Chapter 1: Where It Begins

AN: Everything that happens before this chapter is the same as most of the first chapter of DC. The original story and this one diverge after Shinichi is given the Apotoxin. In the original, he gets shrunk and is found by some Tropical Land security guards. Here…well, you'll see for yourself. Enjoy!

"Shinichi?" Ran nervously called out. It was dark here, far from the lights of Tropical Land's main thoroughfare. There could be many things in those shadows… but she had to find Shinichi.

She'd sensed something suspicious about the black-clad gorilla her friend had followed. With the feeling that she'd never see Shinichi again, it added up to bad news. So here she was. She called his name again. There was a groan in response. "Shinichi!"

In the darkness, she hadn't noticed the bundle of clothes a few meters ahead of her, where the groan had come from. Now she rushed to it. "Shinichi, are you alright?" She knelt down and hugged him tightly.

"Ran?" His voice sounded funny, higher than it should have been. He sat up, wriggling in Ran's grasp. She took the hint and sat back. Shinichi studied her, confused. "Ran? Why are you so big?" At first, she was offended, but then she took a good look at the boy in front of her,

He was undeniably Shinichi, with that hair. But it was a Shinichi who'd lost about ten years in age and two feet in height. His clothes hung on him, many sizes too large. "I'm not big, Shinichi. You're tiny."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Shinichi looked down at himself. The confusion on his face deepened. "Whose clothes are these?"

"What am I talking about?" Ran questioned. "What are you talking about? Those're your clothes." When he still appeared puzzled, she sighed. "We should go see Professor Agasa."

They left the park, trying to avoid people.