Title: Masks of Identity

Author: RedHerring1412

Rating: T

Warning: AU, stressful life, and maybe a romantic pairing(?)

Pairings: still deciding, maybe Kaito/Shinichi (then again, maybe not.)

Disclaimer: All rights and privileges of Meitantei Conan and Magic Kaito belong to the great Goushou Aoyama. (Unless his editors own it.)

Author Comments: Well, I finally made it to writing the story I wanted to. Now I can only hope that I can write it as well as I can imagine it. For those readers out there that may get confused, a read my previous story, "That's Life". It will explain a few events that may be mentioned in later chapters. However, they are not necessarily related. That is why this is a semi-sequal. Anyways, many years pass. Meanwhile, for those of you that wonder why it is AU . . . I flipped times around a little bit. First off, the Kaitou Kid that Conan chased around was the first Kaitou Kid. Conan has now grown up and is now attending the same class as those in Magic Kaito. (A quick way of thinking about it, the heists that happen in Meitantei Conan are the first Kaitou Kid and the heists that happen in Magic Kaito are present day.) All confused now? Now let us continue.

For the first few chapters I will change the point of views around so you, the reader, will understand why some of the characters will act the way they will. So first up, Koizumi Akako (after one of the small letters from Conan to Ran).

Dear Ran-neechan,

Today I transferred into a new school yet again. Life with Tou-san and Kaa-san is rather interesting. Depending on the area we live at, my schooling changes as well. Sometimes I am home schooled while at other times I am enrolled in some sort of school. I really wonder sometimes on what whim they are deciding my fate. Oh well, at least I am learning new things all the time. This time Kaa-san has signed me up in an acting school. Hopefully I won't disappoint her too much, seeing as she was once an actress herself. As for Tou-san . . . I think he is too busy getting bullied by Kaa-san and his editors to annoy me very much. Still, he does find the time to teach me an odd or interesting fact here or there. Of course, most of those things have to do with his Night Baron stories or other such things. I have to wonder sometimes on how he comes up with some of his stuff. Should I be worried? Anyway, as for myself, I have enjoyed learning all these new things. I am even thinking about taking up some type of martial arts, though I haven't really decided yet. It's just that you must have left some sort of impression on me on how you defended me all those times that I also want to be as effective when I defend someone I care about. Oh yes, I almost forgot! How are you doing at home? Has your father changed since the last time we talked? Hopefully your parents will stop being so stubborn about the feelings they have for each other one of these days, but don't expect anything to happen anytime soon. Also, what about you? Have you made any new friends? Did that date with whatever-his-name-was work out? I hope you find your true love soon and hopefully he won't be such a jerk like you-know-who. Anyway, with this letter I am sending a package filled with some samples of my cooking. Hopefully it came intact. You did mention in your last letter that you wanted to know how well I did in that one cooking class I mentioned. Therefore, I thought that the best way for you to know is to try it yourself. Well? Is it any good? Anyway, at my new school, today in class we . . .

Chapter 1:

"Did you hear?"

"What? What?"

"There's a new transfer student coming in today."

"Really? Is it a girl?"

"I overheard from a teacher that the new student is a boy."

"Really? Oh, I hope he is as handsome as the last one."

Squeals ring out in the corner as the girls continue to gossip. Except for one girl. Lounging in her seat she flicks away some imaginary lint off of her sleeve. Listening to the gossiping girls, a smirk appears on her face.

Such foolish simpletons. Even if the angels themselves would weep at his beauty, his heart would be mine. All men's hearts will be mine, for it is their fate to be my slaves. So far there is only one man who is able to resist me. However, it is only a matter of time before he becomes mine as well.

Chuckling quietly Akako watches in amusement as Kaito shivers under her gaze.

It's only a matter of time after all. Still . . . why do I have this feeling of foreboding? As if the devil himself is to appear before me and take my soul. What could be causing this feeling?

Glancing over at Hakuba's empty seat, she thinks quietly.

It is a similar feeling as to when he showed up. For not long after that, my dear Kaitou Kid was threatened of being captured. However, compared to what I feel now, he is nothing. Whatever or whoever is causing this feeling brings along an aura of something cold and dark. This is something I am going to have to ask Lucifer about. If this thing is as dangerous as I think it is, I am going to have to know more about it. Then I must decide what to do about it. For any threat to myself or to my dear Kaitou Kid I must dispose of. I will not let anything happen to him until he becomes mine.

Further contemplation is interrupted however as the classroom's door slides open. The teacher walks in and calls forth attention from the class. "Settle down everyone. I have an announcement to make. As many of you may have heard, we have a new student today." Looking beyond the door, the teacher calls out to the person waiting. "Would you please come in and introduce yourself?"

Akako's breath catches in her throat as she catches sight of the newcomer.

It can't be . . .

Feeling her face paling, she watches as the young man writes his name on the chalkboard. In the back of her mind, she barely registers the name written. Her thoughts were too busy trying to figure out what she was seeing.

He was the one creating this feeling of dread within me? But he seems so harmless. Not only that but . . . It just isn't possible . . . His face is filled with innocence, despite the resemblance to a certain troublemaker. Could it be that he is a . . ?

Snapping back to reality she watches warily as the new student introduces himself. With a gentle smile and a childlike expression of innocence shining of his face, the new student greets the class. "Hello everyone. Today I have come to be a part of this school. My name is Edogawa Conan. Pleased to meet you all."

Smiling at his politeness, the teacher pats him on his shoulder. "Yes, well, we are glad that you could join us Edogawa-san. Let's see . . . You can go and sit in the empty seat next to Koizumi-san. Now class, today we are . . . "

Akako drowns out the teacher's voice as she watches in dread at the new student approaching her. She continues to stare as he seats himself and digs out his textbooks from his carrying case.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

Jumping slightly at the unexpected conversation, she looks into the blue eyes obscured by glasses. "Sorry. What did you say?"

Tilting his head to the side he studies her face for a moment. "Huh . . . You're weird." With that said he faces once more to the front of the class and begins to take notes.

Wha . . . What did he say? I'm weird? How dare he!

-------------

Deep within her manor, Akako paces in front of an empty fireplace. Hiding in a corner, her servant watches as she fumes. Letting out a restrained scream of frustration she begins her rant.

"What is wrong with that boy? All the other boys at school worship the very ground I walk upon. Well . . . minus my beloved. This guy however, completely ignores my presence. Acting as though I do not even exist. It just isn't right!"

Seeing a pause in her ranting her servant pipes up. "Of course it isn't right Mistress. All the world should bow at your feet."

"Oh, shut up."

Ceasing her pacing, Akako stares into the cold, empty fireplace. Letting her think to herself for a moment, her servant then continues to speak. "If I may be so bold as to ask, is it that boy again that makes you so unhappy?"

"If only it was something as simple as that." Chuckling quietly, Akako speaks her mind. "No. For once it isn't that boy, despite the resemblance between the two of them. While Kuroba Kaito may act childish in his antics, this new boy is polite to a fault."

Taking a deep breath she continues, "However, no matter how innocent and polite he may act, there is something about him that worries me. To anyone else, when they look into his eyes, they would only see what I described to you. As for myself, for a split second, when I looked into his eyes I felt something cold and dark. That boy is most definitely no innocent. Yet I don't know exactly what he is. There is something about him that is unnatural, but I just can't figure it out."

Thinking for a moment, Akako blankly stares into the empty fireplace. Turning to her servant she then demands, "Prepare the rites! I have questions to ask of Lucifer."

"Yes Mistress." Bowing as well as his hunched body could manage, he exits the room.

Once more turning to the cold fireplace, Akako's thoughts continue.

It's true that you are no innocent. Are you a threat to me? Or could it be that the one who should fear you should be my dear Kaitou Kid. With the resemblance, I would think that you are his doppelganger. Yet my instinct tells me that you are not such a thing. Why then, does your presence cause me to feel such dread? Today I wished to see if you would do my bidding as any other boy I meet would do so. Yet you resisted my charm! That shouldn't be possible. The only one at this time who is able to deny me is Kaitou Kid! No one else has that ability. So how is it that you can resist me? Kuroba Kaito is Kaito Kid, not this Edogawa person. Yet what else could it be? Just what exactly are you Edogawa Conan?

-------------

Watching her servant clean up from the rituals, Akako contemplates the answers she received. Despite the answers to her inquiries however, a dozen more questions sprang to mind.

Curse the nature of demons to give out riddles! At least I know now why he resisted my charm. My own magic protected me from myself. For if I involve myself with that boy I . . . At the very least I know that if I truly wished it I can influence him. It's just not a very good idea to do so. As for what else I found out . . . What a sad past you've had. Well, what I could understand of it anyway.

Poison made life and so the false child comes from berth.

Black cats follow one's lives of truth seeing eyes made birth.

Doppelganger's sincere hands the battered heart did wreck.

For truth no more the pure made scarlet sin the masks reck.

Considering the fact that all I asked for was information about Edogawa Conan, all the lines of that verse must refer to him. Four lines refer to some sort of death, though by what fashion I do not know. With thirteen syllables per line means that he has an unlucky aura. Not to mention the word content. Poison, black cats, a battered heart and scarlet sins are such dark references for such a polite boy. He must have lived a rather difficult life.

At a guess, from what I understand from the verse, the first line means that there was an attempt for him to never be born but lived anyways. The people whom he may think are his family aren't really his. That is at least what I think it means anyway.

The second live is a bit easier to understand. Black cats following someone means that bad luck follows him around. Not necessarily that he has bad luck, but anyone around him is more likely to be on the bad side of fate. Truth seeing eyes would mean that he is more perceptive that anyone would think. Kaitou Kid should be careful around him then. As for why it refers to multiple lives, I do not know. Perhaps he is a reincarnation of someone?

Line three is also a simple one. Apparently he has a bad luck double that has hurt him emotionally rather badly in the past. Though I don't quite understand the part about sincere hands. Was it for his own good?

However, it is the last line of the verse that really throws me. All I can make of it is that I was correct in my assumption that he is not as innocent as he seems. Still, he acts polite, so maybe he has reformed? He doesn't show any interest in anything at school, perhaps that is why he acts that way. However, no matter how polite he may be, his very presence is dangerous, even though he may not realize it. I must keep in mind that any type of relationship with Edogawa Conan is to be avoided at all cost.

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Author's Endnote:

Well? How was it? Did you wonderful readers of mine enjoy it? I hope you did because as a reward for your delightful reviews, you can choose who the next narrator gets to be! (Though be warned that I may avoid using some points of view until certain plot points.) So flex your fingers and click on that review button, I value your input.

-RHK

Reference Notes:

Ran-neechan How Conan refers to Ran (neechan referring to an older sister position)

Tou-san Father

Kaa-san Mother

Doppelganger (there are many thesaurus references for this word so you may wish to look it up yourself.) Refers to any double of a person. A doppelganger seen by friends or relatives of a person may sometime bring bad luck, omen or is an indication of an approaching illness or health problem.

The Demon's Verse Something I made up, note that the word at the end of the line is pronounced the exact same way the word from the next line is. Just keep in mind that demons are supposed to be tricky. Look up dictionary definitions if you have trouble.

-Ask me in your review if you want me to add some more.