Author's Note: It saddens me to say, but this will be the last update for the foreseeable future. I have not completed the next chapter. Just too much going on. Updates will continue when I complete the story. Please look forward to it!

Swampy Chicken and a Blackened Tube of Horror

Using the staff to help navigate through the tall grass, they trample down trails and make the area easier to traverse. Managing to avoid injury, Shinichi shows Ran how to make Paiute deadfall traps, Grave's motion triggered snares, and a peg snare. None require bait, though using some would help lure. Together they carefully place several traps along a couple of small game trails. The trails are old, so Shinichi figures their chances of success are low. However, if they do not try then chances are zero. Regardless, they will check in the morning. If the traps are empty then they will disarm them before continuing on.

If he had some wire he would make a squirrel pole snare. Unfortunately the architect of the cabin did not desire wire of any kind. Needless to say there are no electrical outlets for him to wangle any copper or aluminum cables out of.

They do not spend long glancing at tree branches for nests. There are few birds about and most remain quiet because of the weather, deciding to stay huddled within their shelters. Without much birdsong to help direct them the effort taken to search outweighs the chance of reward. Instead, Shinichi puts what energy he has into finding frogs, crickets, and earthworms while distracting Ran as he does so.

The less she sees the more she may be willing to eat whatever stew he is able to make.

He finds a number of earthworms along the wet surface of the ground near trees and rocks. They fill a couple of cans, as do some large crickets after they are quickly processed. Ran catches him doing so once and decides she does not want to see anything more. Distracting is much easier after that.

They leave the woods with plenty of lodgepole pine resin, ribbons of inner bark, a dozen colorful mushrooms, and a couple types of lichen.

Luck is finally on their side as they near the well and come upon a huge bullfrog. Thanks to practice Shinichi gained during his first childhood, just before they startle the amphibian he leaps onto it. The frog seems almost big enough to buck him off, but he keeps it pinned. Ran helps him so they do not lose what will likely be the best thing on their menu.

Frogs are a delicacy and tasty.

Not far from the well are remnants of a garden. Shinichi recalls seeing it in the so-called dream he had. The cool-season growers consisting of carrots, potatoes, and cucumbers had been present. Now only perennial growers remain and only the warm-season plants are in bloom, though there is little to harvest. Still it is a great find. The two pluck the few handfuls of green beans, two orange bell peppers, and small eggplant.

Closer to the cabin they come across a patch of herbs. The lavender smells amazing. They gather the aromatic leaves and clusters of delicate purple flowers, along with bay leaf, brilliant green mint, sprigs of rosemary, and tarragon. The lavender, mint, and tarragon are especially good to disinfect wounds and promote healing.

Just beyond the back corner on the opposite side of the cabin they spot a few fruit trees surrounded by wildflowers. Two of which bear recognizable small fruit. Bright yellow lemons and orange-gold apricots.

Jackpot.

Ran does most of the reaching and plucking of fruit, grabbing an armful of ripe perfection, but Shinichi is able to grab a couple of low-hanging apricots.

He ends their foraging after spotting a giant golden orb-weaving spider hanging from the side of the cabin. It waits on an impressive web of what looks like gold silk in the sunlight. Ran promptly ignores him as he goes after it. She does not want to see and does not want to know, but eat it she will not.

By the time they make it back inside the cabin with a full bag the rain has returned. Kaito has miraculously fallen asleep without attempting to sneak after them. In fact, he has not moved. His breathing sounds heavier than normal, and even as Poppy stops hovering over him and soars straight for Shinichi, they hear him cough.

"This is how it started with me," she informs, stopping to float in front of the shrunken sleuth, wringing her hands. "A slight cough, tired, no big deal. Then I was burning up and could hardly move. I was in and out of delirium by the time Dally left to find help. After that..." Distraught, her eyes lock onto the gouge marks left in the floor.

"Sorry!" she exclaims, rushing toward the ceiling and disappearing.

"I thought he was looking off," Shinichi says with a frown of concern. "The sunburn and expected fatigue made it difficult to tell."He glances at Ran. "If you start boiling the rainbow chanterelle and violet webcap mushrooms with the wila and kalpasi, I will catalog his symptoms."

She offers him the bag. "Let me tend to him. You have been off your immune suppressant only a few days and could easily catch something contagious."

Considering incubation period and the fact contagions are such during the asymptomatic phase, if it can spread chances are they all already have it. However, he does not argue and accepts the bag.

"I will prepare dinner then," he says, moving toward the hearth to light the fire. "As soon as I have the fire lit I will grind the tarragon, warm the resin along with lavender and bring them to you."

"Sounds like a plan." She barricades the door, and then steps toward Kaito and around to the front of him. She lowers, noticing his sweaty pallor and damp fringe. Knowing better than to touch him first she speaks to get his attention. "Hey," she calls softly. He does not respond. "Kaito?"

She extends a hand to his forehead and is surprised by his cool temperature. A cold sweat, then. Still no response. He is not usually such a heavy sleeper. Shinichi sometimes can be, but never Kaito.

"Shinichi, what can a cold sweat indicate?" she asks, twisting to look at the detective as he arranges the kindling inside the fireplace. He then reaches alongside the stone step of the hearth for the pieces of quartz.

"Cold sweats are often associated with stress and anxiety, but they can also be caused by physical aliments. One aliment being infection, for example." He gives her and Kaito a quick glance, and then focuses on hitting together the rocks, trying to throw sparks onto the char cloth. It may take more than a few tries. His tiny hands can be clumsy.

Ran leans so she can untie the bandage along Kaito's right wrist. His left cushions underneath his head. Either her touching the limb, or pain in the extremity causes him to stir.

"Hmnpf," he grumbles, turning onto his right side away from her.

"Kaito, I need to see your hands," she explains, knowing he is too groggy to be fully aware. She shuffles around on her knees to face him again.

"Hmn?" he hums, cracking open his eyes and lifting his head to better view her.

"Let me see your hands." She gently extends his right arm, but he tugs it back.

"Want sleep," he mutters, tilting back down and tucking the arm underneath his head.

"You can sleep. Let me have this one, then," she says, lifting his left onto her lap and pulling the knot of the bandage loose. He lets her, seemingly forgetting she is there until the last layer is unwrapped. The cloth sticks, especially around the upper portion of his palm and sides of his fingers.

"Itai!" he hisses, tugging the limb away and glares blearily up at her. He twists back onto his left side, this time distancing himself on purpose. "Sleep," he repeats in a grumble. He can be surprisingly childish sometimes. Most often when tired.

"I'm sorry. Let me unwrap your other hand first, then you can sleep as much as you want. I promise." She feels bad for disturbing him, knowing how exhausted he is. She pulls his right arm to rest along his side so she can reach the knot of the bandage, or tries to.

He attempts to yank it away, but her training kicks in. She grips the limb and pulls him onto his back. He startles, and she straddles his hips.

"Kuroba Kaito, let me see that hand this instant! You need treatment," she voices, stern, expression unyielding.

He blinks, expression meek, and then extends his right arm, palm up, to make it easier for her.

"Thank you," she says, untying it. "Since you are fully awake open your mouth and stick your tongue out. I want to see your throat."

He hesitates until she gives him an impatient look. "Ah," he says, ending with a hiss as she pulls off the last bit of bandage. He tugs the arm away out of reflex. She never noticed that he has a long tongue. The tip curls a few centimeters beyond his chin.

She leans, peering into his mouth. "Slight irritation, but no swelling," she says out loud for Shinichi to hear.

Kaito cannot hold back a yawn and does so widely. "Satisfied?" he asks when able. She must have gotten a good look.

"Not yet." She studies his eyes and nose. "No discharge."

"What about his lymph nodes?" the detective inquires, briefly pausing an effort to breathe oxygen into a smoldering bundle. It soon becomes a small fire. He quickly drops it inside the fireplace and leans a few of the smallest pieces of previously charred wood scraps against it. "Check behind his jaw and along his throat for any swollen lumps."

"I am not sick," Kaito asserts.

Ran checks anyway, fingertips gently padding below the lobes of his ears, and then down along the front-sides of his throat. "Nothing swollen," she reports.

"Likely nothing viral, then," Shinichi says, sticking a clump of resin on some larger pieces of wood and introducing it to the flames. It catches, crackling as the fire becomes larger and brighter.

"You two don't believe me?" the magician inquires, displeased.

"Not exactly?" Ran says with a tone of question, straightening and glances at Shinichi.

"You don't accept limitations well," the sleuth explains, putting the can with resin near the flickering fire and adding a decent amount of crushed purple pedals. "You think you always have to be strong. You always have to be okay. You don't want anyone to worry, or lose faith in you. You constantly push yourself, and that means we have to watch for any sign something could be wrong because you won't admit it. So let us assure ourselves you are okay."

Ran nods down at the magician, agreeing with the detective's words.

Kaito's expression turns neutral, but his bottom lip wobbles. "Don't tell me stuff like that right now. I may actually cry." Indeed, his eyes water slightly. Try as he might not to be emotional. "You know, I have to mention the pot and the kettle meeting again."

"Yeah, yeah. Though, I have allowed myself to be cared for. You need to do the same," Shinichi advises, shaving the end of a twig flat and using it to stir the softening resin.

Kaito's lip wobbles more and he sniffles.

"Ut-oh, is that discharge? Are you actually sick?" Ran teases, trying to lighten the mood.

"I am not sick!" he repeats, balking. Crossing his arms, he looks away toward the front wall and in a small voice adds, "My throat and sinuses are irritated because...of the sneezes earlier."

"All right, then," Ran accepts. "Let me see your hands again. I didn't get a good look since you moved them as soon as I got the bandages off."

Slowly he extends them to her, palms down. His long and elegant fingers are thicker than normal. Definitely swollen.

"Flip them over," she says, preparing herself.

He hesitates, appearing guilty, but does so.

"Oh," she breathes, feeling squeamish yet again. "That is not good. High pain tolerance indeed. Um, Shinichi, you may want to come see this. I don't know if what you are making will treat it."

"Okay, I was coming over to do just that," the detective replies, carrying a couple of stone bowls and a matching pestle. The tools were procured off the floor from behind the overturned table. One stone bowl is a small mortar. The other bowl could hold approximately 30mL. "Could you rinse these well for me?"

"You got it," she says, taking them and lifting off Kaito.

Shinichi steps close and inspects the magician's hands, who lowers them for him and looks anywhere but at the child-sized sleuth. Shinichi hums, frowning at the pressure injuries bordered by puffy, red skin. Some of the borders have rolled. Most of the ulcers are stage two, nearing stage three, and leak seropurulent fluid.

This is serious. If the damage is not stopped and the wounds allowed to heal, not only could the use of the magician's hands be affected long-term, but he could potentially lose them.

"These are infected and trying to turn severe. This shouldn't have happened with the precautions taken to disinfect, but perhaps overuse combined with your high healing rate gave strong bacteria a foothold by trapping them within newly developed skin, and your immune system is currently too impacted. We have to draw out as much of the infection as possible, clean, disinfect and seal."

He leans, reaching for the magician and squeezes his cheeks, forcing eye contact. Kaito does so with a wrinkled brow and twitching nose. "That means you will not use your hands at all until they are well. It also means you will eat everything you are given. I found plenty of food for us tonight." Shinichi lets him go and steps back toward the hearth.

Kaito's ears twitch and he perks up. "Food of the edible kind?" he asks, hopeful.

"All of it is edible and all of it is clean, or will be once it is cooked."

Ran returns from the broken window with the bowls and pestle stacked into each other. The bottom of the largest stone bowl drips rainwater. "Here you go," she says.

"Thank you," Shinichi replies, tilting and setting each against the flames of the fire to sterilize. The remaining cans they have he fills with water and sets them next to the flames to boil.

"What did you two get to eat?" Kaito cannot refrain from asking, sitting up to watch.

"Sugars, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and protein. Everything essential. Even some herbs for flavoring and an extra immune boost," the detective answers, carefully wiping their knife with lavender leaves, and then sticking the blade of it into the fire. Ideally it would be best to clean the knife by boiling it for twenty minutes and not risk ruining the heat treat over flames, but the twenty-centimeter blade is too large to fit inside anything they could use to boil.

Ran retrieves two lemons and four apricots from the bag and goes to rinse them with rain. "That doesn't tell him what he wants to know," she scolds by the broken window, understanding why he would rather avoid the topic. However, there are nice options in their selection he could refer to. Like what she holds.

"Is that what it looks like?" Kaito asks, dabbing at a corner of his mouth with the back of a wrist, eyes locked onto the glorious fruits. The fruits practically glow like gold. Certainly worth their weight in the valuable metal.

She beams at him and quickly returns with the delectable goods. "I need the knife." Borrowing the instrument, she gets to work splitting the lemons and removes the juicy pulp. Squeezing a big serving of lemon juice into each of their two water bottles, she saves what remains to go into the stew. Nothing should be wasted. She uses the peels as cups to hold the apricots as she cuts them into bite-sized pieces, setting aside their kernels.

Kaito cannot stop salivating. His stomach roars louder than ever. Ran returns the knife and sits beside him, carefully balancing the four lemon cups with their orange-gold goodness. He reaches for a one, but she holds it away.

"No using your hands," she reminds, intending to help him eat.

"The tips of my fingers are fine!" he protests, trying not to drool everywhere. "I can hold onto the bottom of one." Now he knows how a dog eyeing a steak feels. He can smell the luscious sweet tartness. A mixture of peach and plum within the citrus peels.

She raises an eyebrow at him.

"Okay. My third and fourth fingers are fine. I can use them," he amends, using said fingers on both hands to make grabby motions and effectively drooling on himself.

Ran does not have the heart to deny him. "Be easy with your hands," she admonishes, allowing him to take one. He has it eaten before she can start on hers.

Change of plan, she thinks and moves to sit in front of him. This way Shinichi can do what he needs without the magician seeing, distracted or not. She gives him another cup, taking back the empty first.

"Are you even chewing?"

He nods, not bothering to speak, and tips more of the fruit into his mouth.

"You should enter a food competition. I would bet all money on you," Ran says with a laugh.

"Only then would he get enough to eat," Shinichi remarks.

In no time Kaito has the second finished and she offers a third. He reaches for it, and then hesitates.

"Aren't those yours?" he questions, handing back the empty cup and licking his lips clean of juice.

"They were, but there are more I will get. You clearly need these." She again offers the fruit.

"Thank you," he says, sheepishly taking the third helping. This time he makes himself slow down and savor the sweet delights, debating whether or not to ask what she is keeping him from seeing.

He decides it best not to know. Once he samples whatever Shinichi makes he will figure it out. Whether he wants to know or not.

About an hour later Shinichi approaches with the stone bowl. Kaito sees strips of periwinkle steeping in warm, green-tinted water. He extends his hands and Ran wraps them in the soaked bandages. Shinichi returns the bowl of solution next to the fire to keep warm.

"When the bandages are done drawing out as much purulent discharge as possible, I have a salve to let set, and then you will need to soak your hands inside the bowl. After that, let your hands dry thoroughly, and then we can put the liquid resin on the wounds," he says.

"Sure thing," Kaito agrees, eyes squinted and nose wrinkled. Whatever is on the bandages stings and smells reminiscent of licorice. "What herb is that?"

"Tarragon," Shinichi answers.

"Yuck."

"Don't like it?" the sleuth inquires.

"Not a fan of the flavor," Kaito replies, trying not to shake his stinging hands. They already hurt before adding the bandages. He wiggles a foot because if he does not move something then he may be tempted to rip the material off.

"I know what not to put into the stew," Shinichi says, resuming his chopping and mashing. Roughly a half-hour later he shouts in fright, breaking the quiet that had settled.

Having drifted to sleep on the foil blanket, Ran and Kaito startle awake in an instant, both scrambling to their feet.

"POPPY!" Shinichi vociferates, whipping away from the fire and shaking a fist. He pauses, appearing shocked. "Did I actually hit you?" After a moment he frowns and growls. "I didn't think I could. Stop surprising me! Yes, I'm making this into one dish." A pause. "Call it what? If you can call it anything, call it survivor's stew."

After having what appears to be a one-sided conversation, he glances over at the two settling back down. "Gomen," he apologizes. "Our host is trying to teach me how to cook."

"Figured that out," Kaito says, miffed as he sits and rolls backward to stretch out onto his back. His eyes feel gritty and itchy. He rubs across them with the back of a forearm. The wet bandages are annoying to have on his hands. At least they no longer sting. He extends his arms straight up. "Can I take these cold things off now?"

"Yes. Ran, the salve is in the mortar. Coat the wounds liberally."

She fetches the bowl with its green goop, overhearing Shinichi mumble to Poppy about covering the bad with the good.

"That will just make the entire dish bad," Ran chimes.

Shinichi lowers his head. "Yeah, that is what Poppy said. I'm a detective. Not a cook."

"You are doing great," she encourages, patting his shoulder. "You have helped me in the kitchen and have obviously taken notes. You also found food when we otherwise wouldn't have any. Just use judgment to make a good stew and prepare the iffy stuff another way."

He looks up at her, disgruntled. "Then the grisly bits won't be eaten."

"Yes they will because they have to be. At least this way we can enjoy something tasty, too," she says with a smile.

Thinking it over, he looks down at all their improvised dishware, and then nods, gazing back up at her.

"Figured it out?" she asks.

"Hn!"

"Knew you could." She smiles and goes back to Kaito.

The soaked bandages stung, but that is nothing compared to the salve. Ran has to chase him down. More than once.

"Give me a break! Don't do it all at once!"

"Dinner will be ready soon. Don't you want to eat uninterrupted?" she asks.

"Hai." A timid yes.

"Then come here and let me finish."

"Iyada!" A stern refusal.

Eventually the salve is allowed to set, and then the appendages are soaked in the bowl of warm solution for ten minutes. He may cry once or twice as this concludes with a gentle washing.

Finished drying his sore hands by the fire, he eyes the cans of lumpy, dark liquid Shinichi sets out for them. Much more appealing are the steaming eggplant stuffed peppers and roasted green beans served next to an enormous roasted frog on a piece of lightly charred wood. Then there are colorful skewers of steaming mushrooms. However, there are also skewers featuring crispy, grotesque, insect-like horrors and he tries really hard not to notice a giant, blackened tube with curled legs.

Eight legs.

Crud.

Nope! he thinks, standing with the intent to go lay on the foil blanket.

"Don't go anywhere. The food is done. Don't you want to eat?" Shinichi inquires.

"There is something I don't want to look at much less want near my mouth," Kaito replies.

"I knew I should have diced and hid it in the stew," Shinichi mumbles. "Just try it. Remember everything here is clean and edible."

Kaito shivers with a frown that morphs into disgust. More sweat trickles down his brow.

"I hear it tastes like chicken and co–" The detective stops himself before he can name the fish. "Pâté," he says instead. One of the few French words he knows.

The magician rolls his eyes and sits back down, drawing his knees up toward his chest. "They say all meat tastes like chicken, and pâté may sound fancy, but all that means is it tastes like chicken paste. Bland Spam."

"Not exactly since Spam is pork, but see? It isn't that bad," Shinichi says, as if that solves the issue.

Kaito wraps his arms around his legs, not letting his hands touch. "I am not that desperate."

"You nearly are and by tomorrow will be," the detective reasons.

"Fact is, I am not now."

"I can't eat the whole thing!" Not at his size with everything else he actually wants.

"Ran won't either?" Kaito questions, glancing at her as she sits next to them, having washed her hands.

"I saw it alive, so no," she says, mirroring his own disgust.

Shinichi huffs and says with derision, "Don't worry, it will be eaten. What a fib. Next time anything iffy will go in a stew." He moves the can of lavender-infused resin farther from the fire.

"Thanks for the warning," the magician quips.

"Sit down and eat. Cooking a full meal over an open fire without a grate is laborious. Enjoy. I have to cool down." He stands from off his knees, grabs the knife and a metal lid, and then walks toward the broken window.

"You are amazing!" Ran praises him as she reaches for the resin. The can is warm, but not too hot. It was reheated just enough, and the flower petals have been picked out.

"Sure, sure," he grouses, though a smile tugs at the corners of his lips.

Using the knife, he pokes a series of uniform holes into the lid. It will be used to sift sand. The similarly sized sand, combined with resin on a periwinkle strip (which is cotton and should not shrink much, if at all) will make decent sandpaper. If he secures it to a piece of board that will make it all the easier to sharpen the knife. Pushing the edge of the blade at a 22.5 degree angle the same number of times on each side in a few sets will be a nice start. The process should not take too long considering the edge is still fine. The knife is good quality, made of hard steel that has a high wear resistance.

Ran stirs the resin with the twig left inside the can. A strong smell of turpentine emits from it, overpowering the lavender. "Ready for your liquid band-aids?"

"More like stitches at this point," Shinichi comments.

Blue-violet swivel away from the cooked frog to stare at the karate champion. "That stuff is concentrated," he says, expression flat. In other words it will torment his already irritated wounds something fierce. He extends his hands out to her in resignation, giving off the distinct impression of one submitting to arrest. "Let's get it over with."

"Good boy," she praises, gathering the sticky, purplish-yellow goop on the flat end of the twig.

A slight reddening of his ears gives away a blush.

As she spreads the first glob on the worst of one palm his back stiffens and audible bursts of air puff from his nose. She continues applying the resin, trying to be both gentle and quick. His hands tremble. He lowers his legs, crossing them, and hunches forward until nearly folding into a human pretzel. With his shoulders level to his knees, he keeps his arms positioned for her.

His flexibility really is astounding.

"I'm sorry," Ran apologizes softly. "Nearly finished." She coats the last two infected fingers. All except for the unmarred backs and tips. "Done."

He turns a watery gaze sideways up at her. "Owwie," he whimpers, shaking.

Touching wounds with stinging salve is one thing. Touching wounds with stinging, warm resin is shockingly painful.

"Yeah. Major owwie. Don't use your hands anymore and let them heal, okay?" she requests. "I like taking care of my people, but I don't like seeing you, or Shinichi suffer." She sets the remaining resin beside the hearth and out the way.

"I will let them heal. Most definitely, absolutely will let them heal," he says in agreement, drawing in his arms and sitting up straight.

"Next time we go outside we need sand," Shinichi says, wiping the knife on his shirt and setting it on the hearth. He sits with them, forming a loose triangle with their arrangement, and the food neatly between them. "I suggest starting the meal with what we think we won't like that way we can end with a good dining experience."

Ran blows out a breath knowing it would be ridiculous not to take advantage of everything this mini feast has to offer, even if there are options she would rather not sample. "You are the chef. You decide what to serve first. I promise to do my best." She glances at Kaito, silently requesting he do the same.

He gulps, eyes once again landing on the skewer featuring a darkened tube with legs.

I really, really, REALLY don't want to. Anything but that! he thinks, but nods at Ran.

"Chef's choice," he says with a squeak and clears his throat.

"Don't worry. I took off the chelicerae and –"

"DON'T!" Ran and Kaito exclaim, each raising a hand as if to ward the little detective's words away.

"Thank you for everything you did, but we don't want to know," Ran determines, lips trembling into a frown.

"Since this is causing apprehension let's get it out the way," he says, reaching for the skewer.

Kaito stands with a wobble. "I need to go to the toilet."

"Nice try, but there isn't a toilet out here," Shinichi says, pointing the skewered spider at the magician, who recoils. The evasion attempt was also a jest at the sleuth's usual cover excuse. "Just for that, you first."

Kaito sputters in horror. A wave of light-headedness has him quickly sitting again. His blood sugar must be low, even though he had those apricots. At least, he will blame the light-headedness on low sugar. He is not about to faint from fear of a spider. No matter how big and horrific it looks and, oh shit, he really must eat that?

"I c-can't use my hands?" he tries, in a last-ditch effort to keep the tube with legs away.

"I will hold it for you." Shinichi shuffles onto his knees and moves closer with the horror on a stick.

"ICK!" Kaito screeches, twisting away and flops onto his side, unable to pick himself back up and onto his feet because of a compromised balance. If he tries to belly crawl away he could knock over their food. That would be unacceptable. "Nani shitendayo?! Fuzukenna! Uzai!"

'What are you doing?! Fuck off! Gross!'

"Kaito!" Ran reprimands, but her tones reflect sympathy. Shinichi snickers until she gives him a look.

"It is just food. A nice slab of protein," Shinichi tries with a shrug, although he is not looking forward to it either.

"Nothing nice about a tube of horror surrounded by eight creepy legs!"

The magician has left the miniaturized detective no choice. He exhales, knowing he will pay for it later. "I dare you to try it."

Kaito springs back up and stares at Shinichi with vehemence. "Don't you dare, dare me!" he growls.

"Too late," the detective replies, unrepentant.

"You will regret that. Oh, you will regret that," Kaito promises with venom.

Ran buries her face in her hands.

"I'm doing this out of love." Shinichi smiles, again offering the skewer of horror.

"Bullshit!" Kaito declares, leaning away.

Shinichi frowns. "It is the truth," he says, and then smiles again. "It just so happens to be entertaining."

"I love you, but right now I also hate you. So, so much. Sadistic little bloodhound! Ankle-biting bastard!"

"You really are pissed," the sleuth notes, still very much entertained.

Kaito thumps the floor with a heel. "What was your first clue? You dared me to eat a spider! A spider! One of the worst bugs in existence!"

"It isn't a bug. It is an arthropod –"

Kaito interjects, "Arthropods include insects!"

"– and you don't have to do something just because you are dared," Shinichi states without regarding the verbal break in.

"It is a matter of pride and principle," Kaito affirms, head held high.

The detective deadpans. "How can you be both a genius and a simpleton?"

"Just give me the damn thing!" Kaito tries snatching the skewer using only the third and fourth fingers of his left hand and fumbles. The cooked spider falls onto his thigh, the eight curled legs pressing with a slight crisp sound, but they give some and seem more pliable than expected. Could they be chewy?

He goes blue in the face. Suddenly, he finds himself on his back staring at the ceiling with no recollection of having leaned backward. He has no strength and his thoughts scatter like leaves in a desolate wind. The spider is removed off his leg and Ran hovers over him, very much concerned.

"You are awake," she registers with surprise. "Your eyes rolled backward. We were sure you passed out. Are you okay?"

He nods, mute.

She glances at Shinichi. "We are skipping the spider for now," she says wisely, and then grabs onto Kaito's right upper arm, hauling him back into a sitting position. His head rotates along his shoulders, and then he leans forward against her. "You sure you are okay?"

He nods, swallowing thickly. "Low sodium, I think." It would explain the sweating and weakness. He did not just faint from a spider. Spiders may not be on his list of favorite animals, but he does not have arachnophobia as well as ichthyophobia.

Shinichi offers a bottle of lemon water with the cap off. "It wasn't that long ago we finished the brackish water mixture."

Ran takes the bottle and helps Kaito balance it with his awkward hold.

"My body burns through fatty acids, potassium, sodium, sugar and water-soluble vitamins," he explains. "I do well enough for approximately a week if I have sources of sugar, sodium and potassium. Maybe two weeks with sources of fat. After that I crumble. My kaa-san knows this. We have gone through a number of strenuous courses. She enjoys testing limits physically and mentally."

"She must be where you get your love for challenges," Shinichi remarks, considering.

Kaito smiles and lifts from Ran, who helps him drink. She takes the bottle once he finishes, and then he responds, "Both my parents, actually. My oyaji often stumped the most cynical of critics. He adored turning them into his biggest fans."

"My kaa-san certainly spoke well of him," the detective says.

"Oh? Did she speak of him often?" Kaito asks with a grin. "Papa could charm anyone. For a magician of the highest caliber, who had been able to use any form of trickery or illusion, he had the most genuine personality." His tone reflects reverence. He regarded his father highly and loved him dearly.

"Come to think of it she did speak of him often," Shinichi says, brow furrowing. Something piques the edge of his thoughts, not quite tangible. A realization on the brink of forming. He recalls his mother in the kitchen, but why? When was it? What had she been doing? Whatever the memory, a piece of the puzzle is still missing because he cannot connect it to anything.

Kaito's brow furrows. "Something seem strange about that?"

"Maybe," he replies, tapping his chin with a knuckle.

"I am no detective, but I get the feeling this requires more investigation," the magician speculates.

"Definitely." Shinichi pulls off a frog leg the size of a chicken drumstick and holds it out toward Kaito. "Eat this," he says. "It has sodium." As do the crickets and such, but the frog will likely be the easiest source he can stomach.

Accepting the meat, Kaito sniffs it. "Smells like swampy chicken."

"Eat it." Shinichi repeats, and then offers the other leg to Ran, who eagerly takes it.

"Itadakimasu," she says, grateful, and eats.

Shinichi takes a front leg. There is plenty of meat along the back as well.

"Itadakimasu," Kaito repeats, also showing gratitude, and eats. For the most part it tastes like chicken. However, something about the meat seems off. Then again, he is not much of a meat eater. Plus, frogs can be cute. It does not seem right to eat one.

The stew is somehow both chewy and soggy with a sour lemon flavor mixed with a strong earthy one. It tastes like citrus and dirt. Mostly dirt. Ran shudders at the unpleasantness. Kaito drinks it down to be done and tries not to think.

The stuffed peppers are nothing short of amazing. The herbs really bring out the flavors. All too soon the last bite of them is eaten.

Turns out crickets are rather crunchy and not in the potato crisp kind of way. The mushrooms served next are much preferred. The seasoning is different, but not bad. The same can be said for the green beans. Legumes are simply the best health food and a great substitute for meat.

Doubly so if that meat comes in the form of insects, regardless that insects contain more protein gram for gram.

Ran dices more apricots into rinsed cans, squeezes lemon juice as well as shaves a bit of the zest into it, and adds lavender petals. She places it next to the fire to cook as Shinichi once again brings forth the skewer of horror.

"Can we forget about the spider?" she asks, biting her bottom lip.

"Waste not, want not," he says in answer.

"Want not," Kaito mutters.

"I don't want it, either, but every little bit helps," he says, gazing at the skewer with hesitance, and then takes a bite.

Ran looks away and Kaito covers his mouth.

Shinichi closes his eyes and quivers. "It isn't that bad. Mind over matter," he says, chewing. "It tastes better than those supplemental shakes Haibara makes."

"Doubt that," Ran says, turning back and peeking through her fingers. She can barely stand to watch.

"A shake sounds much better," the magician agrees. Even if it is one of those green sludge types that taste reminiscent of marsh mud and possum toes.

Opening his eyes, the sleuth offers the horror. Somehow it appears worse with a chunk missing out of it.

Ran and Kaito look at each other, neither wanting to take it.

"Last one to eat it has the squishy end," Shinichi points out.

Both scramble for it. Kaito gets it first, fumbling once, but offers it to the karate champion. She motions for him to go ahead.

The desserts are cooked by the time the horror is devoured, after much pacing around the cabin, flailing and a bit of choking.

Ran learns how to swallow a bite whole.

Never do they ever want to try pâté.

Having checked his surveillance equipment no less than five times, Carter sits at the end of a log sharing the natural bench with Chance and Mal. The two stare at him as he drums his fingers along a knee, absentmindedly patting a stinging welt through the fabric of his cargo pants.

"I am sure my hardware and software are not malfunctioning. Have we agreed we aren't all hallucinating the same exact thing and that there is now a small child with our targets?"

Chance and Mal nod.

"Okay then," the tech says, trying to think of an explanation.

Their targets never met a child along their journey. The cabin had been empty. A child could not have been hiding within. The squad did not kidnap a child. How is there now a munchkin where one should not be?

"You know what is odd?" Chance inquires, glancing up at the green tarp overhead. A light rain sprinkles down the sloped top.

"Everything? Nothing is normal. Not one thing about this mission, or our targets are normal," Mal remarks.

"True," Chance notes. "Though, did no one notice the tiny one wearing an overly large shirt?"

The child is in too good of condition to have been abandoned in the middle of the wilderness with no clothing of his own.

"The walking encyclopedia gave him the shirt," Carter reasons, as if it is obvious. "The material was of the same design and had matching stain patterns."

"That isn't it," Chance says, brow furrowed.

"I'm sure it is," Carter insists. "I notice details. My job is to gather all information."

"You notice details, but you sometimes don't see below the surface," Mal says, catching on. "Chance, you think it ties into why we have not seen Kudou?"

Chance gives the redhead a sideways glance and nods.

Mal purses his lips. "That would be impossible."

"I'm confused," Carter admits.

Chance jumps to his feet and begins pacing. Again. "What is one more impossibility? We have seen lightning manipulated! Why wouldn't one of these damn teenagers shrink and stun us even more? We are in the wilderness of Canada! What are the odds our targets would happen across a lost Japanese child?"

"Shrink like in the movie? I don't think one of them is hiding an electromagnetic shrink ray," Carter says with an edge of sarcasm. "You two have let one unexplained event jumble your heads."

"Do you think a child was hiding in that abandoned cabin?" Chance barks.

"No, hence the cabin being abandoned. However, we didn't have eyes on them for a brief stint while we relocated because of the severity of the storm. The child must have come across the cabin at that time, and our targets took him in."

"And Kudou?" Mal questions.

"What about him? He hasn't felt well this entire expedition. He must be recuperating inside. Although, it has been a while since we last saw him, so soon we need to get close and check the interior to be sure this hasn't turned into a medical emergency," Carter says, ever practical.

Phantom Lady warned them to use long-range surveillance equipment only and not monitor too closely, otherwise they would have installed a camera with audio surveillance long before now.

Why should they not, though? Because it risks discovery and they may have to deal with an angry teenager? Kuroba may be the son of a phantom thief, but that does not make him one.

Could it?

No. Kuroba is too young. He may be a thief of some kind, but he could not possess skills enough to be a phantom. Though, if he is a thief he must have some capability because his record is clean. Meaning he has not been caught breaking any laws.

"No need," CJ says from the back of their shelter, startling the three who thought they were alone.

Chance whips around to face their commander. "Don't do that! I'm wearing my last clean pair of underwear!" This venture was not expected to take more than a couple days.

CJ laughs.

"Not funny, Boss," Mal says, irritated, though he seems the less affected of the three. "One of these days you are going to get a knife to the chest out of reflex, and then I may cry a little."

Carter picks himself off the ground, having tripped over a root when he sprang to his feet, and angrily dusts off his muddy backside.

"Don't worry. You know how good I am at close combat," CJ assures with a disarming smile, unfolding his arms and stepping forward. "Roman has already observed our three. We may not have to end this exercise after all."

Three. No mention of a fourth. So, the commander is not also monitoring the child? That seems unlikely.

"We have a name for the fourth?" Chance inquires, expression skeptical. Surely their leader will not also try to cover the fact they saw a pint-sized person.

Still smiling, CJ gives a loose shrug and walks from under the tarp.