8: Detective's Doppelganger

It was another of those few occurrences wherein both Kaitou KID and Edogawa Conan were investigating the same case. At the moment however, the only thing that mattered was surviving. The building, which suspiciously differed greatly from its blueprints, was also home to a number of hidden passages and labyrinths.

Mouri Ran had unfortunately fallen pray to one of these rigged paths and it was pure chance that had the Moonlight Magician discover her in time to keep her from being killed in yet another dangerous trap. 'Killed' being a relative term. His intervention had save her from a painful and instant death, but now they were both trapped in a partially collapsed room. They could still very well die: if not found they could starve, die of thirst, or more likely be crushed if the rest of the room collapsed.

At least, this is what the thief concluded from his glance around the dusty room by the light of a couple glow sticks he had with him. It was hard to tell what Ran was thinking as she glared daggers at him. "Mouri-san", KID greeted with a bow, "it is certainly a pleasure to share your company on this most delicate of missions."

He jerked back as Ran's fist swiped through the air where his head had been. "Don't pretend to be a gentleman with me, you pervert!" She cried out in anger, KID dodged another potentially devastating blow. "I remember you pretending to be Shinichi! I thought that maybe he had actually come back, but then you weren't him! He calls me but I never see him and then you had to get my hopes up… only for… it…." She stopped her random attacks, tears running down her cheeks. "Is he ever going to come back?"

KID checked out her slumped posture and, reassured that she wouldn't start attacking again, moved forward. "Mouri-san', he said softly, "I am a magician and an entertainer, your tears do me harm and I would wish to lift your spirits… however, I am unsure what I should say."

Ran nodded, not even bothering to hide her grief. The magician smiled kindly. "I am burdened by knowledge of Kudo-kun's aim." He said slowly, "so, seeing you in such pain prompts me to tell what I might be allowed."

Ran looked up in surprise, "why do you know so much?" She asked suspiciously, "why did he tell you if he didn't tell me!?" KID put up his hand in a placating gesture. "My dear, there are many secrets I keep and several are not mine to tell, but your childhood friend and I have been caught crossing paths often on our respective journeys and while he rarely says anything to me beyond threats of capture I have recognized him as an equal and a dear rival. A rival such as he I can't help but regard as a friend, and friends I keep watch of."

Ran's tears had stopped as she listened intently, "what can you tell me?" She asked determinedly wiping away the moisture on her cheeks.

The thief grinned, "first I must state frankly that my first, and perhaps my only rule, is that 'no one should get hurt', so I can only speak of what I believe will not end up endangering you and your acquaintances." He frowned, "otherwise Shinichi just might kill me." Ran couldn't help but chuckle.

Instantly the smile was back on KID's face and the glint in his eyes spoke of happiness. She is certainly more beautiful… and less scary when she's not angry. He thought.

The magician exhaled loudly to draw her attention back, "There is quite a bit to say, you might want to sit down. First, Shinichi considers you very dear." He started carefully waiting for Ran to get comfortable, "like I, with my friends, so too he with you. He is working very hard so that he might return to you, but he is encircled by danger. A crime organization of the highest caliber is his prey and he is theirs."

Ran frowned in worry, "why hasn't he said anything?"

KID shrugged, "Thus far he has carefully avoided their attention despite their spies, he isn't alone in his goals, but he is in one of the most tenuous positions. He would not wish to make you share in this danger, so he stays away and he hopes it is enough."

Ran frowned, "but I could help him!"

KID clenched his hands into tense fists, "don't you understand!" He shouted. "You are helping! By being safe you help him keep focused on his mission, by being strong you keep him unburdened by the guilt of making you sad, by remaining alive you remind him that there is a future for him if… when he gets back, a hope that it will all be fine and that even though he himself is isolated and hiding in the shadows you are his light! In the sea of danger you are his beacon of safety! In the midst of chaos you are the steady rock! The calm of the storm! The diamond in the rough! Don't you see that without you he would forever be lost?!" He fell silent, breathing heavily.

"Who is it for you?" Ran said quietly, a new light in her eyes.

KID turned to look at her, "for me?" He echoed.

"Who is your light, your rock, your diamond?" Ran asked. The magician chuckled, "she's no diamond, she is a sapphire, as blue as the sea and just as beautiful. She is… I don't know. I've known her forever and perhaps I love her the way Shinichi does you, but maybe I don't… I'm not sure. She is normal, my normal – and that's a good thing, day by day I see her and she shines like life itself. She is precious."

Ran smiled, "does she love you?" The thief shrugged, "I don't know. She has never said." He smiled, deep in thought.

"Change." Ran suddenly ordered, "if you change into a disguise now I won't turn you in once we're rescued." KID smiled sadly, "I'm afraid I don't have any masks left on me." Ran bit her lip, "you don't need a mask to be him though." She said hesitantly. The thief smirked, "are you giving me permission to use his face?" He asked flippantly though his eyes were serious.

Ran nodded, "just this once. If I ever discover you looking like him after this, I will not hold back, and I'm sure you know I am a karate champion!" KID paled, "yes ma'am." With a perfectly executed swirl of his cape, the magician was dressed in casual clothes and was struggling to get his hair to stick up right for the signature cowlick.

He grimaced and mumbled, "getting hair to flatten down is easy, getting to stick up is a lot harder." Ran laughed, "come, sit here, and I'll help." He smiled and dropped down so that she was able to arrange his hair right.

"Hmm…" KID hummed, "doing my hair…" he mumbled, "maybe when we get out of here we should get a group of friends together and get our hair and nails done." He said with a perfectly straight face and even tone. Ran laughed again, "it sounds like a girls' day out, but you're a guy." The magician moved so he was sitting next to her and said in an innocent voice, "I'm only a guy when I don't feel like being a girl."

Ran grinned evilly, "sure, and when you can't tell that someone is actually a girl."

They both laughed, thinking of his skill with disguises and the one time he had totally botched it.

Half an hour later, filled mainly with laughter and 'girl talk', which Ran was greatly amused to find KID excelled at, there was a loud shifting of rubble and someone shouting incomprehensibly through the wreckage. Immediately the two began shouting that they were indeed stuck inside. With the people on the other side working with whatever electric machines KID and Ran could hear, it took another twenty minutes for the path to be cleared enough to allow them out.

KID gestured to the small opening, "ladies first." Ran smiled and slipped through into bright lights. Overlapping shouts of "Ran" from her father and "Ran-nee-san" from Conan met her ears a moment before she was grabbed into a tight hug. "We were worried when you disappeared and then there was that loud sound!" Conan said in childish fear. Ran smiled, "I'm fine! I was kept safe by-" "me", she was cut off and Kaitou KID as Kudo Shinichi joined their group.

Conan's eyes narrowed. 'Shinichi's' smile widened in amusement, "Conan-chan!" He exclaimed, "I haven't seen you in ages, you've hardly grown at all!" Conan glared, then his face relaxed and his expression changed into that of an excited child again within the span of a second. "Ah, Shinichi-nii-san, I hope you and Ran-nee-san weren't to scared in there, it looks dark." He tilted his head minutely in Ran's direction and raised an eyebrow; does she know who you are Kaitou KID?

The disguised thief smiled, "it was a little disorienting at first, but I luckily had a couple of glow sticks and we were able to entertain ourselves until rescue by talking. After all, I've been missing for a long time and wanted to catch up with her." 'Shinichi' nodded shortly to Conan, yeah, she knows I'm not you.

Conan breathed in relief and decided that if Ran wasn't going to say anything, he wouldn't either. After all, Ran had said that KID kept her safe. 'Shinichi' exchanged a few more words with them before looking at a familiar watch on his wrist. His brow furrowed, "unfortunately I have to excuse myself now." He said, "I have… some one to meet about that big case I've been working on." He glanced apologetically at Ran, "if we might have a minute alone before I go."

Curious, but unable to do anything else, Conan didn't complain as Mouri Kogoro carried him away by the back of his jacket. Ran rejoined them a moment later, smiling happily. "What did that idiot have to say?" Kogoro asked roughly. Ran shrugged, "he said he was happy to see me and he promised to come back as soon as he finished his case."

Her expression became innocently confused, "he also said thank you and 'tell Conan thanks for letting me borrow his watch.'" She held out the item and Conan took it, strapping it on angrily. That thief!

Meanwhile, as he was slipping unhindered past the police, KID sneezed. Hmm… a pretty girl must be thinking of me. He thought despite knowing it was probably an irate chibi-tantei. Aoko came to mind and the magician shook her image away, resolving to think of other pretty girls. Akako's likeness appeared next. KID grimaced and resolved to never think of pretty girls again as it was obviously a bad idea.