Busy week. But never fear, because the new chapter is here! I think Ayumi's going to grow up even more cunning than Ran, don't you think? xD

Chapter Two

Two days later

"And that's why we know you're the murderer!" Minami proclaimed, pointing directly at the stunned suspect.

The man fell to the ground. "It's all her fault! All I did was fansub ONE American cartoon, and she was blackmailing me, threatening to turn me in to the police for piracy! I couldn't take it anymore, so I killed her!"

"I've heard enough," said Inspector Yamamura, motioning to two officers. They cuffed the suspect and walked him away. He turned to the Detective Boys, who were busy gathering up the equipment from the demonstration of the trick. "That was amazing, uh, what was your name again?"

"Minami, Yamamura-keiji," said Minami, grinning.

"It's keibu, young lady," said Yamamura, ticked off.

Agasa had taken the Detective Boys camping in Gunma again, and as per the usual, the campsite had been flooded and they had stayed in a nearby inn. Then a murder occurred, which Minami had solved with 'help' from the Detective Boys. After using Agasa for the majority of the deduction, Minami had come out and used a kid-friendly tone to subdue the killer.

'It was almost like Conan-kun was here again,' Ayumi said to herself as she returned the stuff to the storeroom in the back of the inn. 'It was remarkably creepy. I know Minami-chan said they act alike, but no brother and sister act that much alike. Mitsuhiko-kun and his sister don't act alike. Sonoko-neechan and her sister don't act alike. So why should Conan-kun and Minami-chan act so much alike? I've got to find out what's going on!'

"Oi, Ayumi!" said Genta loudly, cutting through her thoughts. "The innkeeper's going to make us a rewarding dinner for helping solve the murder. What do you want?"

"Curry!" said Ayumi, becoming happy again. She resolved to try to figure out what was going on as soon as possible.

XXX

The next weekend, Haibara and Minami went to Agasa's house after school again, and Ayumi determined to follow them. She had noticed the two of them becoming increasingly close over the last few weeks, and it made her feel left out. It wasn't like Conan, where she had Haibara's word that it was nothing romantic. She knew they were just friends, and the constant arguments between them helped cement that feeling. Now, she didn't have to worry about a romantic rival, but a friendship rival. She had worked hard over the past half year to befriend Ai Haibara, and she felt threatened by the new girl coming in and shoving her out of the way.

That was how she found herself eavesdropping at the basement window. She had 'borrowed' Minami's sunglasses, and now she was using the built in receiver to listen in to the bug she'd planted on Minami earlier in the day.

"Any progress?" asked Minami hopefully.

"No more so than normal," said Haibara, donning a white lab coat and going over to a lab table. "Are you sure it's wise letting that guy stay on as Mouri-san's apprentice? What if he tries something again?"

"Well, he won't try anything on you again in a hurry," said Minami. "Mom and I managed to allay his suspicions for the time being. I kind of…blackmailed Kid into helping."

"Right. The Blush Mermaid heist was the last time you saw him," said Haibara. Then she giggled in a very un-Haibara-ish way.

"What, Haibara?" asked Minami darkly. Ayumi noted the use of 'Haibara' again instead of 'Ai-chan' that Minami usually used.

"Oh, it's just that whenever you meet Kid again, I want to be there to see the look on his face."

"Here we go," said Minami, rolling her eyes. She still wasn't used to Haibara's random personality changes.

"What, Sakura-san?" asked Haibara innocently, although she was smirking evilly as she mixed various powders.

"Drop it, Haibara," said Minami warningly. "Or I'll impersonate Gin and call the number."

"You wouldn't dare," said Haibara, her tone going icy at once. She glared at Minami. "If you go for that phone, I swear I'll tase you." She took her hands out of her pockets and took on a defensive stance.

"How can you tase me without a taser?" asked Minami curiously.

"I'm a biologist," said Haibara. "I'm very well aware of how the human body works, and how much force I need to apply on a pressure point to knock out an opponent. Or I could kick you in the head with some martial arts I learned in the Organization. Either way, I'll come out on top."

"Want a go, then?" asked Minami. As Conan, he would've called his bluff and backed off long before now, but now, as a girl, she couldn't back down from a challenge posed by a fellow girl, especially one that could threaten her so calmly.

"Bring in," said Haibara, tossing the lab coat into a chair. Ayumi watched through the window in amazement as the two girls circled each other like lions. Both brows were furrowed in concentration. Then, at almost the exact same time, they jumped at each other. The sound of the wrestling girls and the squealing drew Agasa to the basement in less than two minutes.

"Come on, break it up!" he said angrily, pulling them apart. He held Minami in one hand and Haibara in the other. Both stopped fighting at once. "Ai-kun, what's gotten into you lately?" he asked. "It's like you're a completely different person!"

"He started it," she said quietly. She dropped to the floor and began brushing dust off her clothes.

Agasa brought Minami up to eye level. Minami was squirming to be let down, but Agasa wasn't having any of that. "It's you, isn't it? Ever since you changed, you've been giving Ai-kun nothing but grief. I can't work on my inventions with you two arguing like girls down here! And today it's a catfight! Well, I've had it! You're not coming over here without the other kids along until Ai-kun gets that antidote made."

Ayumi realized that Agasa had carried Minami out of the room when she heard a door slam. Ayumi snuck out the back gate and went home, her young mind attempting to process all she'd overheard.

XXX

When Ayumi showed up at the Detective Agency, Ran knew at once something was up. She'd seen the look on Ayumi's face so many times in the mirror, she was sure Ayumi would be talking about Conan. She was therefore surprised when Ayumi didn't.

"Minami-chan?" asked Ran in surprise. "What do you mean there's something 'not quite right'?"

"Minami-chan acts a lot like Conan-kun is all," said Ayumi. "I don't really know how else to say it. Have you ever seen a brother and sister act so much alike?"

"Conan-kun was like a mini-Shinichi," Ran remarked. "I guess I'm too used to Conan to recognize that she was acting so similarly."

"There's something else, too," said Ayumi, looking down at the floor. "I think Ai-chan likes Minami-chan more than me."

"I'd noticed that, too," said Ran. "That is a bit mean to leave you out. How about I talk to them?"

But Ayumi shook her head. "Minami-chan and Ai-chan got in a fight earlier, so Hakase kicked Minami-chan out. I don't want to be mean to Ai-chan, but I want to stay friends with all both of them. Do you have any suggestions?"

Just then the door opened and Minami walked in, her eyes downcast. When she saw Ayumi and Ran, she suddenly wished she was somewhere else, anywhere else. "Did you have fun with Ai-chan?" Ran asked suddenly, making Minami wince.

"We got in trouble for making too much noise," she said quietly, taking a seat on the couch beside Ayumi. "Where's occhan?" she asked.

"Either at mahjong or at the horse races," said Ran irritably. "I came home and found a note saying he was out."

Minami saw no importance in this information and turned to Ayumi. "So, what are you doing here, Ayumi-chan?"

"I came to return your sunglasses!" said Ayumi, taking them out of her pocket and giving them back. Then she got an evil thought. She leaned in close and whispered, "I, uh, accidently turned them on half an hour ago. Did you know you left the bug in your pocket? Poor Ai-chan." Then she got up and headed for the door, waving at Ran and a white-faced Minami.

And it only gets better from here! Don't cross an angry girl. Need I say more? I've got a test tomorrow and I'm working Saturday so I dunno when I'll post the next chapter. It'll be within a week though. I PROMISE not to leave any more five month gaps. :P