Shinichi woke with a sense of foreboding. It was a stagnant, cloying feeling in his chest, telling him that he really didn't want to venture out into the world today. He lay in bed contemplating the feeling before deciding to ignore it. He didn't think Hattori would much appreciate him not showing up at the station just because he had a bad feeling. In fact, Hattori would probably—even worse—laugh at him; even though Hattori is the one who carries around an omamori.

Despite popular opinion, Shinichi did not believe himself to be cursed. He was just unlucky enough to run into dead bodies every couple of days. No biggie. He knew it happened to Hattori and Hakuba as well. Maybe not as often…but they were all corpse magnets. Sure, as a child it had been rather freaky, but once he got started on the 'whodunit' game the bodies had stopped bothering him quite so much. He couldn't undo the crimes other people committed, but he could do his best to solve the crimes and put the culprits behind bars.

Shinichi sighed before rolling out of bed. He might as well get the day started; it was going to be a long one. Unless he was very much mistaken, the next Kaitou KID heist was scheduled for tonight. Shinichi had invited Hattori to Beika for the event. For once they could do something together that (hopefully) wouldn't include poking at a dead body or disabling a bomb. It always put a big crimp in the day when they went to a baseball game only to discover a bomb under one of their seats. That happened a lot more often than Shinichi liked to admit.

Shinichi shook himself out of his thoughts and finished feeding the ends of his SoccerBelt through the belt loops on his cargo pants. Slipping on a dark blue fitted polo, he made his way downstairs to grab his wallet and keys and slide on his shoes before making his way into the garage. Yes, Kudou Shinichi had a car. He'd known how to drive at the age of 12 and had gotten a license the day he was of legal age to do so. And even though Shinichi had his mother's driving skills, Kudou Yusaku had thought it wise to buy his son a car for college. Besides, Yusaku didn't want to listen to Yukiko complaining to him about Shinichi complaining to her about how he kept being late for or missing his classes due to people dying on the bus he took to campus.

Shinichi arrived at the Beika Station in record time. After parking he went inside and discovered that even though the Shinkansen had arrived, no one was being let off until the police finished questioning the witnesses. Apparently Hattori's two and a half hour ride from Osaka to Beika hadn't gone as smoothly as he would have liked. After half an hour of waiting Hattori finally stormed out of the bullet train and joined Shinichi on the platform.

Shinichi gave him a half-lidded amused look, "Enjoy yourself?"

Hattori shot him a glare, "Shut it. Some lady slipped her husband poison right in front of me and the idiot inspector is blathering 'bout if I was sure that's what I saw! I ain't blind! 'Vitamin powder' my ass!"

Shinichi nodded his head in the direction of his car, "Come on, I parked my car over there. 'Vitamin powder'? Really? I'm almost positive there is no such thing."

"That's cuz it don't exist! Can't even make believable sh—wait, car? Nuh-uh, no way Kudou I prefer to live. I ain't getting in a car with you behind the wheel. Gimme your keys."

Shinichi rolled his eyes, "Oh grow a pair, Hattori. My driving isn't that bad; I've never even gotten a ticket. Besides, I figured you would rather not chance a murder taking place on the bus. Again."

Hattori grimaced, "The only reason you don't have a ticket is cuz the cops don't dare to chase after you for their own safety! You're crazy! You're dad shoulda never let your mom teach you how ta drive. Now I'd like ta live ta see Osaka again, so hand 'em over! I've already had one case today; I ain't takin' the bus or lettin' you drive. Both are likely ta lead ta murder."

Shinichi raised a brow, "Oh? I'll have you know I've never run anyone over."

"Yet." finished Hattori. Then, grinning at him, he adds, "I'd sooner kill you than get in that car with you drivin' it."

Shinichi rolled his eyes before dropped the keys into Hattori's outstretched hand, "Fine, if you're going to be so adamant about it you big baby. I'd hate for you to commit murder on my account, especially if I'm the intended victim. You do know how to get to my house from here right?"

Hattori shot him a disgusted look as they got into the car, "No Kudou, this is my first time in Beika."

"Well, so when the road T's you go straight—"

"Ha ha, very funny."

"Oh, you were joking?"

"You know Kudou, sometimes, I really wanna just punch you."

Shinichi smirked, "Don't worry, the feeling is mutual; I can assure you."

"Why did Haibara give you the antidote again? I think I liked you better when you were travel sized."

"Why? Because you could punt me across the room if I pissed you off?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Why am I friends with you again?"

"Because of my outstanding intellect, amazing body, and awesome personality, of course."

"Who are you describing? I don't believe I know anyone with those qualities."

"That hurts me Kudou, it really does."

Shinichi rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Put a Band-Aid on your wounded ego so we can start discussing what you came to Beika for."

"So you're sure KID's after the Morning Sapphire?"

"Yes, I believe he plans to strike at--"

Shinichi could feel his headache growing. The ache right behind his eyes had started about two hours ago when he and Hattori had first arrived to the heist's locale. Hattori had not been pleased to discover Hakuba's attendance at the heist. He still wasn't, if the continued grumbles under his breath for the last hour and a half were any indication. After the first thirty minutes of listening to the two send snide remarks at each other, Shinichi had finally dragged Hattori away to talk to Nakamori about the arrangements for the jewel's protection. He really should have forewarned Hattori about how Hakuba usually turned up at Kaitou KID heists; at least then Hattori could have gotten the Hakuba Rant out of his system before they had arrived at the heist site. Hakuba and Hattori went together about as well as stripes and spots; their personalities just clashed.

The request for a private conversation with Nakamori had gone about as well as could be expected. He had granted the request but it had taken the boys twenty minutes (and much cheek pinching) before they had convinced the man that they were indeed the real Hattori Heiji and Kudou Shinichi and not Kaitou KID and his assistant. Only then did Nakamori reveal his plan to protect the jewel. Shinichi tried not to laugh in the man's face. Hattori had tried and failed. Putting a fake on display and hiding the real Morning Sapphire in his pocket was not only unoriginal, but also a really bad idea.

The poor man was probably running out of ideas to keep the jewel away from the thief after so many years of chasing him. It took another twenty minutes for the boys to convince Nakamori to, if not change the plan, then at least change whose pocket he put the jewel in. After all, putting it in his own pocket would be rather obvious. Nakamori had given them a nasty look before demanding to know just whose pocket they should put it in. They all thought about it for a moment before simultaneously looking down at Shinichi's multi-pocketed cargo pants.

So there he was, five minutes before the stated heist time with a pounding headache and multi-million dollar gem and several fakes distributed in the pockets of his pants. He was also feeling distinctly uncomfortable with Nakamori and Hattori staring at him, waiting to jump anyone who started feeling him up looking for the jewel. Shinichi didn't even want to imagine what Kaitou KID would think upon setting his eyes on the room's occupants. All the regulation officers were staring at the (fake) Morning Sapphire in the center of the room, with Hakuba giving Nakamori and Hattori funny looks because they were staring at Shinichi. Yeah, that wasn't peculiar at all. The sense of foreboding returned again. Tonight wasn't going to end very well.

His suspicions were confirmed when seconds later the lights went out. He heard Nakamori and Hattori curse. Shinichi sensed a presence in front of him but before he could do anything he was hit in the face with a small spurt of knockout gas. It wasn't enough of a dose to—as per its name—knock him out, but it made him feel woozy and weak-kneed. So he definitely wasn't in a state to fight back against the light touches he felt in the darkness, let alone figure out what the hands were doing. The hands left, and with their departure came a feeling that something was off. It wasn't until the lights came back on that Shinichi, in his dazed state, realized what had happened. Kaitou KID had not only taken the Morning Sapphire but Shinichi's clothes as well; leaving him in a—in a—

"I do believe that dress matches your eyes quite nicely Meitantei-kun. Please feel free to keep it and don't worry, I shall return your original outfit intact just like all of my other heists~."

Shinichi could feel the blush creeping across his face and down his neck burn. Nakamori and the task force couldn't decide whether to stare at the white-clad thief perched on the window or the unfortunate boy in the delicately detailed Renaissance-style dress, which did indeed match Shinichi's vibrant blue eyes. Hakuba and Hattori just stared at Shinichi gob smacked and eternally grateful that it wasn't them.

KID smirked saucily, "Never fear, Meitantei-kun; I'm sure Tantei-han will protect such a fair 'lady' on your way home. Adieu~!" Then with a two-fingered salute he was out the window and off into the night.

Seeing that Hattori was about to start laughing, Shinichi marched as best he could in three-inch stilettos over to the dark skinned boy and quite happily ground his heel into his foot. Ignoring Hattori's yelp of pain, Shinichi shot a glare at Hakuba, "I hope you don't find it funny either."

Hakuba put his hands up in a gesture of peace, "I can assure you that I have no intention of laughing at you. In fact, I was going to offer you the spare set of clothes I have in my car."

Shinichi perked up, "A spare set of clothes? May I?"

"Yes. I always come prepared; I've had too many suits ruined at Kaitou KID heists to not carry a spare."

They headed towards the blond's car, Hattori hobbling behind. Hakuba grabbed the bag of clothes from his car and handed it over to Shinichi. The crossdressing boy reached into the bag and pulled out a matching blue bonnet. Hattori snickered and received another high-heeled foot stomp.

Hakuba sighed, "I apologize. It seems he thought ahead."

Shinichi shrugged, "No it's fine; I've known today wasn't going to go my way since I woke up."

Hakuba nodded in understanding, "Bad feeling?"

"Yeah."

The soon-to-be cripple spoke up, "You know Kudou, you could wear an omamori--OUCH DAMNIT!"

"I DO NOT NEED A GOOD LUCK CHARM!

AN: Why does this site have to be so hard to upload the next chapter! That took me WAY to long to figure out! DX Gah, so anyway I hope everyone enjoys! I already have how I want the next chapter to be set up, now I just need to type it!