dangerous. How is that any fair?!"

His look, desperate and raw, eyebrows drawn together and lips turned downwards in a forever unhappy expression, would haunt her forever. And then he was onto her again, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her.

"Because I can't do it, Ran. I'm not strong enough. I can't lose you, Ran."

And then people started screaming.

Getting the internship, though it was more like a part-time job (she was still required to go to school), at the station wasn't as difficult as Ran had first thought. Having Aoko's name and her father's influence, it was really nothing, she didn't even have to go through the application process. And so, she was given a computer and files she had to sort, type in or word out full fletched crime reports but that was fine. She actually even got a table in Aoko's father's office, so she'd be undisturbed most of the time. (Aoko's father was more often out than in anyway.) Perfect opportunity to snoop around.

She got her own user and quite high restrictions, Ran knew that, but she wasn't stupid, and the net was full of information. She just needed to find an admin guy, talk to him, maybe distract him, then change her user rights and then she was set to find out about anything and everything she wanted.

She might require Aoko's help at some point for the distraction part and she had to make sure she either knew the admin's password or he didn't lock his screen. But in any case, she needed to succeed, and she needed to do it fast.

She'd also have to do something about security, she was sure they were monitoring users. It would be weird if the new intern suddenly snooped around in sensitive files, so she needed to find a way around that too.

And another good thing? Her office wasn't too far away from the office of Nagaya Akiro and Muraki Atsuno. Once they got to know those two people, they needed to find just two more and then they might be able to find out the motive of the killer. Why would someone want to kill all these people? So far it barely looked like they had anything in common.

But that would have to wait. First, Ran needed to find names to the faces who took Shinichi away from her.

Shinichi hadn't wanted to leave.

When the first scream had sounded, his grip on her shoulders had tightened. When the second scream had been added, he had hung his head in defeat. Another person must have died.

Even when he had raised his head again, Shinichi had been reluctant to go, Aoko saw it clearly written on his face. From what Ran had told her before, he never hesitated to leave her. Not like then.

"You should go," she had told him then. "I think Otou-san will need your help."

Did she really think that? Probably. Still, she had needed Shinichi to leave her alone, to hide, to get her bearings together again, maybe consult with Ran about how to proceed from there.

Eventually, he had let go of her.

"We will continue later, Ran. I will find out what happened and get right back to you. We still need to talk about what happened on New Years."

That was an hour ago and Aoko was watching the case unfold from the sidelines.

A woman was murdered, as Shinichi had stated. She sat in front of a painting, there was blood on her, all around her as well as on the wall and painting behind her. She was in a side room with a door, which meant the door must have been closed when the crime happened. But apparently no one saw anyone go in or out or who closed and openend the door again.

The victim was found by one of the five suspects that the police, Ran's father and Shinichi were interrogating one at a time. There were also cameras, but the killer must have manipulated them as the only thing visible was the opposite wall.

There was something about the victim though that didn't let Aoko go. She didn't like seeing corpses (who did?) but there was something about that woman that Aoko couldn't look away. Something was calling to her, telling her to look closer, find it, find the small crucial detail. But it was difficult to tell for Aoko as there was all that blood and that pained expression on the dead woman's face.

She had beend stabbed, several times and Aoko figured that was how she must have died too. But they should have heard her scream, right? Why didn't they? When that one suspect found the body, she still had been warm – according to Shinichi. Not warm enough to survive the blood loss and wounds but warm enough which meant it didn't happen too long ago.

The vernissage had started two hours ago. The victim couldn't have been dead before that. So people should have heard screams, a fight, anything. But even Aoko herself couldn't remember hearing anything of that sort. So, was the woman really stabbed to death?

When the forensics were done, they started moving the body. Whatever made Aoko call out to them, she couldn't say.

"Wait please."

Walking up to the body, she kneeled down. The sight was horrible, and the smell wasn't any better but her gut was telling her to act – upon what, she didn't know though. Something, there was something she and everyone else was overseeing. What was it? What was that small detail?

"What is it, miss? Please don't touch anything." One of the forensics warned her but gave her another minute to look for whatever she needed to look.

As if she'd touch the body, the view and smell were enough to keep her far enough away, there was no way she'd actually touch the body.

"Ran?"

Wait. Touch the body.

"…Ran? Are you okay?"

Touch.

Taking the handkerchief out of her pocket, Aoko brought it close to the blouse of that woman.

It had the same light blue stripes pattern.

It wasn't a handkerchief.

It was for the neck. It was part of her outfit, it belonged with the blouse. It was the victim's.

So then the red dot on it wasn't a spilled drink but blood. The victim's blood.

Gasping, Aoko jumped to her feet and a few steps back, running straight into Shinichi. The piece of clothing fell on the floor and Aoko watched it with horror on her face.

Aoko barely felt the hands on her shoulders holding her upright when she turned around and sprinted to the next bathroom.

Oh god, she'd been holding the dead victim's neckerchief, wiping her hands on it and there was blood, it-

Turning the water on, and getting it on the hottest degree, Aoko put as much soap on her hands, as she could and then put them under the water. It burned like all hell, but she used the bloody kerchief to wipe her hands and –

"Oi, Ran. What are you doing?!"

The water was stopped suddenly, and her hands grabbed in a tight hold, while her head was turned the other way. Focusing her view, she found Shinichi in front of her, watching her worriedly.

"She-she gave it to me. And there's blood. I-I thought it's just some juice or something. But it was the victim's. It must be. But then it must be the victim's blood and –"

"It's fine. Calm down. Come on, calm down."

Aoko nodded, took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing thoughts.

"Now tell me what happened."

His grip loosened a bit, but he didn't let go of her hands.

"When I entered the main hall, I lost sight of Otou-san and when looking for him, I ran into Yamada-san who had coffee with her and spilled it all over my hands. She then gave me what I thought was a handkerchief, to wipe my hands. I forgot all about it later but when I saw the victim, there was something odd about her until I remembered the unique design of the kerchief."

Shinichi nodded and let go of her chin.

"Which means that Yamada-san is the killer, right? There is blood on it. Yamada-san probably meant to give me another handkerchief but maybe she mistook it – you don't look surprised."

"No. I knew Yamada-san was the killer, but I lacked the evidence you just provided me."

"She killed her with it, didn't she?"

Shinichi nodded and let go of her altogether. "Yes. It wasn't visible due to all the blood, but the autopsy will show it later."

Pulling her close, Shinichi put his arms around Aoko. "Are you okay?"

She ignored her thougths telling her to pull out of his hug and let him comfort her for a minute.

"Yes. It just startled me."

With that Shinichi nodded and let go of her again. "Stay here, okay? I'll wrap up the case and take you home."

They needed to talk was what he emitted but Aoko got it anyway.

When Shinichi came storming inside the bathroom just a few minutes later, Aoko figured he wouldn't be taking her anywhere (which wasn't too bad).

He was heaving, gripping his chest as if he was dying of pain and Aoko jumped to her feet, running to him.

"Shinichi?"

He fell to his knees, eyes scrunched up and head burning. What was going on?

"What's wrong with you? Talk to me! I'll call an ambulance!"

It didn't matter if she liked him or not, if he thought she was Ran or not, this guy was in immense pain and needed help, immediately.

"Wait-" he gasped and grabbed her hand, heaving heavily. "Wait, Ran."

Another wave of pain must have him him because he screamed and nearly crushed her hand with that hold – not that Aoko cared about it. He needed help, now.

And then the unbelievable happened.

When Shinichi's grip on her hand weakened, she nearly panicked. When he started shrinking right in front of her eyes, she felt like fainting. What did Ran say again? Do you think people can shrink? And what did she answer? Now, what did she answer?

The heaving stopped very soon after the little boy climbed out of the heap of clothes, walked to one of the stalls and came back a few moments later, dressed again as Conan as if nothing ever happened.

The girl couldn't believe her eyes.

Not at all.

Was she dreaming? Was she having a nightmare?

What the hell just happened?!

"Do you believe me now, Ran?"

Well, if that was neither a dream nor a nightmare, if this was truly the real world and not some bad joke, then she couldn't not believe him. Right? How could she possibly not believe him when the truth was standing right in front of her? Literally!

"I-" she stuttered, mind blown. In theory she thought something like that could possibly happen, in some distant theoretical future, but this?

He watched her expectantly, anxiety written all over his face as if her judgement would decide over life and death. And that was the point Aoko couldn't take it anymore.

"I do believe you, but I'm sorry. I'm not Ran. You have to try to convince her some other way."

Had this situation not been this serious, she would have laughed.

His face instantly lost all color and he gaped at her like the fish Kaito hated so damn much. Then his expression changed from incredulous shock to blind rage. Quickly the ghostly white became a heakthy red, though maybe not very healthy for her.

"Where is Ran?"

He sounded deadly and Aoko was sure if he didn't have morals, he'd kill her. He didn't ask, he demanded. Truth be told, it scared her a little. It scared her how dangerous a literal seven-year-old boy could sound and act – even if in reality he was ten years older in experience.

Swallowing, Aoko cleared her throat. "She's safe." Because she was and that was as much as she could tell him.

But then with speed Aoko never imagined a seven-year-old to posses, he jumped at her, grabbed her cheek and pulled. "Oi-! Ow! Let go!"

He did, after he made sure there was no mask, no make-up, nothing which would indicate someone else mimicking Ran.

His scowl never left his face. "Nakamori?" His voice was ice cold and she actually shivered.

"Yeah. Honestly, I'm sorry for this. Or maybe not. It's not like you've been better to Ran – only we never had in mind to deceive you. You intentionaly did that with Ran. Finally, you taste your own medicine."

If he felt like blaming her, hating her, he should start with himself. He wasn't any better than her. But her words only infuriated him more.

"I never put her in any danger. What happened on New Years!"

It was a question not posed like one. What was she? His dog?

Standing up, Aoko stemmed her hands onto her hips and stared down at him. "Right now, you're a child. You don't get to talk to me like that."

There was no need to deny his statement – she didn't actively put Ran in danger, Ran chose it herself but without her, undoubtedly, Ran wouldn't be in this mess. Aoko understood why he heated her guts as much as he did. She would too if she were him.

"I don't think you want me as your enemy."

Aoko also didn't think that. She didn't want that. But she wouldn't let a seven-year-old threaten her.

"You might be well advised not to be my enemy. And this is not a threat, just friendly advice." Sqautting down to his side, Aoko crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Ran believes you dead. I think that thought can be changed with time. I also think she could forgive you one day. But if you don't want her to hate you, you better not do anything stupid."

With that, Aoko stood up and left the bathroom.