Kids forever?!?!
Chapter 1
The moon shone, huge and full, down at the earth, the stars could be seen very clearly tonight and sometimes there were a few clouds fogging the sight of the beautiful night sky. Though, it was awfully cold today. The wind send cold breezes throughout the alleys and streets, letting passengers freeze and shudder. These last nights in Tokyo seemed to be even colder then usual. They seemed to be bewitched by some kind of dark magic.
In the middle of the moons territory, a huge house throned proudly. In the direct moonlight it almost send shivers to everybody who saw it. It`s been some time that the kids started calling it the ghost house and none of them would dare approach it. They`ve heared the wildest stories about the owner of that house, a strange young boy, living all alone in this mansion with a huge amount of the strangest books there were. But it`s been years since anybody had heared anything of him. Some say, he had killed his parents and burryed them in the cellar of the house, then killed himself. Others say, he had a deal with the devil to destroy humanity but the devil was too clever for the young man and stole his soul and now his ghost was still living in the house, hounting and searching for targets to free him from his curse by taking others souls. And there are some that say, he had experimated with humans to create his own monster and to find a way to immortality, since a lot of people are wittnesses for strange sounds and explotions coming from the direction of the house.
Are there really such things as ghosts?
Indeed, if you walked at night by the house, alone, you would think that maybe there is some truth behind the words and would continue walking on as soon as you can with a shudder.
There are few that really know the truth.
On of these few, is a little kid.
He was in the "ghost mansion" , sitting on the bed. Although the window was only half open, the curtains danced wildly while letting the cold night breeze into the dark room. It was a somewhat scary thing to watch, because if you kept watching the curtains, which seemed to move and glow in the shiny moonlight, you could have sworn ghost are playing with them.
But he was not scared. And although he was obviously freezing while he kept sitting on the bed motionless, which was also doved in the moonlight, he didn`t bother closing the window. Instead he kept unmoving on the bed. His little arms were placed on his sides, also unmoving and he stared at the wall, into the darkness of the room. His face seemed to be made of stone. It showed no emotions at all, his gaze was glued upon the opposite wall. His face had no color, it seemed like as if it was dead, like the rest of him and if his chest wouldn`t be moving a little every here and then, you might think there`s a corpse lying in the bed. Indeed, the only color in the young boys face were his red and puffed eyes and a wet path down his cheeks which were glimming in the moonlight.
There was a noise coming from outside the room, but he didn`t care or move. He knew exactly that this house was very old and made a few noises but that`s normal for it.
Why he knew such things? Simple.
It was his own house. Since his parents moved to the United States he was living in here alone.
He sighed, still sitting unmoving on his bed, leaning against the wall and a lonely tear found it`s way out of his eyes, down a path which obviously had seen many tears recently.
He was doing this every night. Sitting here and watching the wall. He had already black eyes out of the lack of sleep but he didn`t care. He didn`t wanted to sleep. Every time he did, he got horrible nightmares and visions hounting him and making his heart ache. Not that they didn`t hount him in daily life, too.
And everything went so perfect in the beginning. Two weeks ago he had discovered the final and all important hint to the destruction of the Black Organisation. "The Men in Black" that were responsible for his current state.
The boy turned and saw himself in the mirror. A tiny boy who was almost nine watched back.
Another tear and a little sob were the reponse of his body and he turned away again. He wasn`t able to look at this false reflection anymore. This wasn`t him! This was NOT him at all. He was not eight years old. He was eighteen!
A little over two years ago, that Black Organisation had poisoned him with a drug that had made his body shrunk. And that only because he had discovered one of their dark and illegal works. That was his job, after all. He is a detective.
Since that day, he is trying to find an antidote and to locate the current location of the Organisation so that he can destroy them and finally return to his own self.
More then two years of pain, humiliation and fruitless searching had passed. He had found a way to live like this and had found friends who helped him the best they could. Friends who had discovered his secret. Like his neighbour, Doctor Agasa, the inventor. Without his help, he would be already dead by now. Or a certain detective from Osaka, Heiji Hattori, who helped him whenever he needs him, or a former member of the Organisation, Ai Haibara, the actual inventor of the drug that`s responsible for his state. She quit and was turned into a kid as well and is currently hiding from the members of the Black Organisation who would kill her if they found her. You would think she could invent an antidote if she already invented the drog, right? Not quite. Without the formulars and informations from the Organisation it was no use. All she could do were instant antidotes which helped like for the maximum of one day, if not an hour. And there still was 'she'. The daughter of the detective he had been living at. She was the daughter of Korogo Mori, and his childhoodfriend. Ran Mori.
His heart ached.
The time had passed but Ran and her father didn`t discover his secret which was exactly what he wanted. It would be way too dangerous for her. For her, her father and everybody else around him. She was often damn close to it but he could wigle out somehow every time.
Like mentioned, two weeks ago he had found the final hint he needed to overthrow the Organisation. The little detective immediately called all the people who were able to help him. Heiji, Ai, Kaito Kid, who became a friend of Shinichi (he was pretty sure that the Black Oranisation was responsible for the death of Kaitos father. Kaito is searching for them to revenge his father. That`s why he became Kaito Kid in the first place) and a few others. With their help he formed the perfect plan to fight them and to bring them into prison, where they belong so he finally can return back to his normal body. It had been very touching how his friends all worked together and risked their lifes to win the battle against the Organisation. Conan also called the police but only at the end, after almost everything was already over.
They sneaked in the very same night into the old factory they`ve been hiding, probably planning their next coup, because they mustn`t have the chance to run away and hide. Their surprise attack succeeded. The Black Organisation had been unprepared but fought back the best they could.
A group of the Black Organisations member`s, Campari, Ouzo, Rum, Jack Daniels, Brandy, Baccardi, Baylies and Eggnog, followed by other enraged servants, immediately pushed the alarm and armed themselves. Thanks to the genius plan of our friends they could be captured before seriously harming anyone.
Another member named Curacao got shot while trying to kill Inspector Megure and others rather locked themselves in a room and burned it in order to not lose their secret documents to the police, then to get caught.
Heiji had to be transported to the hospital, bleeding out of several wounds. He got too involved in the fight with Gin and didn`t count with a knife, hidden in Gin`s shoes. And as Vermouth suddenly appeared behind him with a gun he thought his life was over. Luckily, Kaito and Conan came to his rescue. While fighting with Vermouth, Kaito got shot in his shoulder and Gin cutted Conan`s arm and leg with the knife before he could react but they overwhelmed both. They had been fighting like crazy but Heiji, Conan and Kaito had been prepared and in the end they couldn`t do anything against their destiny. Gin and Vermouth went to prison. Many of their followers and servants followed and as it looks at the moment, they are going to stay there for a very long time since the police discovers and discovers more and more crimes commited by them.
Ai had worked her way to the main office and looked through the computers for informations to keep them all in prison forever, and of course for informations about the antidote.
Wodka was hold back, chained by Doctor Agasa but could free himself as he kicked him at an unguarded moment in the stomach, forcing the inventor on his knees. Wodka ran and tried to escape but was stopped by Kogoro. He had fought as hard as he could and in the end overwhelmed Wodka (who got by the way trice the weight of the detective). The ex-policeman had to be brought to the hospital with grave injuries and Wodka`s joining now his following members of the Organisation in prison.
After the police arrested all the left members, Conan and the others received medical treatments. Kaito got his revenge and after his wounds from the battle are healed and he finishes school, he plans to move in with his girlfriend Aoko. The same goes for Heiji. After almost facing death in the battle, he realized he had to seize his days alive. That`s why he confessed his love to Kazuha and after she returned his feelings he proposed to her. They are going to marry after graduating.
Conan was very happy for them. They deserved every luck and happyness they could get.
He couldn`t thank them enough for their help. He had won the battle of his life. Soon the guys could go and they went back to their homes. Conan for his part was sitting in Kaitos and Heijis room, talking with them as Ran rushed in the room, worried and glad they were all ok. Conan didn`t like making her worry, and his thoughts were all around the fight he had finally won and what Ai would find out about the antidote and that he soon could be himself again.
But after seeing Ai`s face as she visited them in the night (Conan was allowed to stay with Kaito and Heiji over night) his heart sank to his feet. Her eyes were without any kind of expression and her face looked like as if she had seen a ghost.
~~~ Conan sat on his bed and shivered. Maybe he should close the window? But what would it matter. Actually he didn`t shiver only from the cold but from the memory of what came next. He briefly watched out of the window, seeing the moon and layed back on his bed, continueing waching the wall. He could remember what came next as if it had happened only yesterday and not two weeks ago. He shivered again.
He remembered how his face had lost all of his color, how his heart clenched and hurted him like as if staked with a huge sword, how his stomach turned as if wanting to throw up, how his body started trembling and his eyes started burning. He remembered Ai having said the words that would change his life, forever.
No way.
There was no way for her to find a cure, to find the antidote for their state. She had said these exact words.
As his body sunk back to the chair he was sitting on in the hospital and his face stared emotionless at the ceiling, she told him they had destroyed everythig including ATPX 4869 and without those informatins she could do nothing. She was helpless as much as he was. They had to stay like this. To stay like they were, to stay kids till they grew again.
Conan remembered today the worried faces of Heiji and Kaito, as if scared of his reaction and worried about what he is going to do now. Even Ai had looked at him miserably but he could do nothing but sit and stare as his situation sunk in his head and became clearer and clearer. Kid forever. No! This is not true! This must me some bad dream! What would he do now? And what about....
Conan stood up from the chair and walked slowly to the door. Opening it, he said:
"Thank you guys. I will never forget what you have done for me. You all have been great!"
Then he turned and smiled at them, then stepped outside and closed the door quietly behind him.
Conan did not quite remember all the placed he went after leaving the hospital. It had not mattered to him at that moment. All he can remember is that at some point he found himself in front of the detective office Mori.
The situation in the office had changed. Kogoro`s injuries had been worse than they thought. He was still in the hospital where Ran and Eri took care of him as often as they could. Eri had decided that when Kogoro was released they should move in together again.
Conan took the stairs of the office one by one and knocked. Soon Ran opened him and smiled at him, happy he already returned and started talking. He could only stare at her emotionless and her words did not find the way to his brain. All he understood was that the dinner was ready and that she would go to visit her father to bring him some things. Then she was already gone.
Conan stared after her. He stared in the direction she just left for about half an hour, then turned to walk into the house. He immediately went to his room and stood in front of his bed with clenched fists. He remained like that untill suddenly some kind of barried broke loose. Uncontrolable tears started to run down his face, he began to sob and shiver severly and finally broke down on his bed. He had cried the whole night untill he ran out of tears and fell asleep out of exhaustion.
The next day had been a schoolday and for the whole week some kind of mechanismus took over. He did not remember what had happened or how but he was in school and came back home like on any other day. He had been emotionless the whole week, walking numb through the world and he was not really present in everything he did. Instead he was thinking a lot, crying every night in his room untill he would fall asleep out of exhaustion, if he fell asleep at all.
Ai had been behaving strangely too. She barly talked to him nor did she notice him a lot but he didn`t care. What did it anything matter anymore, anyways?
Of course Ayumi and the boys never noticed anything but went on their happy daily life. A life he now had to live as well. The life of an eight year old. The life of Conan Edogawa.
Kaito retuned to the other side of Tokyo to start his new life and Heiji went back to Osaka where he immediately had a long talk with Kazuha.
Ran came home from school to cook, take care of Conan and eventually sleep a few hours before going the long way back to the hospital. She looked weaker by the days.
At the end of the week, Conan had come to a conclusion.
~~~ A few tears runned down Conan`s little face. He did not bother to wipe them away as he turned again and watched the moon, ignoring the heavy shiver of his body.
'If I had told her how I feel, she would miss me even more. All this time I`ve been breaking her heart by keeping her wait. Yet I still can`t appear before her eyes. I never want to see her cry again, even if it means I no longer exist in her heart.'
He clearly remembered this one time, long ago, as he had said those words about Ran to Ai. He had meant these words and they had been coming from the deepth of his heart. He had meant every single one. Not that he had not wished, daily prayed and hoped with every fibre of his being that he would never be forced to make them come true.
But it had been no use. Nobody could help him now. What was she still waiting for? Conan knew exactly that Ran was still waiting for Shinichi to return, and he knew she would wait forever. Like he would in her place.
But what was she waiting now for? -For somebody that would (could) never ever return to her.
Conan had thought long and hard about this and had finally decided under tears what he was obliged to do. Not because it was comfortable for him, which it was NOT. He did not care that it would break and bruise his own heart, leaving it unrecognizable forever, bute he loved her more than anything else in the world. He loved her more than to keep hurting her, no matter what kind of pain he would cause himself.
For her happyness it was even worth his death.
It was the hardest thing he ever saw himself forced to do in his whole life but he found no other solution. Not anymore.
And that`s how he had made another plan. A last one. Anything after didn`t matter anything.
First, he had packed his things together. Then he had written a letter to Ran. He had to rewrite it about four times because it was so soaked with his tears that it was not readable anymore.
Dear Ran
How are you? I hope you are fine. I heared what happened with your father and I am really sorry. It must be very hard for you, with school and taking care and everything. But at least your mother helps you, right? It`s good to see that she obviously wants him back. Isn`t that what you always wanted? I am so happy for you. Ran...please listen to me carefully now and please don`t hate me for what I have to do okay? Ran, I will not return to Tokyo. I know it must be hard to understand but it just...turned out like that. I know I am a jerk for keeping you wait but I can not help it. I am going to stay here in America with my parents where I will study criminologie. I am sorry. It`s the best if you just forget me! And please don`t hate me. That`s the only thing I dare asking you. I hope you can forgive me. You should know that the time with you had been the best I`ve had. Maybe I will write to you one day, or better not as to not disturb your new life, I don`t know. I never meant to hurt you, you have to believe me that. Please don`t wait for me and find yourself a nice boyfriend and become happy ok? I wish all luck on earth. I`ll never forget you.
Forever, Shinichi Kudo
Now Conan put the letter in the Mori`s mailbox without sender and returned in his room. He felt so sick. Felt like as if his life is worth nothing anymore. Felt like it would not matter if he would drop dead this very moment. Felt like as if he could not breathe anymore as he sank on his bed for the thousands time and collapsed under heavy sobbing and crushing tears.
'I am so sorry Ran. So sorry! I wish there was another way. "
Then he heared Ran openig the door. He knew she had the mails in her hands, she always picked them of the mailbox before entering the house. He closed his eyes as hard as he could and held his breath, ignoring the tears that came out of his eyes.
'Please forgive me Ran!'
The next thing he heared was silence, then a bam and her own sobbs. It was obvious she had collapsed on the ground crying.
He felt his heart tear in million little pieces as he heared her cry severly. His chest clenched, He felt as if he could not breathe anymore as he held his chest tightly. The pain was enormous and absolutly unbearable and he began to just cry harder.
How badly he wanted to go to her, to comfor her and tell her everything was ok. To sell his soul and own happyness so that she had not to go through the pain he caused her, again. But he couldn`t. Could not help her. He had to go through this, go through this hell, for her sake.
***
Next morning she greeted him with a weak smile and made him breakfast. She looked horrible. It was obvious, and not only for a detective, that she had had no sleep at all but had cried all night. She told him she felt not well but he had not to worry. She would skip school today and go to the hospital instead, immediately. As she left the house, Conan left the last thing he knew he had to do. Another letter.
Dear Ran- neechan
I am sorry I just left without really saying goodbye, but my mother suddenly picked me up. She will take me to someplace with her. Now you can move in with your mom and dad, ne? I wanna thank you so very very much for everything you`ve ever done for me. You are the nicest person and I know. Thank you for being my big sister. My mom said thanks too. I don`t know how to repay you dear neechan but I will definitly find a way. Maybe we will see each other again someday. Please don`t cry. I don`t wanna see you sad! One last thing... I love you, Ran- neechan.
Your Conan
As Ran found the letter he was already gone. He had decided to go and life with Doctor Agasa so he is near his own house and so that he can move in again when he is older.
He decided to leave her so Ran can move in with her family. And so she had a new chance to find somebody new. His heart and stomach clenched again at the thought. It was the right thing to do. It would be easier for her that way. ~~~
'That had been exactly eight days ago' Conan thought, still observing the moon. 'And I didn`t see her again. I heared she moved out of the office and in with her mother. She will be happy soon, again, I am certain of that. But why do I still feel so numb? Like dead?'
He didn`t bother answering the question, since the answer was clear. A few tears found their way out of his eyes again. It weren`t much left. When will he be able to stop crying?
In exactly this moment he saw a shooting star. Would it bring anything to wish something? He didn`t believe in such things but closed his tearsoaked eyes and made a wish.
'How naïve!
A few minutes and tears later, he curled into a ball and fell asleep, exhaused, on his bed, in the shine of the moonlight.
*~*~*~
"Conan? What`s wrong?"
No reponse.
"Conan?"
"What?" he turned to his right and looked into Ayumis worried face.
"What`s wrong with you? You look terrible! Are you ill?"
"No, I am fine, really." He said.
'That`s about the biggest lie I`ve ever told anyone' he told himself. 'Don`t be so sure of that!' another part of his mind answered. 'I know....!'
"Ayumi- chan just asked you if you are exited, too. After the break we will get a new student!" Genta interfered.
"Oh...Sure!" he lied again. 'What do I care about new students? I have OTHER problems...'
He looked at Ai but she refused to meet his gaze. He shruggled and turned back.
"I wonder what the new one is like! Maybe another handsome young boy!" Ayumi said exited, looking at Conan.
"NO WAY!" Both, Genta and Mitsuhiko answered, jealous.
Conan rolled his eyes 'OH gimme a break'. He thought angryly as the door opened and the teacher came in, leaving the door open. The students rushed to their seats in a hurry and became silent, looking exited at the teacher. Only Conan looked bored in some other direction, supporting his head in a hand.
"Dear class, today we will greet another student in our class. She just moved to Tokyo. Please be nice to her. Come in dear!" the teacher said to the open door. A petit girl walked in, closing the door behind her and standing next to the teacher.
"AW, is she cuuuttteee!" Conan heared Genta say.
"Class, this, is Ran Kudo."
Conan`s hand slipped and his head hit the table, hard.
'WHAT THE - ?!?'
Chapter 1
The moon shone, huge and full, down at the earth, the stars could be seen very clearly tonight and sometimes there were a few clouds fogging the sight of the beautiful night sky. Though, it was awfully cold today. The wind send cold breezes throughout the alleys and streets, letting passengers freeze and shudder. These last nights in Tokyo seemed to be even colder then usual. They seemed to be bewitched by some kind of dark magic.
In the middle of the moons territory, a huge house throned proudly. In the direct moonlight it almost send shivers to everybody who saw it. It`s been some time that the kids started calling it the ghost house and none of them would dare approach it. They`ve heared the wildest stories about the owner of that house, a strange young boy, living all alone in this mansion with a huge amount of the strangest books there were. But it`s been years since anybody had heared anything of him. Some say, he had killed his parents and burryed them in the cellar of the house, then killed himself. Others say, he had a deal with the devil to destroy humanity but the devil was too clever for the young man and stole his soul and now his ghost was still living in the house, hounting and searching for targets to free him from his curse by taking others souls. And there are some that say, he had experimated with humans to create his own monster and to find a way to immortality, since a lot of people are wittnesses for strange sounds and explotions coming from the direction of the house.
Are there really such things as ghosts?
Indeed, if you walked at night by the house, alone, you would think that maybe there is some truth behind the words and would continue walking on as soon as you can with a shudder.
There are few that really know the truth.
On of these few, is a little kid.
He was in the "ghost mansion" , sitting on the bed. Although the window was only half open, the curtains danced wildly while letting the cold night breeze into the dark room. It was a somewhat scary thing to watch, because if you kept watching the curtains, which seemed to move and glow in the shiny moonlight, you could have sworn ghost are playing with them.
But he was not scared. And although he was obviously freezing while he kept sitting on the bed motionless, which was also doved in the moonlight, he didn`t bother closing the window. Instead he kept unmoving on the bed. His little arms were placed on his sides, also unmoving and he stared at the wall, into the darkness of the room. His face seemed to be made of stone. It showed no emotions at all, his gaze was glued upon the opposite wall. His face had no color, it seemed like as if it was dead, like the rest of him and if his chest wouldn`t be moving a little every here and then, you might think there`s a corpse lying in the bed. Indeed, the only color in the young boys face were his red and puffed eyes and a wet path down his cheeks which were glimming in the moonlight.
There was a noise coming from outside the room, but he didn`t care or move. He knew exactly that this house was very old and made a few noises but that`s normal for it.
Why he knew such things? Simple.
It was his own house. Since his parents moved to the United States he was living in here alone.
He sighed, still sitting unmoving on his bed, leaning against the wall and a lonely tear found it`s way out of his eyes, down a path which obviously had seen many tears recently.
He was doing this every night. Sitting here and watching the wall. He had already black eyes out of the lack of sleep but he didn`t care. He didn`t wanted to sleep. Every time he did, he got horrible nightmares and visions hounting him and making his heart ache. Not that they didn`t hount him in daily life, too.
And everything went so perfect in the beginning. Two weeks ago he had discovered the final and all important hint to the destruction of the Black Organisation. "The Men in Black" that were responsible for his current state.
The boy turned and saw himself in the mirror. A tiny boy who was almost nine watched back.
Another tear and a little sob were the reponse of his body and he turned away again. He wasn`t able to look at this false reflection anymore. This wasn`t him! This was NOT him at all. He was not eight years old. He was eighteen!
A little over two years ago, that Black Organisation had poisoned him with a drug that had made his body shrunk. And that only because he had discovered one of their dark and illegal works. That was his job, after all. He is a detective.
Since that day, he is trying to find an antidote and to locate the current location of the Organisation so that he can destroy them and finally return to his own self.
More then two years of pain, humiliation and fruitless searching had passed. He had found a way to live like this and had found friends who helped him the best they could. Friends who had discovered his secret. Like his neighbour, Doctor Agasa, the inventor. Without his help, he would be already dead by now. Or a certain detective from Osaka, Heiji Hattori, who helped him whenever he needs him, or a former member of the Organisation, Ai Haibara, the actual inventor of the drug that`s responsible for his state. She quit and was turned into a kid as well and is currently hiding from the members of the Black Organisation who would kill her if they found her. You would think she could invent an antidote if she already invented the drog, right? Not quite. Without the formulars and informations from the Organisation it was no use. All she could do were instant antidotes which helped like for the maximum of one day, if not an hour. And there still was 'she'. The daughter of the detective he had been living at. She was the daughter of Korogo Mori, and his childhoodfriend. Ran Mori.
His heart ached.
The time had passed but Ran and her father didn`t discover his secret which was exactly what he wanted. It would be way too dangerous for her. For her, her father and everybody else around him. She was often damn close to it but he could wigle out somehow every time.
Like mentioned, two weeks ago he had found the final hint he needed to overthrow the Organisation. The little detective immediately called all the people who were able to help him. Heiji, Ai, Kaito Kid, who became a friend of Shinichi (he was pretty sure that the Black Oranisation was responsible for the death of Kaitos father. Kaito is searching for them to revenge his father. That`s why he became Kaito Kid in the first place) and a few others. With their help he formed the perfect plan to fight them and to bring them into prison, where they belong so he finally can return back to his normal body. It had been very touching how his friends all worked together and risked their lifes to win the battle against the Organisation. Conan also called the police but only at the end, after almost everything was already over.
They sneaked in the very same night into the old factory they`ve been hiding, probably planning their next coup, because they mustn`t have the chance to run away and hide. Their surprise attack succeeded. The Black Organisation had been unprepared but fought back the best they could.
A group of the Black Organisations member`s, Campari, Ouzo, Rum, Jack Daniels, Brandy, Baccardi, Baylies and Eggnog, followed by other enraged servants, immediately pushed the alarm and armed themselves. Thanks to the genius plan of our friends they could be captured before seriously harming anyone.
Another member named Curacao got shot while trying to kill Inspector Megure and others rather locked themselves in a room and burned it in order to not lose their secret documents to the police, then to get caught.
Heiji had to be transported to the hospital, bleeding out of several wounds. He got too involved in the fight with Gin and didn`t count with a knife, hidden in Gin`s shoes. And as Vermouth suddenly appeared behind him with a gun he thought his life was over. Luckily, Kaito and Conan came to his rescue. While fighting with Vermouth, Kaito got shot in his shoulder and Gin cutted Conan`s arm and leg with the knife before he could react but they overwhelmed both. They had been fighting like crazy but Heiji, Conan and Kaito had been prepared and in the end they couldn`t do anything against their destiny. Gin and Vermouth went to prison. Many of their followers and servants followed and as it looks at the moment, they are going to stay there for a very long time since the police discovers and discovers more and more crimes commited by them.
Ai had worked her way to the main office and looked through the computers for informations to keep them all in prison forever, and of course for informations about the antidote.
Wodka was hold back, chained by Doctor Agasa but could free himself as he kicked him at an unguarded moment in the stomach, forcing the inventor on his knees. Wodka ran and tried to escape but was stopped by Kogoro. He had fought as hard as he could and in the end overwhelmed Wodka (who got by the way trice the weight of the detective). The ex-policeman had to be brought to the hospital with grave injuries and Wodka`s joining now his following members of the Organisation in prison.
After the police arrested all the left members, Conan and the others received medical treatments. Kaito got his revenge and after his wounds from the battle are healed and he finishes school, he plans to move in with his girlfriend Aoko. The same goes for Heiji. After almost facing death in the battle, he realized he had to seize his days alive. That`s why he confessed his love to Kazuha and after she returned his feelings he proposed to her. They are going to marry after graduating.
Conan was very happy for them. They deserved every luck and happyness they could get.
He couldn`t thank them enough for their help. He had won the battle of his life. Soon the guys could go and they went back to their homes. Conan for his part was sitting in Kaitos and Heijis room, talking with them as Ran rushed in the room, worried and glad they were all ok. Conan didn`t like making her worry, and his thoughts were all around the fight he had finally won and what Ai would find out about the antidote and that he soon could be himself again.
But after seeing Ai`s face as she visited them in the night (Conan was allowed to stay with Kaito and Heiji over night) his heart sank to his feet. Her eyes were without any kind of expression and her face looked like as if she had seen a ghost.
~~~ Conan sat on his bed and shivered. Maybe he should close the window? But what would it matter. Actually he didn`t shiver only from the cold but from the memory of what came next. He briefly watched out of the window, seeing the moon and layed back on his bed, continueing waching the wall. He could remember what came next as if it had happened only yesterday and not two weeks ago. He shivered again.
He remembered how his face had lost all of his color, how his heart clenched and hurted him like as if staked with a huge sword, how his stomach turned as if wanting to throw up, how his body started trembling and his eyes started burning. He remembered Ai having said the words that would change his life, forever.
No way.
There was no way for her to find a cure, to find the antidote for their state. She had said these exact words.
As his body sunk back to the chair he was sitting on in the hospital and his face stared emotionless at the ceiling, she told him they had destroyed everythig including ATPX 4869 and without those informatins she could do nothing. She was helpless as much as he was. They had to stay like this. To stay like they were, to stay kids till they grew again.
Conan remembered today the worried faces of Heiji and Kaito, as if scared of his reaction and worried about what he is going to do now. Even Ai had looked at him miserably but he could do nothing but sit and stare as his situation sunk in his head and became clearer and clearer. Kid forever. No! This is not true! This must me some bad dream! What would he do now? And what about....
Conan stood up from the chair and walked slowly to the door. Opening it, he said:
"Thank you guys. I will never forget what you have done for me. You all have been great!"
Then he turned and smiled at them, then stepped outside and closed the door quietly behind him.
Conan did not quite remember all the placed he went after leaving the hospital. It had not mattered to him at that moment. All he can remember is that at some point he found himself in front of the detective office Mori.
The situation in the office had changed. Kogoro`s injuries had been worse than they thought. He was still in the hospital where Ran and Eri took care of him as often as they could. Eri had decided that when Kogoro was released they should move in together again.
Conan took the stairs of the office one by one and knocked. Soon Ran opened him and smiled at him, happy he already returned and started talking. He could only stare at her emotionless and her words did not find the way to his brain. All he understood was that the dinner was ready and that she would go to visit her father to bring him some things. Then she was already gone.
Conan stared after her. He stared in the direction she just left for about half an hour, then turned to walk into the house. He immediately went to his room and stood in front of his bed with clenched fists. He remained like that untill suddenly some kind of barried broke loose. Uncontrolable tears started to run down his face, he began to sob and shiver severly and finally broke down on his bed. He had cried the whole night untill he ran out of tears and fell asleep out of exhaustion.
The next day had been a schoolday and for the whole week some kind of mechanismus took over. He did not remember what had happened or how but he was in school and came back home like on any other day. He had been emotionless the whole week, walking numb through the world and he was not really present in everything he did. Instead he was thinking a lot, crying every night in his room untill he would fall asleep out of exhaustion, if he fell asleep at all.
Ai had been behaving strangely too. She barly talked to him nor did she notice him a lot but he didn`t care. What did it anything matter anymore, anyways?
Of course Ayumi and the boys never noticed anything but went on their happy daily life. A life he now had to live as well. The life of an eight year old. The life of Conan Edogawa.
Kaito retuned to the other side of Tokyo to start his new life and Heiji went back to Osaka where he immediately had a long talk with Kazuha.
Ran came home from school to cook, take care of Conan and eventually sleep a few hours before going the long way back to the hospital. She looked weaker by the days.
At the end of the week, Conan had come to a conclusion.
~~~ A few tears runned down Conan`s little face. He did not bother to wipe them away as he turned again and watched the moon, ignoring the heavy shiver of his body.
'If I had told her how I feel, she would miss me even more. All this time I`ve been breaking her heart by keeping her wait. Yet I still can`t appear before her eyes. I never want to see her cry again, even if it means I no longer exist in her heart.'
He clearly remembered this one time, long ago, as he had said those words about Ran to Ai. He had meant these words and they had been coming from the deepth of his heart. He had meant every single one. Not that he had not wished, daily prayed and hoped with every fibre of his being that he would never be forced to make them come true.
But it had been no use. Nobody could help him now. What was she still waiting for? Conan knew exactly that Ran was still waiting for Shinichi to return, and he knew she would wait forever. Like he would in her place.
But what was she waiting now for? -For somebody that would (could) never ever return to her.
Conan had thought long and hard about this and had finally decided under tears what he was obliged to do. Not because it was comfortable for him, which it was NOT. He did not care that it would break and bruise his own heart, leaving it unrecognizable forever, bute he loved her more than anything else in the world. He loved her more than to keep hurting her, no matter what kind of pain he would cause himself.
For her happyness it was even worth his death.
It was the hardest thing he ever saw himself forced to do in his whole life but he found no other solution. Not anymore.
And that`s how he had made another plan. A last one. Anything after didn`t matter anything.
First, he had packed his things together. Then he had written a letter to Ran. He had to rewrite it about four times because it was so soaked with his tears that it was not readable anymore.
Dear Ran
How are you? I hope you are fine. I heared what happened with your father and I am really sorry. It must be very hard for you, with school and taking care and everything. But at least your mother helps you, right? It`s good to see that she obviously wants him back. Isn`t that what you always wanted? I am so happy for you. Ran...please listen to me carefully now and please don`t hate me for what I have to do okay? Ran, I will not return to Tokyo. I know it must be hard to understand but it just...turned out like that. I know I am a jerk for keeping you wait but I can not help it. I am going to stay here in America with my parents where I will study criminologie. I am sorry. It`s the best if you just forget me! And please don`t hate me. That`s the only thing I dare asking you. I hope you can forgive me. You should know that the time with you had been the best I`ve had. Maybe I will write to you one day, or better not as to not disturb your new life, I don`t know. I never meant to hurt you, you have to believe me that. Please don`t wait for me and find yourself a nice boyfriend and become happy ok? I wish all luck on earth. I`ll never forget you.
Forever, Shinichi Kudo
Now Conan put the letter in the Mori`s mailbox without sender and returned in his room. He felt so sick. Felt like as if his life is worth nothing anymore. Felt like it would not matter if he would drop dead this very moment. Felt like as if he could not breathe anymore as he sank on his bed for the thousands time and collapsed under heavy sobbing and crushing tears.
'I am so sorry Ran. So sorry! I wish there was another way. "
Then he heared Ran openig the door. He knew she had the mails in her hands, she always picked them of the mailbox before entering the house. He closed his eyes as hard as he could and held his breath, ignoring the tears that came out of his eyes.
'Please forgive me Ran!'
The next thing he heared was silence, then a bam and her own sobbs. It was obvious she had collapsed on the ground crying.
He felt his heart tear in million little pieces as he heared her cry severly. His chest clenched, He felt as if he could not breathe anymore as he held his chest tightly. The pain was enormous and absolutly unbearable and he began to just cry harder.
How badly he wanted to go to her, to comfor her and tell her everything was ok. To sell his soul and own happyness so that she had not to go through the pain he caused her, again. But he couldn`t. Could not help her. He had to go through this, go through this hell, for her sake.
***
Next morning she greeted him with a weak smile and made him breakfast. She looked horrible. It was obvious, and not only for a detective, that she had had no sleep at all but had cried all night. She told him she felt not well but he had not to worry. She would skip school today and go to the hospital instead, immediately. As she left the house, Conan left the last thing he knew he had to do. Another letter.
Dear Ran- neechan
I am sorry I just left without really saying goodbye, but my mother suddenly picked me up. She will take me to someplace with her. Now you can move in with your mom and dad, ne? I wanna thank you so very very much for everything you`ve ever done for me. You are the nicest person and I know. Thank you for being my big sister. My mom said thanks too. I don`t know how to repay you dear neechan but I will definitly find a way. Maybe we will see each other again someday. Please don`t cry. I don`t wanna see you sad! One last thing... I love you, Ran- neechan.
Your Conan
As Ran found the letter he was already gone. He had decided to go and life with Doctor Agasa so he is near his own house and so that he can move in again when he is older.
He decided to leave her so Ran can move in with her family. And so she had a new chance to find somebody new. His heart and stomach clenched again at the thought. It was the right thing to do. It would be easier for her that way. ~~~
'That had been exactly eight days ago' Conan thought, still observing the moon. 'And I didn`t see her again. I heared she moved out of the office and in with her mother. She will be happy soon, again, I am certain of that. But why do I still feel so numb? Like dead?'
He didn`t bother answering the question, since the answer was clear. A few tears found their way out of his eyes again. It weren`t much left. When will he be able to stop crying?
In exactly this moment he saw a shooting star. Would it bring anything to wish something? He didn`t believe in such things but closed his tearsoaked eyes and made a wish.
'How naïve!
A few minutes and tears later, he curled into a ball and fell asleep, exhaused, on his bed, in the shine of the moonlight.
*~*~*~
"Conan? What`s wrong?"
No reponse.
"Conan?"
"What?" he turned to his right and looked into Ayumis worried face.
"What`s wrong with you? You look terrible! Are you ill?"
"No, I am fine, really." He said.
'That`s about the biggest lie I`ve ever told anyone' he told himself. 'Don`t be so sure of that!' another part of his mind answered. 'I know....!'
"Ayumi- chan just asked you if you are exited, too. After the break we will get a new student!" Genta interfered.
"Oh...Sure!" he lied again. 'What do I care about new students? I have OTHER problems...'
He looked at Ai but she refused to meet his gaze. He shruggled and turned back.
"I wonder what the new one is like! Maybe another handsome young boy!" Ayumi said exited, looking at Conan.
"NO WAY!" Both, Genta and Mitsuhiko answered, jealous.
Conan rolled his eyes 'OH gimme a break'. He thought angryly as the door opened and the teacher came in, leaving the door open. The students rushed to their seats in a hurry and became silent, looking exited at the teacher. Only Conan looked bored in some other direction, supporting his head in a hand.
"Dear class, today we will greet another student in our class. She just moved to Tokyo. Please be nice to her. Come in dear!" the teacher said to the open door. A petit girl walked in, closing the door behind her and standing next to the teacher.
"AW, is she cuuuttteee!" Conan heared Genta say.
"Class, this, is Ran Kudo."
Conan`s hand slipped and his head hit the table, hard.
'WHAT THE - ?!?'