Author's Note: Now on to the last half of the story! Sorry for taking a bit longer than expected to get this out.
Chapter 2
How to Catch a Ripper
"No! I refuse to just watch. I'm getting my son!" A man yelled out and another man agreed. They approached their children's pods to try to get them out, but Noah's Ark stopped them with ease. The pods sent volts of electricity through their bodies and forcing them to let go.
"You have no choice. For that I will let you hear your children as they panic and try to survive."
Jimmy groaned in pain as he stood, "I . . . there is a lot to explain, but we need to get into this level. We need to save all these kids. I'll explain as soon as I can. Okay Rachel?" She nodded dimly as her face was marked with indecision. Crying and smiling, but also tense with clear anger at him.
With the help of Shiho they successfully get the shell-shocked kids into the portal into 19th century London. The gas lamps lit the world around them as dusk settled into night. Amy spoke for the first time in several minutes, "Conan-I mean Jimmy," however she was cut off by a piercing scream.
He sends a sorrowful look her way, "We must go now guys! We must catch Jack the Ripper to save everyone!" Nodding to himself he ran towards the scream in hopes of catching Jack right then and there. Rachel blinked before running after him and the kids were still a little slow to react, but followed after them quickly.
Jimmy arrived on the scene just in time to see the shadowy form of Jack the Ripper make a run for it as a crowd began to gather. The lifeless body of his latest victim laying on the sidewalk. He wasted no time and ran after Jack, but the Ripper was too slippery and vanished from sight. Growling in frustration he headed back to the body to find everyone waiting on him.
Nearby two police officers were talking. "...go get Officer Lestrade..."
Jimmy paused for a few moments, "Lestrade...why does that name sound familiar..." He muttered to himself quietly.
"Lost track of him detective gee-" Shiho interrupted Rachel who seemed to be trying to make light of the situation.
"Don't Rachel. Don't even say that nickname. We have called him by his name enough as it is." She focused her gaze on Jimmy, "You never know if something will get back to them." Her eyes narrowed and brought her voice to a whisper. "It would be best if we continue calling him Conan while talking loudly. If we don't . . ."
Jimmy nodded as his gaze hardened, "Then living through this adventure will be the least of our worries. We must be careful. Even here." Rachel bit her lip and looked like she was going to say something when Jimmy spoke up. "We will explain, quietly that is, once we are not out in the open and have the time. Trust me Rachel." He smiled brightly, "you too guys." He looked at the Jr. Detective League and the three rich kids.
Finally reaching Baker street they knocked on the door of No. 221B. Mrs. Hudson gave them terrible news that Holmes and Watson were away. Noah's Ark had changed the date causing them to be away on the case of the Hound of Bakersville. Mrs. Hudson seemed to believe they were apart of the street urchins that occasionally helped Holmes. They felt no need to correct her since she was letting them into Holmes room.
Jimmy thought back to what Dr. Agasa and his father said before Noah's Ark locked them out and forced the bridge under them to collapse. "We're here, but without Sherlock we're in for a tough ride. Of that I'm certain." Jimmy grimaced before looking up and seeing Rachel and Amy looking at him. He sighed, "I suppose I should explain myself, but first we need to look around for clues. Holmes might not be here, but he surely has notes around her somewhere about Jack."
George was looking at the pictures around the fire place, "That looks a lot like someone." Mitch went to look as well.
He laughed, "It's Sherlock and Watson, but Watson looks like Dr. Agasa."
Rachel looked at it, "You're right and Sherlock looks like . . . Jimmy's dad." She sighed, "Of course he would. A mystery writer like Booker wouldn't be able to resist designing Holmes after himself." Jimmy couldn't help, but agree.
So they split up and searched the book shelves for Holmes notes on Jack the Ripper. They were coming up with nothing when Rachel finally found it. As it turns out the notebook mentions Sherlock being certain Moriarty is somehow involved with the Ripper. "We must find Moriarty it seems," Jimmy grimaced, "This just got far more dangerous."
"How are we supposed to find him? Professor Moriarty pulls his strings from the shadows. He doesn't often appear," Rachel frowned.
Jimmy grinned, "That part is simple enough. We go find Colonel Sebastien Moran. His right hand man."
"But how," Amy spoke up this time.
"Simple Amy," Shiho was the one who spoke this time, "we go to his headquarters. The Trump Club downtown." She looked at Amy, George, and Mitch, "How does the Jr. Detective League feel about having one last mission with their friends Vi and Conan?" She smiled sadly. "After all. I won't blame you if you stop being our friends after this is all over."
The Jr. Detective League looked at her shocked and all three shouted at once, "we wouldn't do that!"
"It will be hard for us, but . . ." Amy protested, but she looked at Jimmy and tried not to cry. "At least I know why now, " tears began to fall for real, "I know why Conan was in love with Rachel. Why Conan never looked at me like that." Jimmy coughed uncomfortably trying to hide his blush while Rachel stuttered out protests. George and Mitch glared at Jimmy in jealousy.
"What Amy is trying to say is that you're still Vi. Might be hard to adjust to know you aren't quite who we knew, but you are still our friend!" Mitch exclaimed with George nodded. Shiho laughed quietly and shook her head.
"I hope my body in the real world hasn't changed then. Or if it has it isn't permanent. Because honestly I wasn't sure if I ever wanted to return to normal. I was content growing up again . . . to start anew. After all there no one is left to worry about Shiho." The woman allowed herself a small smile at the idea of starting over. Even if it meant going back through puberty.
"Okay. Jr. Detective League," Jimmy winked at Rachel, "let's move out. Let's find Moriarty!"
Professor Moriarty is evil. They did find him last night after visiting the Trump Club, but due to Hideki they lost their friends. Amy, George, and Mitch were killed in-game. All who were left was Shiho, Jimmy, Rachel and Hideki. As it turns out Moriarty did sic Jack the Ripper onto London, but he wasn't listening any longer. So he wanted Jack to be taken care of just as much as everyone else.
Jack might not listen to him now, but he would still listen to a killing order from the professor. Unfortunately Moriarty, as the group found out the next morning, was as cunning as ever. The target he gave the Ripper was none other than Irene Adler. The one woman who Sherlock cared for. Which is why they were on their way to the opera to warn her.
"Rachel. I'm sorry. I promise to explain as much as I can about Conan soon. I was going to do it here, but with the kids gone then I will just have to explain it twice. Please wait a little while longer."
She nodded and whispered, "You better Jimmy. You have a lot to explain . . . and it better be good." Her eyes hardened and looked in his eyes, "If not I'll be forced to show you why you don't screw with a karate champions feelings!"
He gulped and paled slightly, "I had no choice." A mischievous grin appeared on his face and got close to her. "I promise," his lips lightly brushed the side of her cheek. A blush flared up on her face and she went on the defensive. Forcing him to back off playfully. "I've wanted to do that for too long."
They finally reached the opera house. Just outside of Irene's room Jimmy spoke, "One more thing. Since Sherlock was designed after Booker...Irene is sure to be designed after her." He gave Rachel a meaningful look, "After all. She was an actress once herself." With that he knocked on the door as he held a bouquet of flowers in his other hand.
"Please come in," a voice called out from inside. Jimmy was proven correct after they entered and Irene Adler stood up. The woman was very much a near replica of Jimmy's mother. So much so that Rachel almost couldn't stop her gasp of surprise.
Jimmy held out the flowers, "These are from Mr. Holmes." Irene took them and nodded.
"Thank you. Say where is Holmes," Irene asked as she held the flowers.
Rachel spoke up, "unfortunately he couldn't make it. He was looking forward to coming, but a case came up last minute and couldn't make it."
"I see...that is certainly unfortunate." She sighed, but then got a good look at Jimmy, "Strange. You look very similar to him. Though you are too old to be some forgotten child of his. Well it is said everyone has at least one doppelganger in the world. It just happens that Holmes knows one of his it seems." Jimmy laughed awkwardly at that.
"We don't have much time Ms. Adler. Moriarty has contracted Jack the Ripper to kill you here tonight! It seems he wants to see what Mr. Holmes would do if he found you killed."
Irene gave a small laugh, "I quite think that is something want to see for myself as well. You'll just have to protect me in Mr. Holmes place."
"You got her personality down perfectly, dad," Jimmy sighed, "She is just as unaffected here as she is in the real world." Shaking his head out of his thoughts he spoke, "We will if that is what you want."
As Irene sang bombs went off within the opera house. Shinya and Seichiro lost the game as they saved Irene's life from some lights that were falling from above the stage. They were escaping through the back as the opera house fell apart. Jimmy was leading them when he was standing in front of a statue about to fall on him. Shiho ran faster, "Look out!" Thanks to her long legs she was able to reach him faster. She tackled him. Knocking them both out of the way. She was breathing heavily as she realized if she was still a child there was no way either both of them would have survived past that statue. "We don't have our helping character, but we have you. You need to be more careful Kudo."
He nodded as they stood and ran the rest of the way out. Outside they ran through a nearby alleyway into a crowded street. As they exited Jack ran towards them, but Rachel used her karate knowledge to protect Irene. He dodged, but was forced to keep running. Rachel chased after him first followed by Shiho and Hideki. Jimmy stopped for a moment, "stay here. You will be safe with the police."
"Wait! I don't even know your name." She called out.
Pausing briefly, "Conan Edogawa." He replied as he refrained from using his real name as much as he wanted to. With that he ran to catch up to the others.
"I looked for fingerprints and a luminol reaction on the dagger earlier and found blood that matched Kashimura's. There were also fingerprints on it and those belonged to...President Schindler." Booker Kudo spoke even as he turned to look at the president of the company. Richard, Officer Santos, and Inspector Meguire all face him with shocked expressions.
"Of course they did. The bronze statues came from my home," Thomas Schindler responded confidently. Unfortunately for him everything started to unravel from there. Starting off with video proof that Hideki's fingerprints should be on the dagger thanks to accidentally knocking it off of the statue, but they weren't Then the fake dagger was found crumpled up in the basement trash. With only his and Hideki's on the fake dagger.
"If there is anyone's finger prints on the fake dagger other than those of the Moroboshi boy then that person must be the killer. Which proves you are the killer Mr. Schindler." Booker looked at him grimly.
On top of the train Jimmy was forced to dodge Jack the Ripper's dagger with no openings to return that attack. Neither Shiho or Hideki could get behind Jack to save Rachel either. So she was forced to stay where she was tied to Jack. "Jim-Conan! Watch out! Behind you!" Rachel called out. All of them were forced to dive onto their stomach's to dodge the tunnel entrance.
Jack came up to Jimmy and held him down. "This is the end," he smirked at Jimmy. Hideki runs up to Jack in an attempt to save Jimmy, but Jack easily forces Hideki to fly behind him.
"Hideki!" Rachel called out as he just barely managed to save himself, "Are you okay?"
"Somehow, but barely!"
Jimmy looked towards Shiho as she seemed to be contemplating trying the same, "Stay back Shiho! Losing you won't do any good right now!" Jimmy gritted his teeth as he tried to think of what to do.
"Now where should I start tearing you to pieces," Jack murmured horrifyingly.
"What should I do. What would YOU do Jimmy." Rachel panicked in her head when she suddenly remembered.
"There was one line Holmes said at that point that I really like. Do you know which one?" The memory echoed in her mind.
"I don't care..."
"It was this. 'If I could be assured of your destruction I would, in the interests of the public, cheerfully accept my death.'"
Jack raised his knife as Hideki called out, "Four eyes!"
"Conan! Remember Reichenbach Falls!"
Jimmy turned to her in shock, "She couldn't mean..." Her yell shocked Jack out of stabbing Jimmy.
"I'm sorry I couldn't stay with you till the end." She smiled bravely at him as she walked to the edge of the train.
"Damn it!" Jack's eyes widened frantically as he realized what she was about to do.
"Rachel! Don't!" Jimmy pleaded.
Her smile turned into a happy one as she began to cry a little, "I love you, Jimmy. I hope this isn't the last time I can say that." She smiled and jumped. Pulling the rope with her. Jack was about to cut the rope when Shiho reacted and took her chance.
"No you don't!" She growled and tackled Jack off the train. She smiled at Rachel and nodded to her as all three of them fell. "You can do it, Kudo. You'll save us." Rachel and Shiho disappearing into the light while Jack the Ripper fell to his death.
The Cocoon pods began to rise from inside the floor asfter several moments of agonized waiting for the crowd. Things finally settled down and when Jimmy's and Shiho's pods opened they were Conan Edogawa and Vi Graythorn once again. Though their clothes were in tatters. Apparently it hurt to transform because through electric shock Noah's Ark forced their real bodies to shift as well. On the plus side the fact it worked brought new possibilities to test for a permanent cure for the APTX-4869 for Vi and Dr. Agasa.
President Schindler was arrested and Noah's Ark shut itself down after the events that happened. As it turned out Noah's Ark ensured, as it seems it realized they were hiding for a reason, that those outside the game never heard them be called anything, but Conan and Vi. So thankfully no word about their survival will reach the Black Organization.
Author's Note 2: I skipped around some, but honestly if I tried to include as much as possible I don't know how long this would have been. Much longer than it is already. If I didn't include something it is really because it happens the same way it does in Case Closed: The Phantom of Baker Street. Though with that out of the way...I might just do an epilogue. Tell me if you want me to. Wouldn't be super long, but it would be Jimmy and Shiho explaining everything to Rachel and the Jr. Detective League...at least for the most part. Haha.
Please read and review. I would like to know what you think. Not much happened differently other than dialogue up until the Opera House blowing up, but that is fine. Hope you enjoyed my first Case Closed story! Who knows. I might do another one someday.