~Authors Note~
LadyS here. Hello and welcome to chapter 6 of Moonlight Reflections! This chapter is the first fully co-written chapter with Mist and I sharing about 50-50. Much thanks to Mist as always for her beta skills ;) I hope you all enjoy! :) Thanks for the over 2000 views and nearly 50 follows! It's really appreciated!
~AN2~
Hello, everyone! Mist here! Glad to see your all enjoying the story, and sticking with all the confusion this story presents… We're clearing it up! Slowly, but surely. Are you guys enjoying slowly discovering everything? Anyway, thank you all (and LadyS for her wonderful contributes to all of these chapters) and enjoy! :D
~Disclaimer: Neither of us own DC/MK all properties belong to original owner!~
~^.v.^~
It had been so long since he'd had a nightmare like this. It was the one recurring one that had truly struck his heart every time, causing him to panic. He had never let it show, that this dream terrified him so, at least not when he woke up.
He could almost feel the heat of the flames that were engulfing the room, licking at the edges of the window he had been thrown out of that time. His breath was coming out in fast gasps, his chest squirming with grief, for he still couldn't help but feel that it was himself who had killed that person.
Trembles coursed down his spine. However, Conan couldn't move an inch. His feet were frozen to the ground. He couldn't run, and he couldn't move towards the flames to save him, and he cursed himself for it. He should be able to go save Seiji, do what he couldn't do long ago, undoing his wrong. Yet, he was just a useless block of ice, and not even the hungry inferno could melt him.
"Kamisama…" The voice sounding next to him was barely a whisper, filled with dread and sorrow. Conan could almost feel the person next to him shifting, plopping down to the ground and by the light shuffling sound shaking his head. Though he could barely recognize the voice in his foggy, panicked state, he felt strangely aware of the person who was suddenly next to him. "Oh dear Kamisama… what is this? Why is this?"
Hearing the weak voice again, Conan realized who it was. But why should he be here. Kaito hadn't been here during this case, this haunting, traumatizing, despairing case. Yet, here he was, sitting on the ground on his knees, ears presumably flat, and tail fur doubtlessly bristling. In a sense, Kaito seemed even more fearful and depressed than Conan was, though he was hiding it well. Did he always stifle his feelings like this?
Conan found himself staring into space clearing his mind for a few moments, trying to collect his thoughts. He didn't even notice when the presence beside him shifted to be in front of him. It was only after he felt himself being shook, Kaito suddenly in his face, expression cool and calm, only his eyes showing his panic. Conan looked at him blankly for a second, not processing that there were words coming out of Kaito's mouth.
"...is anyone in there? How did we get here? Shinichi, what the hell is going on?" The sound snapped on. Conan dropped his jaw, then clicked it shut, placing his forehead in his palm as he took a few deep breaths. He then looked up at Kaito, who had seemingly calmed down a bit. In reality, his fear was growing on the inside, taking over all his senses. Conan furrowed his brow. Why in the world could he feel Kaito's emotions, and movements as if he himself were Kaito?
"Oi, Shinichi! Answer me!" Kaito's voice broke in through Conan's thought train, bringing him back down to earth.
"I… there is someone in there. And it's my fault. It's my fault he's dead, and damn it Kaito, I couldn't save him. I killed him." Conan didn't quite know what drove him to tell Kaito that. Maybe it was because he could sense all of Kaito's panic and distress, maybe it was because he himself couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't take the guilt that he had left Seiji Asoh alone. He wanted Kaito to help him, despite how much he also despised that he had sunk so low as to need any help.
Music started playing in the background, coming from all directions. The sad, wallowing music of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Haunting the area, surprisingly filled with no one but Kaito and Conan. Like a ghost of the past, the piano notes echoing through the otherwise silent area.
Conan's eyes had flown shut as soon as the music started, and he suddenly felt queasy. He could feel Kaito still in front of him, freezing at the sound of the forlorn music. It was almost like magic, terrible, poignant, black magic.
"You didn't kill him, okay?" Kaito's voice shattered the music, the silence, everything. Suddenly, all his fear and sadness was replaced with resolve, though the emotions did linger.
Conan opened his eyes slowly, blinking into Kaito's giant, indigo orbs. They were filled with strength, with the will to go on. However, they were also filled with that look someone got when they had seen too much, things that still haunted them to this very day.
Conan didn't respond, not knowing how to.
After a minute, Kaito continued. "I know you didn't kill him, because you're not that kind of person. There was nothing you could have done to save him, and yet, you tried your best. You did everything you could, and that's what counts. You can't let it destroy you, not now, not ever."
Conan's breath caught in his throat, and he forced himself to give a tiny nod. Kaito's words were still echoing in his head, causing a buzzing sensation. He gulped, trying to force a smile. His face didn't respond, however, and his expression remained stony.
Kaito furrowed his brow, biting his lip, and looking a bit disappointed. "Whelp, apparently my inspirational speech didn't work, then. On to plan B."
From there, Kaito grabbed Shinichi's hand, forcing a smile as he dragged the shrunken detective away from the Autumn-colored flames.
Conan stumbled along, his legs not fully functioning. He watched the forest whirring past him, moving in a blur even though they were the ones running.
Kaito stopped, whipping around to face Conan. "There." He wore a bright grin on his shrunken face, his tail swishing back and forth excitedly.
Conan looked around, his own face lighting in surprise.
Right before him was a lake, waters calm as they reflected hoards of dotted lights, produced by millions of fireflies. In the background was the dark shadow of a tall building, fireworks shooting off from the roof. It was a marvelous scene, the fireflies bouncing around in the air, and the building where he had first met Kid in the background.
He was filled with a sense of serenity, his heartbeat calming and his breath slowing. Kaito was experiencing the same as he stood next to Conan, admiring the scene. The magician's tiny child hands were folded behind his back, and his tail fur smooth.
A firefly danced onto Conan's shoulder, wings fluttering as it came to a rest. Conan gazed at its glowing beauty for a second, then turned his eyes back to the scenery, all reflected magnificently in the lake. It was a scene that stole his breath away, taking it right from his lungs.
Conan slowly turned towards Kaito after what seemed like an eternity of peaceful quiet.
"Feel better?" Kaito asked, returning the look with a grin.
Before Conan got a chance to respond, the whole place vanished, sinking into darkness. He felt a wave of sorrow that the scene was gone, but that washed away as quickly as the scene had gone to the darkness.
His eyes peered open, and he turned over in the bed of an unfamiliar place to face Kaito, who was already looking with indigo eyes at Conan still dressed in full KID regalia.
The shrunken detective blinked, furrowing his brows. "Did...did you seriously fall asleep in that ridiculous outfit?"
~^.V.^~
"Good morning to you too, Tantei-kun!" Kaito said with a stretch, deciding to ignore the inquiry. Normally he would come up with a more suitable quip on the detective's behalf, but honestly he was feeling rather distracted at the moment.
His brain was still buzzing with the remnant's of the strange dream he had just had. It had started out so much like a nightmare. Though one he hadn't had in quite some time.
Perhaps it was this room, and thoughts of his father that had spurned the dream, but there was certainly something strange about it. For one, Shinichi had been there, and he had been going on about someone named "Seiji". He could remember doing his best to comfort the detective, as well as calm his own strange emotional chaos.
He had reacted on instinct, taking what little control he could of the situation, and fleeing from the cause of the chaos. It had lead to some rather...interesting results. The images were slowly beginning to fade from his mind, but he could still just barely see them dancing around him as if he could just reach out and touch them.
He heard a gasp from beside him as something small and bright landed on his shoulder. Was that a... firefly? Kaito found himself blinking as a few more joined it, floating aimlessly in front of both he and Conan.
Kaito stood there watching them, confused. He sent a brief look over Conan's way, noticing his sky blue eyes wide and wonder-filled as the shrunken detective watched the fluttering bugs. Were they still dreaming? He glanced at the room around him. They were in KID's lair, the same place where they had both fallen asleep last night. It certainly felt real.
He reached out timidly, trying to touch one of the fireflies only for it disappear alongside the rest of them. Well, that was interesting. He glanced back over at the detective, who seemed just as lost as he was. So, not a dream then. Could this have had something to do with either of their magic?
"Tantei-kun, do you remember any of your dream last night?" Kaito tilted his head to the side curiously.
Conan blinked back at him. "Uh, yeah, I guess so...the images are a bit foggy, but I remember a fire, and then a forest, and some sort of lake… with fireflies." Once again there were small twinkling lights that appeared before both Kaito and Conan, but they faded much more quickly this time.
Kaito bit his lip, holding back a gasp. Had he and Shinichi really just had the same dream? This was just bizarre on so many levels. Then there were those strange "after images" that kept appearing. Judging by the look on Conan's face, he was just as confused as he was. So there could be only one explanation then. Magic.
Unfortunately after the incident with Akako yesterday, Kaito had no more desire to talk to the witch and try and get more information. in fact he was rather determined to stay as far away as possible from her. But who else did he know who could possibly explain what just happened?
His mother? Tried that. It didn't work last time, and somehow he doubted that it would be any different if he tried to contact her again now. Jii? No it was unlikely he had any real information to give him either. It was hard to say how much the old man knew about all this, and he had been rather clamp jawed in the past. Plus it would probably just cause him unnecessary worry.
Well he could try and search the library or the web for the information, but that wasn't always reliable. It was a start, but he wasn't sure he wanted to gamble on it just yet. 'We're really running low on options here…' Kaito thought to himself.
"You're right, there really aren't a lot of viable options. We probably could try contacting my parents again. Though, I can't say they would be honestly willing to tell us anything either." Kaito was broken from his thoughts as Conan spoke up.
It took his brain a minute to process before he nodded, shrugging. "Worth a shot...I mean we really don't have a lot of other…" Kaito blinked, something suddenly registering in his mind. "Err, Shinichi...how exactly did you know what I was thinking about?"
Conan blinked back at him, looking somewhat confused. "Huh? You just went through a whole bunch of options for finding out about this magic stuff didn't you?"
Kaito shook his head. "No. I didn't say anything. I was thinking about our options, but I certainly didn't say that I was thinking about such things. The last thing I said was asking you about what you dreamed about."
"But I clearly just heard you say 'we're really running low on options here'." Conan replied. "Are you sure you didn't just say that?"
'No, but I thought it.' Kaito thought to himself, making sure the shrunken detective noticed his mouth wasn't moving in the least, and suddenly he saw Conan visibly flinch.
"Telepathy...interesting." Kaito smirked a bit at this, though in truth he was a bit unnerved. If the young detective could read his thoughts, how much else did he know? "What other powers are you hiding in that brain of yours, Tantei-kun?" Kaito said aloud, only half to himself.
Conan shook his head. "I don't know, as I said, my parents may know something. And please stop being so nervous, Kaito. I may not be able to control this...ability of mine, but so far, all I've heard is your current thoughts. I can't see any further into your mind...yet."
Kaito did visibly relax a bit, though in his mind he began to place several makeshift barriers to keep Shinichi out. For all the good it would do. Neither one of them knew exactly how this magic was working.
For all he knew, Shinichi could have already seen something he wasn't supposed to. Not that he had a lot of secret's left in the first place that Shinichi didn't already know. However, that didn't change the fact that Shinichi freely peeking into his mind whenever he felt didn't seem right to Kaito.
"So then...we call your parents?" Kaito asked aloud, trying to keep his inner thoughts to a minimum.
Conan nodded. "After breakfast. Though, I doubt they will have all the answers. I'm honestly curious. Your witch mentioned a magic block yesterday, and obviously they know exactly why it was put there. I have no memory of it being placed on me, which stands to reason its been there for some time. I plan to find out how long, and for what reason, one way or another." Conan wore a determined expression as he balled his hands into fists.
Kaito did his best to hide a shutter. He knew what the tiny tantei was capable of when determined. He had seen it first hand enough times both on himself and other less reputable criminals. Granted, he seemed to recall a vague memory of Shinichi's parents being rather intimidating individuals themselves, but that mattered little in this case. "Alright. Breakfast first, then we call them."
~^.V.^~
After a swift breakfast, Conan and Kaito headed back up to Kaito's room. Conan grabbed up his cell phone, which was using Kaito's charger on the desk, and unlocked it. He went to contacts, going straight to his father's, and dialing it. As the phone rang, Conan put it on speaker, so Kaito, who was behind him, could hear the conversation as well.
"Shin-chan~~~!" There came the loud squeal of his mother, causing Kaito's fur to stand on end for a mere second before the magician calmed himself. Conan cringed a bit, realizing that his powers must be working without his will once more, as he could perfectly picture Kaito behind him. That could also be their familiar connection, though... he wasn't quite sure.
"What was all that yesterday? You called, not even giving me a chance to answer before you went on a quick rant about how 'I need you to cover for me' and 'I'm traveling with Shinichi, as Conan, with you'. I couldn't even pick up most of what you said! You're lucky I got the important things, I think." Yukiko didn't sound happy in the least, her voice accusing. Conan cringed, biting his lip. Right, that.
"That would be my fault," Kaito broke in, with a slight cough announcing his presence. Conan raised his brow towards him, holding back a laugh.
"Sh-Shinichi?" Yukiko sounded completely and utterly dumbfounded. Then, her voice returned to accusing. "Very funny, using your bowtie to freak me out… Are you in some sort of malicious mood?"
"Not really." Conan sent a grin towards Kaito. "I mean, my bowtie isn't even with me at the moment. I left it downstairs. Not that I can really offer you any proof."
"We could always…" Kaito paused, gesturing towards his head. Conan nodded, furrowing his brow. Nothing came through. He shook his head. Kaito shrugged, mouthing the words to Conan, who nodded, then held up his fingers one at a time. Once he held up a third one, they spoke in unison.
"Talk at the same time." Conan could just imagine his mother's face at the moment. He half hoped his dad was around too, as this was a very nice form of revenge for all that they'd done to him.
"Are you getting Haibara to help you or something? The Hakase?" Yukiko seemed to be desperately trying to figure out what was going on, her voice frustrated, with a hint of amusement.
"Nope," Kaito said smoothly.
"Alright boys, that's enough." And in came Yusaku, obviously already knowing what was going on. His voice wasn't at all angry, nor was it particularly happy, either. In fact, it just seemed grim.
There was a bit of whispering on the other side of the phone. Then, Yusaku spoke again; "Go ahead and explain this to me. I've already got the gist of it I assure you, but some more detail would be nice. Especially on how my son's magic got released."
Kaito and Conan remained silent, glancing toward each other. Briefly, Conan questioned how his father so obviously knew a lot about what had happened over the past three days, but in the end, he shook the thought away. It really didn't matter all that much how he knew it, it just mattered that he did indeed know it.
Kaito was the first one to speak up. "A witch friend of mine, Akako, released it with Shinichi's consent. We went to see her due to my own seal breaking."
"I see…" There was that 'what have you done?' edge to Yusaku's voice. Conan could feel his judgemental expression from the other end of the phone, boring deeply into him. He had never heard, nor seen, his father this serious.
There was then a sigh of defeat on the other end of the phone. "Well, I guess what's done is done. We'll just have to work with this. I'm sure you want some sort of explanation for all this, as well. In exchange, I expect your cooperation in this matter. I'm sure you can understand the value of secrets, isn't that right...Kaito."
Conan could sense the tingles going up Kaito's spine at that. Conan was just about starting to think that he'd never really known his father like he'd thought he had, the mellow mystery novelist that just enjoyed travelling with his wife and playing the occasional prank. Now that he thought about it, his image of his father had always been rather shallow. They had never really had that deep of a connection, after all. Conan hadn't really ever minded that, at least, not until now.
"Well, I can't give you all of what you want, I think you're already aware. But, I can at least elaborate a little, so let's get on with it," Yusaku's voice just sounded a bit tired now. "I'll start from the beginning. Shinichi," Conan made sure he was listening carefully, "you come from an ancient race of mind-magic users, one which goes by a name that nearly no one carries anymore. Kudo is a pen name, which I created on the spot. Our true surname is Mahori, named after our brand of magic. At least, that's the closest translation in Japanese. No one knows what the surname originally was at this point."
Conan and Kaito gave each other impressed looks, Kaito giving Conan a teasing bow. Conan glowered at him, huffing.
"As you already know, Kaito is your familiar, which, believe it or not, we actually discovered when you were around three years old. That was before we were able to rid you of your magic, clearing you of any memory of ever having it."
Conan gave Kaito a surprised glance, which was returned. They had met before all this, when they were three? And they had become bonded through the familiar relationship then? This was news to them.
"We had a good reason for ridding of your magic. A few, actually. Unfortunately, I can't reveal to you any of the reasons that you would like to hear, only ones that would sound as feeble excuses," Yusaku went on, taking a deep breath as he finished up his explanation, "and I'm afraid that's all I can give you at the moment. Just know that we did everything we did for a reason, Shinichi."
Conan was unsatisfied with this explanation, of course, but he had expected this kind of thing. At least his father had been able to give him a bit more on his magic type, and the origins of his magic. He just had one question… "So, how do I learn to control this magic of mine?"
Yusaku took a moment to answer. "That's a tricky question. I had wished to be the one to teach you, if your magic was ever released, but I can't really go to Japan at the moment. I'm stuck here on official business. I'm afraid that you're either going to have to find out a way to keep your magic hidden from the world until I'm available, or you can go search for a suitable magic teacher."
Yusaku paused as if waiting for a reaction before continuing. "Kaito the same goes for you. I don't know how much your mother has revealed to you. Judging by the fact you called us, not much. However it's not my place to reveal any more here. In the mean while, I may suggest checking further into your father's notes, which I have no doubt he kept safely hidden. I'm sure one such as yourself knows where to find them, though." There was an almost fond tone to Yusaku's voice, though the last sentence was said with a bit of a challenging edge.
Conan nodded, taking note of this. He definitely wasn't going to go back to Akako… so he might just have to keep his magic in control, for the most part, with his own willpower. Not how he wanted to do it, but it would have to do.
"Alright, now, please do give me an explanation of how you guys got together, and what exactly happened to reveal that Kaito has been a kitsune this whole time?"
"It's a pretty crazy story, actually," Conan started, pursing his lips. "I met with Kaito when he had a heist as Kid, going after a certain treasure called 'Perseus' Shield'." Conan made note of the negative feeling coming over from the other side of the phone at the name of the treasure.
"Things went on from there, Kaito kidnapped me, he turned into a kitsune, and then Kaito turned into a child after a while. It was pretty weird, but I took it pretty well." That was a lie, and both Conan and Kaito were aware of it, judging from the snort Kaito gave. He had fainted due to the fact that Kaito had turned into a kitsune, then a child doppleganger. He wasn't going to admit that to his father, though.
"Ah. I must give you a warning, then. Be careful with that Shield, alright? It would seem it is the real thing. I'll be honest, I don't know nearly as much about it as your mother might, Kaito, but if my theory is correct, it is made from a similar magic to that of my and Shinichi's bloodline. It most likely reacted to your powers as, if I'm indeed accurate, it was originally created to reveal hidden truths."
Conan and Kaito glanced at each other at this. They had nearly forgotten about that little tidbit of the night. "Tousan, when I looked into the shield it showed me my face...my teenager face. Why is that?"
Yusaku seemed to pause a bit at this. "I'm not sure how to answer that. However… I am curious. Kaito, tell me, what did you see when you looked into the Shield?"
Kaito flinched, having been put on the spot, and considered the question briefly. In truth, he had been kind of curious about this as well. "Well, when I first touched the Shield, I saw myself as me...actually, I never stopped seeing my simple reflection in the shield, even after I turned back into a fox, and then a boy."
Once again, there was a pause on the other end of the line. Finally, Yusaku answered. "Interesting. As best I can explain, the Shield was indeed reacting to your power. It reflected...what could best be termed as the 'Illusion of Truth'. Somewhat surprising, and quite intriguing, given the circumstances."
Kaito and Shinichi were both equally confused. Kaito was the first to speak up. "What exactly do you mean; 'Illusion of Truth', and what does that have to do with current circumstances?"
Yusaku sighed. "It's something your father used to say, actually. I always called him out for what he was, but he just smiled and said that 'truth is one of life's greatest illusions.' It was rather irritating, actually."
Kaito held back a fond laugh at this. That did sound exactly like something his father would say, too. He felt a pang in his heart at the would-be memory. Conan cringed a bit as he realized once again he was reading Kaito's emotions.
"Anyway," Yusaku cleared his throat, "if I'm correct, the shield seems to be running by a similar principle. It saw your illusion...that of your teenage and child body as your 'true form' at the time and reflected as such. However, due to the fact the shield was made of opposing magic, it caused a serious drain on your powers, nonetheless weakening the seal and transforming you back to a kitsune."
Conan and Kaito both remained silent throughout the explanation, taking in Yusaku's words. Though it was still confusing, it was actually a pretty decent explanation. "That would explain why I felt so drained that night…" Kaito mused softly, brow furrowing a little..
Conan could almost see his father nod on the other end of the line. "Precisely. On that note, make sure the Shield doesn't get into the wrong hands. Its an item of strong magic, and can be used for deeds that, in our eyes, are evil."
Conan saw Kaito nod, though he knew the ones on the other end couldn't see it. "My mother actually mentioned something along those lines. I'm keeping it safe, don't you worry."
"Alright, then. I'm afraid I must let you two go now… I have a book signing to get to." Yusaku barely gave Conan a chance to say goodbye, before handing the phone back to Yukiko.
"Shin-chan, I love you. I really do. Sorry this all had to happen so suddenly. Just… keep going, and take care of Kaito." It was the softest and most caring Shinichi had heard his mother's voice in a while.
There was a sudden, tiny pain in his heart, and he felt a wave of homesickness. Then, it was just a wave of dry disdain, as he gave a quiet, sarcastic huff of laughter, causing Kaito to give him a quizzical look. Conan didn't bother to explain it to the magician, pondering over his semi-stupidity. Why would he be longing for a life he had before he had turned fourteen, when his parents had left? They had never been this supportive of him, even when he was younger.
Yukiko seemed to wait for something, maybe a reply, then hung up. Conan shoved his phone into his pocket, then turned to Kaito. "So… What now?"
Kaito seemed to think on it for a second. "Well… we have very few options. We need to finish up some stuff here first, but I would like to get out of Tokyo as soon as possible. We have too many people who could recognize us in this area. I say we go to a rural area, with less people. Maybe in the Ishikawa prefecture."
Conan nodded. The Ishikawa prefecture wasn't as populated as other places in Japan, and they wouldn't have to cross the sea to get to it. It would still take awhile to get there, especially if they walked all the way. They would probably be able to catch a train though… If they could come up with some good disguises. At least something that would hide Kaito's ears and tail. "Okay. What about our magic?"
"I'm actually not really sure. I don't know anyone other than Akako that knows magic, so getting someone to tutor you in controlling your magic looks bleak. I think I'll take a look at my father's notes that your father mentioned and go from there with that one… I'm not sure how much it'll help, but I'm hoping it will give us at least something of an idea on getting your magic under control." Kaito's tail swished across the floor as he fiddled with a coin.
"Since I don't have any ideas on that either, I guess it's our only option… Well, let's go ahead and get started on all that then! We have quite a bit to do."
The two boys quickly went their separate ways, Kaito going to look for his father's notes as well as get lunch started, and Conan off to pack and prepare for the trip.
~^.v.^~
Unbeknownst to them, they were about to encounter another hiccup in their plans. For somewhere on the edges of the Ekoda border, a familiar figure stepped, smiling cooly, and taking in a breath of fresh air, with a smooth look he stretched.
"Welcome back, Bocchama."
He turned, his blonde locks swaying in the slight breeze. "Thank you. It's good to be back."
With that, the two figures slipped into a car and drove away. As they went along, one of the figures had to wonder; what was this new magical presence in Ekoda? He was positive it hadn't been there before.
~ Post Note~
Shadow here again! Hope that this chapter cleared up some stuff about the magic behind the shield and such. If you have any questions please feel free to either leave a comment here or pm either me or Mist. We will get back to you as soon as possible! Both of us love and appreciate reviews so please if you can let us know how you feel ;)
Updates from here will be infrequent I'm afraid as Mist returns to school full time. We will try to at least post once every couple of weeks, but if we go on hiatus I truly apologize! That said...thanks again for reading/following this story! Until next chapter~