Disclaimer: I don't own DCMK

A Curse Marked Fate

19: Renewal

Seven times the silver bell rang from the town's old bell tower. Its cry was pure and clear, and it cut straight through all other sounds and all other thoughts, sweeping across the land in every direction. With each piercing chime, the world grew more vivid and the air hummed with life.

Upon its final cry, the bell shattered, melting fully into the wind and filling the streets with the spicy scent of autumn leaves. Then the people threw open their doors and windows and celebrated.

Up in the bell tower, two young men gazed upon the festivities below in a companionable silence. The smaller of the two had seated himself on the tower window's wide sill. His much taller companion stood behind him, one arm looped casually around his small friend's waist as a precaution should said friend fall out the window. Though they could hear the hubbub drifting up from below, the tower itself seemed to overflow with a deep sense of tranquility.

It was Shinichi who eventually broke the silence, though he did so with some reluctance.

"So what happens next?" he asked.

Kaito sighed, the warm puff of his breath ruffling the hair on top of Shinichi's head. "We have until this evening. That's when the adventure ends, and we'll be sent back to the library. Until then, we're free to enjoy the festival."

Shinichi hummed thoughtfully, craning his neck a little to watch what appeared to be a band setting up a makeshift stage in the square below. "You guys are going to make a fortune off these Vision Books," he mused. "I mean, a week's worth of vacation in only one hour? I can just picture the lines."

Kaito chuckled. "The Institute's still working out the guidelines. We don't want to interrupt the natural flow of life too much. Fortunately—or unfortunately as the case may be—Vision Books can't be produced en mass. I believe there's going to be a scheduling system, and there may be some rules around how many times you can sign up within a certain length of time. I know they're planning to give first-timers priority, but they're still ironing out the details."

"Do you work on a lot of projects with your father?"

"Not really. I've worked on three including the Vision Book Project. But I want to invent my own magic, not just help Dad with his stuff."

"What kind of magic did you have in mind?" Shinichi asked, curious.

Kaito smirked. "You're just going to have to wait and see."

Shinichi huffed a little then laughed. "That's just like you."

"It'll give you something to look forward to."

Blue eyes grew a little distant at that, but Shinichi nodded. "I'll let you know if it was worth the wait."

"What about you?" Kaito inquired. "I hear you've made quite a name for yourself as a detective. Are you planning to start your own agency after school?"

Shinichi shrugged. "That might have been interesting, I guess. But at the moment, it's going to be a long time before I get around to graduating high school, let alone college."

"It has to happen sooner or later," the magician pointed out. "We'll just hope it's sooner rather than later. In any case, it doesn't hurt to plan ahead."

"There really isn't much to plan in my case," the detective replied. "I'm going to have to stay with Uncle Kogoro. So most likely I'll end up working for his agency. I could probably be a consultant with the police too. They know me pretty well by now."

"But you don't want to be an officer?"

"I can't. I wouldn't be able to pass the required magical skills assessments you need to pass to become a full fledged police officer."

"Oh, right. I forgot about that." Kaito fell silent then, frowning slightly. He'd never thought about it before, but the rapid development of magic and magical tools and expansion of their usage in every aspect of people's daily lives, though a wonderful boon to most, by its very nature excluded people like Shinichi. Most major companies these days required a Level Six Mage License at the minimum. Most preferred Level Seven or above—generally the higher the better.

True, not every job demanded that you know a lot of spells or be able to cast a wide variety, but it was the general expectation that you would have at least a few basic magical skills—enough to learn the spells commonly used around your workplace. The wait staff at restaurants, for instance, were usually all extremely adept at a range of simple but effective cleaning spells for dealing with everything from spills to foul odors that just wouldn't go away. The janitor at Ekoda High often used Earth Magic to reshape his mops and brooms so that he could reach all those difficult to clean places with ease.

Shop clerks used inventory spells to track their wares, and eateries used stasis spells to keep their food fresh. While sports equipment retailers and even bookstores employed magic to help match patrons to products. Magic offered a million and one possibilities, and the more the people from around the world put their heads together, the more rapidly things were being invented. The world was changing, evolving, and expanding in sparkling waves and shining towers like the promise of fairytales and dreams.

But in that madness of invention and life and adventure, there were those like his dear, thoughtful Shin-chan who would inevitably be left behind. Even the magical tools that didn't require users to cast spells like his Sky Cycle generally either ran on or were operated by either Earth or Sky Magic.

It really didn't seem fair.

"Is something bothering you?"

Coming out of his thoughts, Kaito looked down to find Shinichi peering up at him. The concern he saw in those big blue eyes brought a small, fond smile to his lips. Shinichi had always been observant. And it was just like him to be worrying about Kaito despite his own slew of bizarre and formidable problems.

"I've just made a decision," Kaito declared, earning a raised eyebrow from his diminutive companion.

"About what?"

"I've decided that everything I make in the future is going to be accessible to everyone regardless of the type of magic they have—or don't have, as the case may be."

Shinichi blinked. "O…kay? That was random."

"Not really. I mean, I'm going to invent lots of amazing stuff. When I do, I wouldn't want anyone to miss out. That means I'll need to plan ahead."

"It's a good goal," Shinichi agreed. "I know Ran was really disappointed when she heard that new series of Sky Automobiles could only be used by Sky Mages. She said she would have liked one after she gets her driver's license if it weren't for that."

"I'll keep that in mind. Though I've been tinkering with a different kind of transportation magic that is going to be way cooler than those Skymobiles. Don't get me wrong. The Sky Cycles are awesome. I'll take you out for a ride on mine when we get back. But what I have in mind is going to blow them right out of the water!"

The mad gleam of invention in Kaito's eyes brought a corresponding smile to Shinichi's lips. There was just something about the way Kaito spoke of such things… He made even the wildest impossibilities sound like they were not only possible but ready to be done. "I'll take your word for it."

"You can be my product tester." The Sky Mage's grin was infectious. "How about it?"

Shinichi looked dubious. "I guess I could. But I really don't know much about magical tools."

Kaito only laughed. "That's kind of the point."

Below, the band had finished setting up. Soon, a cheerful melody rose over the murmur of good cheer, and people began dancing in the square below.

Kaito straightened and stretched. "If I remember correctly, there should be a whole street of carnival games set up. Would you like to go check them out? Or would you prefer to stay for some music and dancing. You could show me what you learned at Harumina's," he added with a smirk.

Shinichi blushed and scowled. "Would you stop bringing that up?" Despite his grumblings, he let Kaito take his hand. Together, they descended the bell tower to join the merrymakers outside.

X

Old Jii looked up when one of the books on the table before him suddenly began to glow. As he watched, the volume flipped itself open, and a warm, golden radiance spilled out of its pages like water erupting from a fountain. The light swirled, resembling for the briefest of moments a storm of loose leaves of paper. Then it coalesced into two figures: one a tall young man with wild hair and the other a small child who could have easily been his little brother.

The last of the light faded, and the book on the table snapped itself shut. And there it lay, lightless and motionless just like any other ordinary book.

Jii smiled. "I see you two are back. Did you enjoy your trip?"

"Of course," Kaito replied, reaching down to ruffle Shinichi's hair, ignoring the younger boy's squawk of protest. "It was a truly enlightening journey. Wasn't it, Co-chan?"

"It was interesting," Shinichi agreed as he tried to smooth his hair back into place. Once done, he turned to offer the old man behind the table a smile, slipping instinctively into the more childish tones he had begun adopting whenever dealing with people who were unaware of his true identity and age. "Thank you for the game. I had a lot of fun."

"I'm glad to hear it," the old man said warmly. "Would you like to try another book? A few more have opened up since you two were away."

Shinichi thought for a moment, finding that he was sorely tempted, but then he shook his head. "Maybe another time. Ran-neechan will worry if we don't meet her for lunch on time. And there are still a lot of other games here in the library that I'd like to be able to see."

"Of course. In that case, you two had better move along then. I'm sure Master Kaito will want to show you his entry in the Innovative Olds contest."

"I sure would," Kaito declared, indigo eyes gleaming. "It's a good thing you reminded me. Thanks Jii-chan. We'll be going then."

That said, he scooped Shinichi up into his arms and set off at a brisk jog.

"I can walk," Shinichi protested, but he made no move to struggle out of Kaito's hold. Instead, he shifted into a more comfortable position and tried to figure out where the magician was taking him in such a hurry.

"They're having the Innovative Olds contest in the Dandelion Corner," Kaito explained as they skidded through the shelves and around other visitors.

"Anyone with a Level Seven License who wanted to got to sign up and put a project in the exhibit. They're having the visitors rate the entries. Scores will be totaled before dinnertime on the last day of the exhibition. The winner of each category gets some cool prizes and the chance to tour Enchanted—they're the company that's been making all those magical tabletop games."

"So what kind of contest is it?"

"It's for magically enhanced versions of old games. You aren't allowed to alter the game's rules or basic concept in any way though. You could only use magic to somehow enhance the experience and make it your own. Ah, and here we are."

The Dandelion Corner was a spacious reading area in the children's section of the library. A variety of tables of various sizes and heights had been set out for the contest, each housing a handful of contest entries. There was quite a crowd wandering amidst the displays while others sat around the tables, testing out the games.

Kaito set Shinichi down and scanned the area. "Quite the turn out. Where would you like to start?"

"They have a path marked for visitors." Shinichi pointed to the bright green arrows glowing on the library carpet. "How about we just follow it?"

Together, the boys meandered through the displays, pausing whenever they came across an available game to give it a try. They played marbles with marbles that were really bubbles blown from a bubble wand. The sizes of your marbles depended on your skill at blowing bubbles. They tried out spinning tops that spewed illusory flames of different colors in every direction and left glittering trails of light across the tables. There were at least a dozen chess sets of all different themes from knights, dragons and wizards to song birds and raptors, most of which moved. There was a Reversee board where each player used a different flower, and the fragrances of each type of bloom grew stronger the more of the board they took over.

One of the most memorable entries, however, had to be the Whack-a-Mole hill near the middle of the Dandelion Corner. Instead of a table, a crate had been placed there filled to the brim with a small hill of dirt that had been packed down to form a relatively flat surface. When Shinichi picked up the plush hammer set next to the box, the scoreboard overhead lit up and a timer set for thirty seconds began counting down. Then a mole popped its head out of the dirt directly in front of the little detective.

The furry little creature looked at him with round, shiny black eyes. Shinichi stared back.

Kaito prodded him in the back. "You realize you're supposed to whack it down with the hammer."

"I know," Shinichi said, but the plushy hammer in his hand remained where it was. He just couldn't bring himself to hit the furry little creature. It wasn't like it had done anything to him. And it was still looking at him with the most soulful little eyes. The idea of whacking it just seemed incredibly cruel.

A second mole popped up next to the first. Then a third appeared. Soon there were twelve moles all blinking curiously at Shinichi and Kaito. The timer chimed.

"I think that means they win," the Sky Mage observed.

"Whoever made this game must really hate moles," Shinichi grumbled, setting the hammer aside and petting one of the furry faux animals on the head instead. It rubbed its cheek against his finger. "I mean, it's just cruel, bashing them down into the dirt for no reason."

"They do seem a little too cute," Kaito mused, scratching one mole under the chin. "They should have made them more raggedy. Maybe used glowing red eyes and sharp teeth. They could have gnashed their teeth at you. Oh, and they could have smelled too! Make you really want them gone. Let's leave them some suggestions on the comment pad."

Picking up the notepad next to the Whack-a-Mole game, Kaito jotted down his suggestions, which involved a lot of sharp teeth, nasty odors, and nastier tempers. Then he glanced over the earlier notes from other visitors and laughed. Ninety percent of the comments revolved around how the moles had been simply too adorable. And really, looking at the pristine condition of the plushy hammer, it was quite possible that no one had whacked a single mole all morning.

"So where's your entry?" asked Shinichi.

"You'll find out in a moment."

They found Kaito's entry in the contest three tables later, where a familiar brunette was just sitting down along with a blond boy that Shinichi felt vaguely as though he should recognize.

"Oh hey Aoko," Kaito greeted the girl as he pulled out a chair for Shinichi then plopped into one himself. "I thought you went home last night since your dad had work to get back to."

"I did," the girl replied. "But I wanted to see the exhibition, and we had two tickets because Dad was an invited guest. So I asked Hakuba-kun here if he'd like to come with me. Oh, good morning, Conan-kun. It's nice to see you again."

"It's nice to see you too," he said with a polite nod, making the girl smile.

She waved at her blond friend. "Let me introduce you. This is Hakuba Saguru. He recently transferred to our school from England. His dad's also with the police. Hakuba-kun, this is Edogawa Conan. He's currently staying with Mouri Kogoro."

"You mean the detective with the magic nullification Curse Mark?" the blond asked, looking interested.

Aoko beamed. "That's right. So you've heard of him?"

"I have. I heard from my father's colleagues that his unique situation has been extremely helpful in dealing with certain criminals who use dangerous magic to commit their crimes. I was also told that he has an exceptionally capable assistant. I must admit that I did hope to have the chance to meet them."

Aoko brightened. "Well, I don't know about the assistant, but Mouri Kogoro and his daughter should both be here at the resort. Right Conan-kun?"

"They are," Shinichi agreed. "Uncle might still be sleeping, but we should be meeting up with them for lunch soon."

"That's perfect. Can we join you?"

"Ah hem," Kaito said loudly, interrupting their planning as he drummed his fingers on the table. "If you lot haven't noticed, there are people in line after us. So are we going to play the game or did you want to just leave?"

Aoko rolled her eyes. "Of course we'll play. But don't you have to explain the rules first? I mean, it's your game."

Kaito drew himself up, indigo eyes gleaming. "Indeed. Well, I used the Set game concept for my base. The rules are all the same as they are in the original game. Does anyone need a recap?"

"Set is the game where you lay out cards and call out when you see three that can be considered a set, right?" Shinichi asked. He recalled playing it with Ran and Sonoko when his mother had mailed him a set from the United States back when they were still in middle school.

"That's exactly it." Picking up the stack of cards on the table, Kaito quickly shuffled the deck then laid them out on the mat that had been placed on the table. He made four rows of four then set the remaining cards in a stack face down next to the mat.

With the cards laid out, they could all see that instead of the patterns and shapes on typical Set cards, these cards displayed moving pictures of fantastical animals and plants.

"One thing you should know," Kaito continued, "Is that in my version, when you call Set, all the images on the mat will freeze. You explain your set, and, if everyone agrees, then you pick them up. Three cards to a set. Why don't you try Co-chan. Do you see a set?"

Shinichi glanced over the cards with their moving pictures spread across the table, watching carefully.

"Set!" he shouted, and all the images stopped moving. Then he pointed to a card displaying a white swan with its wings spread as it prepared to take flight, a card with a pair of fairies in mid flutter, and a trio of flapping bats. "All of these have their wings spread. And they're in order one through three."

Kaito grinned. "Perfect. Now you get to pick those cards up. They'll stay frozen for the rest of the game. Then replace their empty spaces with new ones from the deck."

The game quickly picked up pace as all four teenagers (well, three teenagers and one child) got into the swing of the game. Clashes over cards that were claimed by two or more Sets became quite heated, and they soon found themselves in the middle of a growing crowd of interested onlookers.

To no one's surprise, Kaito ended up with the most sets collected.

"It's not really fair for you to be playing. I mean, you already know all the cards and how they're all going to move," Aoko pointed out, but there was no real bite to her words. She checked the clock on the wall then rose. "We should really get going. Where did Ran-san say you guys were supposed to meet for lunch?"

The rest of the day passed in a whirl of activity and good cheer—right up until the team demonstrating a new refrigerator with built in stasis spells opened up their sleek, wooden cabinet ("You don't need plugs or wires! This baby doesn't need a spark of electricity at all. Just give this panel a tap every now and then to give it a bit of magic and it'll run nonstop anywhere you might need a cold drink or snack or even fresh sashimi!") and a woman tumbled out of the appliance to sprawl inelegantly across the floor.

TBC

A.N: Happy Halloween!