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Kameo 1: Eheheh I recently made friends with Cliff Hanger and boy is he a nice guy XD Regarding the second part of your review…it will be answered with this update!

Chic White: Oh, well I don't know. Why're you asking me anyways? I'm not the author I mean pfft (XD)

The Imagination World: Hmm…let's see about that shall we? Ahh I am pretty content with that description of the centipede woman *smiles*

Purpalz Miner: Haha never thought it would be that funny XD Got a lot of comments about our little friend Kushidochi heh heh

Theditor: *talking to Cliff Hanger* 'I don't think Theditor likes you.' 'Hm…Yeah.' 'Best to stay away from that guy, Cliff.' 'Yeah. Might kill me.'

LLL: Predictions predictions! They're always interesting ^^ Well I'm not going to spoil it here in the comments even though the truth follows right after….X) Thanks for reading!

Guest: Yay someone's excited XD Glad you like it~

Hshh: Kushidochi is getting a lot of attention XD ahh well thanks for reading!

Ok here goes!

XXX

"AH AH AH WAIT WAIT WAIT!" 'Kushidochi' slaps his hands over his ears and there's a big white explosion, enveloping the three people in the passageway in fog. There's quite some coughing, and then things clear up.

Ran opens her eyes to see 'Kushidochi' holding a photo of Shinichi next to his face, staring at the two 'invaders' with an exasperated expression.

"Look at this and at me!" he hisses, looking pointedly at the photo while jabbing his thumb at his chest. "We're not the same person, gentleman and lady." Ran observes the photo of her lover and the person standing in front of her, and then, sheepishly, realized their differences. While Shinichi had tame, neat hair this 'Kushidochi' had disheveled locks, sticking up in various directions. And although their faces looked about the same, Shinichi had a proud, confident face while this guy had mischievous and arrogant features, though not overboard.

"Ah…now that I think about it…" Hattori mutters, narrowing his eyes at 'Kushidochi'. "But if you're not Kudo who're ya?"

"I was trying to tell you guys when you started yelling and screaming at me!" 'Kushidochi' said, pulling at his ears for emphasis. "I knew you'd confused me with tantei-kun."

"Tantei-kun?" Ran asked, a little taken aback by the nickname. "Are you friends with Shinichi?"

"Ah, yeah I guess you can say that." he said, sweat-dropping. "Anyways, I'm Kuroba Kaito, and I'm just, you know, here for various reasons. But I'm guessing you're looking for that guy?"

"Hell yeah we are!" Hattori growled, not quite trusting Kaito. "And would ya mind clarifying your 'various reasons'? Not here cuz of some shady business are ya?" Kaito gulped, Hattori's suspicious glare slightly—just slightly—intimidating him.

"Ah…uh…" Kaito fidgeted, "Aw come on! I'll tell you but it's going to be for later! For the meantime just follow me! I'm gonna take you to that detective." Ran's heart skipped a little at the mention of meeting Shinichi. And it skipped not only because of her feelings, but also of nervousness. Shinichi had hidden himself down below in this little cave-like place for a reason—and by the scream she and Hattori had heard earlier, it was clear as day he was in serious trouble.

"Hattori-kun, I think we can trust him." Ran said, "He knew we were coming, too. Shinichi had sent that letter to you to notify us where he was, so I would be reasonable that he told people he expected us." Hattori, sighing, reluctantly agreed, and they started their walk in the passage that extended into darkness.

"So, mind telling us some background info?" Hattori asked, glancing at Kaito. Kaito hesitated, looking like he had just been asked if he would go to the prom with Hattori.

"I guess…I mean tantei-kun would probably like to tell you guys himself but he might not…be…able to." Ran turned her head to Kaito in a bewildered manner. Not be able to?

Hattori looked at him in the same manner, in which Kaito responded with a shrug.

"Well, to start off with, were you guys both there in that fire in which tante—I mean Conan-kun disappeared?" Kaito asked, fumbling a little.

"I mean, we were outside the house watching…" Ran trailed off, remembering back to the vivid painting. So lively, were all the colors—lively celebrating destruction.

"Ah, and that's when things happened." Kaito said, closing his eyes. "That's also the time in which tantei-kun went off. Went off for some serious business. That business involved concerned me, so naturally I went along. But…in…order to finish off that serious business, tantei-kun had to pay a price. But it only involved him, I didn't need to. So now tantei-kun is….paying that price I guess." Hattori was a little silent, his wide eyes indicating he knew, at least a little, what Kaito was saying. But Ran didn't—she didn't understand what 'serious business meant, or what 'price' meant. Shinichi had mentioned that 'price' in the note he sent.

"Wait, Kuroba-san, what do you mean by 'serious business'?" Ran asked, desperate for an answer. She couldn't understand why Hattori knew—and why she was clueless. Was there a secret? Something kept between Hattori and Kaito and Shinichi?

"Tantei-kun would like to explain to you in person about that, Mouri-san." Kaito said, smiling lightly. It was a smile that only skipped over his mouth, so slight it didn't really convey any feelings to Ran. And Ran wanted to know—know what this all meant, what this all contained, what secret.

What truth.

"Neh, Kuroba-san, is Shinichi…is Shinichi hurt or in pain?" Ran whispered, staring down the passageway. Kaito whipped his head to her in surprise and in alarm—as if she just said that she knew he was some sort of thief-magician, like Kaito Kid. But of course, that couldn't possibly be—he was just this normal kid involved in this chaotic situation, right?

"Why…" Kaito started, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face. "Why would you think that?"

"I mean, we just heard that scream earlier. And it sounded like Shinichi." Ran said, "I mean, unless it was you…"

"It wasn't me!" Kaito cried indignantly, clearly shaken up.

"Then it was Shinichi right?" Ran urged, staring boldly into Kaito's eyes. "Tell me! If you won't tell me what happened to him, tell me if he's hurt! I just want to know if he's ok…" Her last sentence took on a sad tone, her face obviously expressing her emotions.

Kaito stayed silent, eyes focused on Ran. He couldn't shake the fact that Aoko and Ran looked so alike, and because of that he wanted to tell her the truth so bad. Spill all he knew onto the stage before them, reveal everything under the lights that poured onto the platform. But he knew that wasn't his right—it was tantei-kun's, and he deserved to be the one who told her. About everything that happened to him.

Kaito sighed, heavily, and said, "Mouri-san, I would love to tell you. But in this situation I cannot be the one to tell you that." And, after another moment of silence, he whispered, "This time, it would be Kudo Shinichi who will say…" he looked at the two of them, serious

"Show Time."

And, indeed, Kudo Shinichi called 'Show Time'.

With a screaming, spine chilling howl that echoed through the passageway.

XXX

Oh God.

My legs are hollering at me to stop. Complaining and complaining and COMPLAINING.

It's so goddamn annoying.

I ran in the darkness, feet pounding and pounding and pounding on the ground below me, my eyes barely making out anything.

But my mind was very clear on one thing—that I had to get to Kudo. That scream—that wasn't any ol' scream. That was Kudo's scream, and when Kudo screamed, it didn't mean anything good.

When it sounded through the passageway, it was very loud, and it was horribly scary. Like I was in a horror movie. And in that instant I felt like I was. In a horror movie. I had dropped the flashlight, like an idiot, and I started running—running so fast I wasn't even running anymore, I was zippin' through the tunnel with the speed of light. Behind me, I had heard the sound of running feet, like mine.

And even now I hear it, along with the howl of the air rushing at my face.

KUDO!

My feet catch onto something and I trip, face plant myself on the hard stone. My face hurt, especially my nose, and as I scramble back up I glance backwards and see the dim glow of the flashlight bobbing. So nee-chan and that Kaito guy had picked it up.

I feel around the ground to find the thing that tripped me, and I feel something of strange texture. My fingers find their way into two holes, fairly large, and I pull it up. What is it? I squint hard, and feel around. My fingers find another hole, kind of like a triangle, and further down, a mass of strange teeth like stones.

Something hits me, and I feel around again. My heart drops to my stomach as I realize what tripped me, and what I was holding.

It was a skull.

Cursing and yelping, I throw the skull away from me, and I hear it thump against the soil walls. Why did I need to find that? This situation was enough like a horror movie to me. There was no need to add emphasis.

"H..Ha..Hattori…kun…" I hear nee-chan panting and breathing behind me, a clear indication that she was tired. Very, very tired. And along with her pants, I heard the heavy breaths of Kaito too.

"What…did….you…you find…." Nee-chan asked, jogging the last bit over to me and collapsing on the floor. A mask of Tiredness covered her face, making her features both bright and dull.

"A…skull…" I answer, pointing to the ghostly, dirty skull rolled to the side. Nee-chan's hands flew up to her face, eyes scared and terrified. Kaito just panted some more, wiping sweat off his face with his shirt.

"That…Must be...his father…." Kaito panted, shaking his head. "Heard that…that guy…who lived here…took his…fathers corpse…and dissected it…that…must…be one of…his doings…" nee-chan edged away from the skull, hands curled up in fists.

"…that guy…" I heaved myself up, wobbling, wiping off sweat from my chin. "I always hated him." Nee-chan was quiet, head turned away.

"Let's keep going." Kaito said, swallowing and then panting some more. "Almost there. It was such a pain to get there the first time. It's still a pain now." The corner of my mouth curved up in a screwed up smiled, almost evil.

"A pain…that's an understatement." I said. Kaito just chuckled.

XXX

We walked last time.

That guy was too weak to run, and we had to support him as we walked. It took hours and hours to get to the Space, so long I wasn't sure if time was still going. That maybe it had stopped, run out.

It was a fresh thing to see Tantei-kun so vulnerable, unable to walk for long by himself. Which was why it shocked me the time he'd walked to that detective agency and back. He hadn't told anyone, and got a good scolding after.

He was usually so cocky, proud, confident whenever I saw him on my heists. He looked like that even when he was physically just a kid.

There was a kind of fondness that overcame me whenever I saw him on my heists. To be honest, I was fond of the challenges he brought along with him. Nakamori keibu was just too easy to fool.

But he made me panic too—sometimes I almost get caught, and then, by nothing short of a miracle, I get away—and always as majestic as I could, too. As majestic as I could when the motorcycle I was riding on exploded, anyways.

So, naturally, as enemies, I was fairly surprised when he came to me for help. And even more surprised that he knew I was Kuroba Kaito—scared the you-know-what out of me!

But he was all nice about it, said he wouldn't tell if I helped him. I went along with it, not only because of what I would get if this plan of his succeeded, but also because of his voice at that time.

It sounded so…uneasy. Almost as if he was defeated before he even started a game. It made me kind of sympathetic, so I agreed. He'd answered me with a semi-pleased respond, and then hung up before I could say 'bye'.

Not that I was really planning to—at that time, and now.

Before I had went half way back to see if any guests have arrived, I had been in the Space with Tantei-kun, and the sight of hi alarmed me. Pale, sickly, feverish—a bad combination in one person at the same time.

The scientist had been very frustrated, snapping at me like a mother to a child. It kind of made sense anyways—she's a year older than me, anyways.

She was mixing and pouring and making these strange formulas I didn't even know were formulas, while glancing at Tantei-kun with this strange look in her eyes.

Like he was going to die any moment.

And maybe he was—is.

It was a scary thing, since he looked like me—so similar we looked like twins, except for microscopic differences. I had wondered a lot of times if I would look like this when I'm dying, writhing and sweating and dreaming nightmares so horrible you'd rather slit your throat and move on to the other world.

The ironic thing is that this place seems like the other world—so dark and mysterious, and of bad deeds.

Like that skull we just found—the skull of the father of that guy who lived here. Feels like a haunted house, with that thing rolling around in here.

Right now, sprinting like hellhounds are biting our heels behind us, I crave to just flop onto the floor and pass out. For a couple days.

But the thought is forgotten when I spot what is in front of me.

Light.

XXX

I can't believe it.

Light!

We're here! Finally!

Although my whole body is screeching at me to fall flat onto the ground and lay there for a few decades, I push on, eyes reflecting the dim light ahead.

I hear Hattori-kun whoop in relief, along with Kuroba-san's groans.

But I just keep on breathing, panting, coughing.

My eyes are doing all the work—jumping, screaming, laughing.

We near the light, and we slow down our speed. We, the three of us, are in an even worse condition than we were when we stopped at the skull.

"F…F…Fina…Finally!" Hattori-kun cries, throwing his arms up in the air in relief and exasperation. I shake my head, slowly, trying to shake off my fatigue. Kuroba-san chuckles this strange laugh, like "Kekeke", as I reach my hand out to touch the glowing bulb glued onto a wooden door.

The bulb is steaming hot, but I keep my hand there, as my eyes roam the wooden door. It was fairly old, and rotten, and slathered with moss. There was a tiny window a little up the top, in which I guess is a makeshift 'peek scope'.

Shinichi is behind this door.

I take a deep breath to calm myself, and steady my heart rate, which is way high due to both the running and my nerves.

"Let me go in first." Kuroba-san says, walking forwards and knocking. There a little, almost inaudible shuffling from inside the room, and then a metallic creak. After that, the window is opened, and one violet eye looks out. It seemed kind of blue and green also, a strange but mysterious blend of colors.

The eye visibly widens and the wooden door is shoved open, in which Kuroba-san earns a good bruise to his nose.

"Kuroba-san! Mouri-san! Hattori-san!" a young lady comes out, looking a little older than me, with a head of light brown hair. Though presently she has a worried expression on her face, she had a calm and collected feel to her. A white lab coat covered her, and under she wore a wine-red dress.

"Hm? Ahhhh!" Hattori-kun cried, "You're that little nee-chan!" she glared at Hattori-kun, of which he shut his mouth fairly quickly.

"Um, do you know us?" I asked, a little surprised she knew our names. She looked at me with a new sort of look, as if she had looked at me with different eyes before.

"Yes. Might you remember the girl Haibara Ai?" she asked, "I am her sister. For the meantime anyways."

Her last sentence surprised me. What could that mean?

"Anyways, come in." she said, stepping back hastily and pulling the door wide open. "Kudo-kun is in, but he isn't quite expecting you." She said, and it seems, particularly to me. "I know you'll understand when you see him." There was a painful feel to her last words.

Nodding, I entered the room. It was dark also, but with a couple desk lamps here and there, and my eyes were snapping everywhere to look for Shinichi.

I noticed a figure in the bed—a bed so shabby it felt like it'll collapse any minute, with blankets as dirty as a dog who'd just romped around in mud.

But those things…didn't matter.

For I was more concerned about the person in that dastardly bed, and when I saw his face, I froze.

He looked so pale.

So feverish.

So in pain.

I was so caught up in the feelings that I didn't register whose face it was.

And a moment later when I did, I couldn't believe it.

It was Shinichi.

XXX

This is so long I don't even know how I even wrote this much. For ONE CHAPTER! But I mean I guess it's reasonable, since this is almost like the climax. OK, this is little Cliff Hanger again. I think some people out there would kill me if I don't break off this friendship soon. I'm sorry, Cliff. This is for my safety…

Anyways hope you liked it…and…

See you sometime in the future!

Thanks for reading!