Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

Pairing: KaitoxShinichi

Chapter Rating: T

Collection Summary: No matter where or what they are, their lives are always entwined. KaiShin stories in fantasy settings.

Chapter Summary: Their investigation into the death of Kuroba Toichi lands Shinichi and Kaito in the middle of a city-wide battle.

Cloak and Dagger

[Castle Verse]

Part 4

The two cloaked men led Kaito to a large warehouse in one of the less populated areas of the city.

If he remembered correctly, these warehouses belonged to a merchant whose business rivaled that of the Oyumi family. They had actually been the leading merchants in the city until about a decade ago. That was when their current head came into power. The new leader was, by all accounts, only half the businessman his predecessor had been. He was said to be a little too fond of the luxuries in life. Kaito wasn't clear on the details, the issue not having been of much interest to him, but he did remember hearing rumors about them having fallen to less respectable dealings in the face of their diminishing business.

Gliding silently after the two cloaked men, Kaito found a spot from which he could see through the open warehouse door without being seen. A simple eavesdropping spell brought their words to him too.

The two cloaked men had met up with an older gentleman with a square jaw and grim eyes.

"Do you have the shipment?" one of the cloaked men was saying.

"I do," the older gentleman said. His tones were polished but flat and emotionless as his dead fish eyes. "Do you have the payment?"

"We got half of it here." The statement was followed by a jangle as the speaker pulled a large pouch from within the folds of his cloak. Judging from the sound, Kaito would guess that the bag contained gemstones. "You get the other half when we have the shipment. Provided, of course, that it is satisfactory."

"As agreed," the man intoned. He waved a hand at a series of large, wooden crates. "You may inspect the wares now. Take as long as you need to."

He was answered by a grunt. Then the two cloaked men moved to do as they'd been bidden. From the sound the lids of the crates made as they were lifted and set aside, the crates must have been made of extremely heavy, reinforced wood. From his vantage point, Kaito couldn't see the contents of the boxes. All he could make out was the dim shapes of the men as they moved from box to box, lifting the lids then bending over to sift carefully through the contents. It looked like they were taking extra care to poke around all the way to the bottom of each crate. Their thoroughness meant that it took them almost an entire hour to finish going through their shipment. The elderly gentleman simply stood aside and watched, face a completely unreadable blank that would have made him the envy of any Poker player.

Kaito silently willed the lot of them to hurry up. He was getting tired of just waiting, but he wanted to find out what was in those boxes. To do that, he had to wait until the men had left. He was fairly certain that they wouldn't be taking all their purchases yet since there was no way just two men on foot could carry off so many crates—especially not so many heavy-duty crates. His speculations were proven correct when the two cloaked men replaced the lid of the last crate and returned their attention to the elderly gentleman.

"I trust all is well?"

"Everything appears to be in order," the spokesman of the pair said. "We will retrieve the shipment tonight in the usual way. The rest of your payment will be delivered then as well as per our agreement."

The elderly gentleman gave a curt nod. "Very well. Tell your master that it was a pleasure doing business with him, and my colleagues and I look forward to his next order."

"I will."

The three men traded polite farewells. Then they locked up the warehouse and parted ways.

Kaito waited until they were all well out of sight and earshot. Then he cast a quick detection spell over the area that would warn him if anyone stepped within the perimeter. That done, he made his way to the door. It was locked both with three physical locks and five magical ones. They were decently crafted, but they weren't anything he couldn't handle. A few minutes later, he was inside.

The warehouse was a massive building with no partitions at all. It was just a huge, open space. Well, it would have been open if not for the veritable mountains of crates of all shapes and sizes. It was easy to spot the ones he was after because they were all lined up side by side instead of stacked on top of one another—most likely to make their contents easier to inspect.

"How thoughtful of them to leave everything out for me," the magician said to himself, laughing under his breath. Calling up a small light and letting it hang above his head, he levitated the lid off of the first crate. He arched an eyebrow when he was met by a spread of colorful bolts of silk. That couldn't be what all the fuss was about. A camouflage, probably.

He leaned over the shimmering array of colors. He raised an eyebrow in surprise. The patterns on those silks were magical runes. They had been expertly woven into the patterns so that they were extremely hard to spot, but they were definitely runes for a variety of spells of concealment. Kaito was impressed. It was a simple but very effective little trick.

Concealment spells like these didn't work on people who already knew where and what they were looking at, but you couldn't find better for smuggling.

Reaching down into the crate, Kaito carefully peeled away the layers of soft, slippery silk until he uncovered the gleam of metal.

Soon enough, he found himself looking down at something like four dozen swords. They weren't ordinary swords either. Each and every one had been magically enhanced. It wasn't uncommon for weapons to have spells put on them to make them sharper and more durable, although such spells were pretty expensive. These swords, however, went above and beyond. Some were enchanted so that they would give the wielder the power to summon fire. Others had the power to launch lightning bolts. Even one such sword was worth a small fortune. Kaito let out a whistle. This was one pricy shipment.

If all the crates were similarly filled with magical weapons then whoever was buying it all must be looking to arm a small army. No wonder they didn't want to advertise what they were up to.

Kaito checked two more of the crates before he put everything back the way he'd found them. All the crates were packed with magical weapons. They weren't all swords either. There were spears, bows and arrows, axes, daggers, clubs, whips, and even a few morning stars. The last crate he checked also contained two dozen small, round canisters that turned out to be magical bombs—extremely dangerous and very much illegal in every country he knew.

Filing all the new information away in his head, Kaito restored the warehouse locks to their unopened state and left.

So the descendants of the kingdom's previous royal family were investing in massive numbers of powerful magic weapons. It didn't take a genius to guess at what they might be plotting.

This was definitely not good news.

-0-

Knowing that Shinichi should be just about ready to head home from his new job now, Kaito headed for Chojin and Associates. The sky was already darkening with evening, and all around the city people were beginning to light up lamps and lanterns. The rush of the day calmed to a more relaxed bustle as people headed out for dinner or to just meet up and hang out with their friends. Others put down their work for the day to head back to the warmth of their own hearths.

Arriving on the street he was looking for, Kaito spotted Shinichi in the distance. His beloved was just exiting the nondescript building that served as Chojin and Associates' headquarters. Shinichi paused in the street, apparently checking to make sure he had all his things with him. As he did so, Kaito saw a young man duck out of the dress shop opposite and make his way over to Shinichi's side.

Kaito raised an eyebrow, eyes narrowing slightly as he watched the newcomer.

The unnamed young man had just handed Shinichi something. A cup? Yes. It looked like a paper cup. Judging from the way Shinichi's face lit up, the cup was probably full of coffee. Now the stranger was rubbing at the back of his head as he said something, expression sheepish but smiling. And was that a blush? Yes, yes it was.

Kaito heard a low growl. It took him a moment to realize that it was coming out of his own throat. He hurriedly put a stop to the sound. He didn't need to give people the impression that he was some kind of psycho, standing around making angry noises at no one.

Still, the nerve!

He'd miscalculated terribly. The realization struck like a bolt of lightning. He should have disguised Shinichi as his old mother. That would have solved all his problems. Old ladies were expected to spend long hours at home or engaged in quiet activities, not running around everywhere and putting themselves in harm's way. And they certainly didn't get hit on by young men working at dress shops.

Schooling his face into a cheerful expression more suitable to his character and the situation at hand, he sped up, weaving his way expertly through the masses towards his quarry.

In Kaito's mind, this was way more urgent than any of the myriad of other problems on his plate right now.

He supposed he might be overreacting, but he couldn't help it. His nerves were already on edge from everything he'd learned that day. And to top it all off, this was the first time he'd had to deal with the thought of someone daring to make a move on his Shinichi (the fact that the stranger had no idea who or what Shinichi really was only made the situation slightly less irritating). Back home at the castle, everyone knew that he and Shinichi were together—oddly enough, they had somehow known even before the two had actually gotten together (which Kaito had found a little miffing. He liked being the most well-informed person around, so having his staff figure something out about his personal life before him had been kind of embarrassing). But that was beside the point. The point was that, at home, interlopers were not an issue.

"Hey there, so are you off work now?" he asked, fetching up beside Shinichi and making both his beloved and the stranger from the dress shop jump.

"Don't sneak up on me," Shinichi admonished, but he was smiling as he said it.

The stranger gave Kaito a confused look. "Um, hi…"

"Hi," Kaito said, nodding amiably. "So are you a friend of Shina's?"

"Oh, uh, well…" The stranger cast a quick look in Shinichi's direction. "Y—yes."

"He's been very helpful," Shinichi said offhandedly, not noticing the way the way the dress shop boy brightened at the praise. "I need to make a trip to the tailors and get something in black. Apparently everyone who works at Chojin's has to wear the same uniform. I should have the address of their tailor here. Let's see… Ah, here it is." Shinichi held up a business card and frowned. "If I hurry, I should be able to get there before they close for the day."

"Right. We'd better get going then." Kaito looped an arm around Shinichi and began propelling him down the street. He waved a cheery goodbye at the dress shop boy and did his best not to smirk when the guy looked put out.

"So are you going to tell me why you're here?" Shinichi asked as they made their way through the city towards the tailor shop designated on the card.

"I came to see you, of course," Kaito replied, pulling on a mock wounded look. "Isn't it only natural that I worry about how your first day of work went?"

Shinichi snorted, but his expression softened. "It was very uneventful. Although I did get told off for not coming dressed in the company uniform. It seemed they expected me to already know that there was a dress code since no one bothered to actually tell me beforehand."

"So the boss is strict then?"

Shinichi sighed. "Oh yes, very. I don't think I heard him give anyone a single word of praise the entire day. No one could do anything fast enough or perfect enough. Anyone who got out of a meeting with him without being thoroughly chastised looked like they'd won some kind of prize."

"Man, he sounds like a real nightmare. Aren't you glad you work for me?" he added teasingly.

"You are much easier to work for," Shinichi agreed. "But we don't get any time off when we're working for you."

"I'd give you time off if you asked," Kaito retorted, somewhat offended.

Shinichi blinked then laughed. "I know you would. I…I like the way things are." He turned to smile up into Kaito's startled face. "I wouldn't want to change anything. What I meant earlier was that, well, everyone at the castle really cares. We're like family. And you can't take time off from that even if you wanted to because it's just a part of who you are."

Indigo eyes softened. "I see. I'm glad to hear it."

-0-

Shinichi bit back a sigh as he stared at the page of numbers before him. He'd been at this job for almost a full month now, and he was thoroughly sick of it. It was just so boring! Not that keeping all the accounts straight wasn't important, it was just not the kind of work he liked to be doing day in and day out every single day. If his coworkers had been easier to get along with, it might still have been okay. But the atmosphere in the Chojin and Associates' building was stifling.

No one talked to anyone else unless it was about their work. They didn't even say hello to each other when they met in the mornings or bother to say goodbye when they parted. Now, Shinichi himself had never been a very social person, but these people were ridiculously antisocial even by his standards. More than that. It was like none of them had ever learned the basics of being polite.

Shinichi swallowed another sigh. For the first time in his life, he felt like it was too quiet. But even this endless, dead silence was preferable to—

"Yo! This place is lifeless as ever, I see."

That.

A flaxen-haired young man with a mole under one eye came striding into the office like he owned the place. His clothes screamed expensive. They also cried out for pricy wines and dancing.

"Is my father in?" the newcomer asked. "Of course he is," he said, answering his own question before anyone else could speak. "You there. New girl. Get me a coffee." That said, he strode past the many desks arranged about the office and into the hallway that would lead him to Lord Chojin's office.

Shinichi rose from his seat and headed for the lounge. The place was reserved for Lord Chojin and his personal guests. It was also the only place in the building where you could get coffee. Everyone else had to make do with water or tea packets.

Shinichi took the coffee and hurried towards Lord Chojin's office. He didn't care for running errands for the lord's rude son, but he was quite interested in seeing if he could overhear anything useful. After all, Kaito had already gotten them some pieces of their puzzle. It was time Shinichi did too.

He supposed that, deep down, he might be worried that he was just being a burden. After all, all he'd accomplished so far was to make Kaito worry about him. He wanted to prove that it hadn't been a mistake for Kaito to bring him along on this trip.

And Shinichi was almost positive that his lead lay with Lord Chojin's son.

When Shinichi had first arrived, he'd suspected Lord Chojin of being the ring's intended recipient. This was his office after al. After he'd begun work, however, he'd learned that Lord Chojin didn't receive any personal mail through his office. All mail for the office went to the mailroom where they were sorted through by five different staff members. Most of the office's letters and packages were marked for specific departments. Unspecified mail, however, was all sorted by the same man.

The old man in question was a diligent man whose only answer to any question was a grunt. He did his work well but unenthusiastically. The only person Shinichi had ever seen the old man talk to was Lord Chojin's son. He seemed to have a grandfatherly affection for the young man. Shinichi could easily imagine the lord's son convincing the old man to pass the mail on to him before passing it on to his father.

Still, it was all speculation. There were too many possibilities.

Shinichi slowed his steps as he approached the office door. The door was open as it usually was.

"—forbid it!" Lord Chojin's angry voice was resounding along the hall.

"Well that's rich," his son replied. "You're the one that kept nagging and nagging me about getting married. Something about heirs, remember? And now that I'm doing what you said, you tell me that you forbid it. Make up your mind, old man."

"I expect you to find a respectable wife," the lord snapped, tone acid. "Not some backwater wench with questionable origins."

The younger man laughed. "If that's what you're worried about then let it worry you no longer. But don't take my word for it. I know you don't put much store in my judgment. You can decide for yourself at the ball. I trust you won't have any complaints once you meet the family."

Shinichi knocked lightly on the doorframe.

The conversation ceased abruptly. Lord Chojin's son turned.

"Ah yes, my coffee." He took the cup from Shinichi and turned back to his father.

Shinichi nodded to the lord then slipped back out of the room, still endeavoring to move as slowly as he could without coming across as suspicious.

"As I was saying," Lord Chojin's son continued. "My soon to be father-in-law will be throwing a ball in two weeks' time. Come. I guarantee you'll be applauding my choice by the end of the night."

The older man let out a disbelieving grunt.

Back at his desk, Shinichi looked down at the open book of accounts and sighed. Well, back to the tedium.

-0-

Shinichi was on his way home that evening when he spotted a familiar figure through a restaurant window. Curious, he slowed his steps for a better look.

Lord Chojin's son was sitting across from a young woman with long, auburn hair. Her dress was a rich, deep purple with rather more embroidery than Shinichi thought was necessary. It fit the luxury of the restaurant and her dinner date's fancy outfit though.

What caught Shinichi's eye, however, was the earring he saw gleaming gold from her ear when she brushed her hair back over her shoulder. He wasn't a hundred percent sure, since it was quite small, but he was almost certain that it was the same lightning bolt and sun emblem that he had seen on their assailants back when this had all begun.

Wait. Did this mean that Lord Chojin's son was engaged to a member of the Raishu family? But if that was true, and if the lord's son was also the one who was supposed to receive the ring, then why had Kaito and he been attacked by the Raishu when trying to deliver it? Maybe he was wrong and the ring really had been meant for Lord Chojin or possibly someone else in his company altogether. But that would make a ridiculous number of coincidences.

There had to be more to it.

-To Be Continued-

Note: Happy Halloween!