A/N: Thanks for even considering on clicking on the link to my story. Please feel free to tell me in you reviews what you liked/disliked about this story so I can improve it. Thanks a bundle!
Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed (wish I did, but hey, what are ya' gonna do?).
"Speech"
'Thought'
(My notes a/k/a author's notes)
RECAP.
Shinichi took one of the temporary pills Haibara made. Shinichi asked Ran out on a date and took her to the restaurant on top of the Kyoto Tower. Half way through the meal the two teens were having, a murder was committed. Shinichi left to solve the case while Ran waited for him to finish.
Shinichi had the case solved, but just as he was about to reveal who the murderer was, he began to feel the all-too familiar pain he always gets before changing back into Conan! However, Shinichi was able to solve the case without any interference, like changing back into Conan for one. But his real problems started after he solved it………
Chapter One
Shinichi stood behind the Inspector and Takagi, while they chatted merrily and praised him. However, Shinichi didn't care about what the two older men were talking about; he was too busy worrying about changing back into Conan. The pain was almost unbearable. He already had two spasms of pain rush through his body and was worried if the third would change him back into his 8 year old self in front of everyone!
'Why? WHY NOW!?' Shinichi thought angrily.
He glanced over to where Ran sat, gazing out the window with a content smile on her face.
Shinichi's heart almost broke in two. Not because of the intense speed his heart was beating at. No. His heart almost broke because of the way Ran was smiling. She believed he was back for good.
Well technically he was; he never really left anyway, but she didn't know that.
In Ran's world, he had left her for some big case for the past year, and hey, half of that was true. He may not have left her, but he kind of was on a big case. He was searching for a secret crime syndicate in an 8 year old's body for crying out loud!
Shinichi couldn't look at her anymore. Just the thought of him hurting Ran even more than he already had made him feel sick.
He wished he could stop what was happening to him, happening to them. If he could, he would go back in time, back to the day he took Ran to Tropical Land. Back to that day, that horrible day, so he could stop himself from following those goons, Gin and Vodka.
But he couldn't.
He got himself into this, he was going to have to get himself out.
Not just yet though.
"Wuuu!" Shinichi groaned as another surge of pain shot through him.
Inspector Megure and officer Takagi stopped what they were saying and turned around to see what happened.
Megure's eyes went wide when he saw the state Shinichi was in. Shinichi was leaning forward, one hand against the wall to support himself, the other clutching his chest. Sweat was pouring down Shinichi's forehead, and his breaths sounded like they were being labored.
Megure immediately went to Shinichi's side, with concern spread across his face.
"Kudo-kun, what's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked in a very worried voice. Shinichi merely stared off into space, his face contorted in pain.
"Call an ambulance, Takagi!" He ordered. Takagi also had a look of concern on his face, but after the order he got from the Inspector, he shook his head to get him out of his worried daze and saluted the Inspector before turning around to find a phone.
"…No…" Came Shinichi's raspy voice. Takagi stopped in his tracks. Inspector looked back at Shinichi with questioning eyes.
"Kudo-kun, you're sick, we need to get you to the hospital." Inspector explained.
Shinichi shook his head, "Megure-san, I know what's going on. I just need some water."
Megure and Takagi both had doubtful expressions on their face, but Shinichi shrugged it off as he slowly stood up and walked over to the men's room.
'I doubt water is going to help. He looks like he's having a stroke.' Megure thought as he stood up, all the while staring a Shinichi's staggering form as it made it's way the restroom.
"Sir, I don't think water is going to help him in this sort of state." Takagi stated. Megure snapped his gaze from the 18 year old detective, to the man standing next to him.
"Stay here and deal with the crowd, I'm going to check on Kudo." With that said he turned around and headed for the restroom.
Shinichi's skin felt like it was on fire! He stared at himself in the mirror as steam started coming from his body.
'Of all times I could've changed back, it had to be now.' He thought sadly. It was Ironic really. He could have had the whole night with Ran, the woman he loved. He was going to tell her how he felt about her. But no, Fate was too cruel to let him have what he wanted. Fate had people murder each other to keep him from expressing his love to Ran.
That was kind of a selfish way to think about it, but right now, that's how it seemed.
Creek
Shinichi looked in the corner of the mirror. He gasped at who he saw. It was Conan, no, Ai dressed as Conan coming out of one of the stalls.
"Ai," he croaked. Ai didn't respond, instead she walked towards him as he began to slide to the floor.
"Why?" was all he could ask; the pain was too intense for him to continue talking.
'Seems like the cure only lasts for 24 hours. No matter,' Ai thought as she stared down at the high school detective. She took the glasses from her face and dropped them in Shinichi's lap. 'See you on the other side, Edogawa-kun.'
Ai took out another pair of Conan clothes she had packed for him just in case. She laid them down next to him. She stared at him a little more. She felt a pang of guilt as she watched Shinichi suffer. She was the cause of his suffering, she would always tell herself.
She looked down at the tile beneath her feet, her bangs hid her eyes from the world.
"Kudo-kun?"
Ai spun around. She knew that voice and she knew it well. Inspector Megure was looking for Shinichi.
She began to panic. What was she going to do? She was too small to move Shinichi from where he lay! She had to think fast.
"Uhhhh!!!" Shinichi moaned. He recoiled into a fetal position on the floor. He looked pale yet flush, it was hard to explain. This didn't help Ai; Inspector Megure heard Shinichi's pained cry, and was opening the door to the men's room all the way to come in and aid Shinichi.
'Shit!' She cursed to herself. Ai ran into one of the stalls and out of sight, hoping that Megure would think he was hearing things. But knowing his profession, she doubted he would just think it was nothing.
Shinichi gave another whimper, he was in a lot of pain. Ai hoped he would pass out and end his misery; she hated hearing him in pain.
"SHINICHI!" Megure exclaimed when he saw the young detective on the floor. He bent down next to Shinichi's side and cradled him like a child.
'Why is he steaming. This isn't normal.'
"Kudo-kun don't worry, I'm going to call an ambulance right now." Shinichi didn't say anything; he just shut his eyes tight and gritted his teeth.
"Don't call an ambulance." the voice belonging to a small girl said behind Megure.
Megure turned his head sharply to see who it was that just told him not to call for help. He almost fell over with surprise when he saw young Conan Edogawa standing there without his glasses.
"Conan-kun? What are you-"
"No, not Conan-kun, Ai-kun." She stated plainly.
"Ai-kun? Why are you dressed as Conan-kun?" He asked, very confused.
"I had to cover for Kudo-kun. He's Conan-kun."
"What are you talking about Ai-kun? You're not making any sense. Kudo-kun can't be Conan-kun, people can't change their age."
"Indeed they can Megure-san. Well not on their own, they need to take a poison I made. If you want proof, watch as Kudo-kun turns into Edogawa-kun."
"Ai-kun this is no time for games. Can't you see Kudo-kun needs medical attention!?" He asked her angrily. He wanted to get Shinichi some help, for he could only think the worst if he didn't.
"No…..Megure….san….she's…..she's telling the t…truth." Both heads turned to look at Shinichi.
"Shinichi, you don't know what you're saying. It's impossible for you to be Conan!" Megure was really worried now. The Shinichi he knew wouldn't believe such nonsense. The teen was surely delusional.
"Ye….yes I…I d..do…I'm not cra…AHHHH!!!"
Shinichi felt a wave of pain wash over him as he tried to finish his sentence. But he couldn't; his heart felt like it was going to burst, his bones felt like they were melting, and his skin burned even more.
"SHINICHI-KUN!!!!" Megure yelled, worry could be heard clearly in his voice.
"Shhh, do you want everyone in the world to see him shrink?" Ai hissed.
Megure was about to retort, but stopped as he felt the body in his arms begin to change. He shifted his gaze back to Shinichi. What he saw next would've made even the most logical people in the world be at a loss for words.
Shinichi Kudo was shrinking into an 8 year old.
So, like it, hate it? Please tell me if I should continue it or not. R&R please?