A/N: I wrote this ages and ages ago, and never got past the first two chapters. I decided to give it another shot lately so my apologies for the awful writing style. It'll hopefully get better, but no promises.

There's another world inside of me that you may never see,
There are secrets in this life that I can't hide,
Somewhere in this darkness…

Conan's eyes snapped open and he sat up with a start, panting as he shook the remnants of the dream from his mind.

It was strange. Even though he was always catching criminals and finding the lifeless bodies of the murdered it hadn't ever effected him… and it was only now that murders had paused in occurrence was he terrified.

No—murders were still happening. He knew that they had to be—the 'mysterious' disappearances had been confirmed by Haibara to be works of the Black Organization.

Children at the age of 5-8 mysteriously disappearing… was this his fault? It must have been. The Black Organization had become desperate enough to draw this much attention to themselves, taking the risk and gambling—no, it wasn't a gamble.

The Black Organization was much too cautious to gamble. Their untraceable methods couldn't have been based off of wild gambles.

They knew that he would try to find them. They knew who he was, and what he would do… no wonder Haibara was so terrified of them.

I'll catch them. At least one of them. Conan thought to himself with a frown. Sooner or later justice will prevail. Now then—

He was interrupted by the loud BRIIIINNNNGGGGGG! of his alarm clock.

"Conan?" Ran's curious voice drifted up the stairs as the alarm clock continued to ring. She knocked on the door lightly. "Are you alright?"

She must've meant at the moment, or asking if he felt physically okay but Conan's pessimistic answer came almost instinctively.

No. I'm stuck in a child's body, I'm trying to catch an organization that is more slippery than water and I'm demoted to a stupid kid who has to knock people out to solve cases. Plus I may possibly be kidnapped—at least then I might get a clue about the Black Organization. Do you really think that I'm okay?

But it was just like Ran to worry about someone, careful about every little thing. And he had worried her far more than must have been allowed. He couldn't be selfish, not when it came to Ran, who was faithfully believing in him.

Conan notched his voice an octave higher and smiled cheerily even though Ran couldn't see him through the closed door. "Yup, I'm fine, Ran-neechan! I'm just testing to see how long the alarm will ring!"

Yeah right. That's about the stupidest lie that I've ever told.

"Okay, Conan-kun, but don't forget to come down soon or you'll be late for school!" Was Ran's quick reply and the sound of her footsteps started then slowly faded until all that was left was the loud ringing of the offensive alarm.

"Oh, shut up." Conan grumbled, slamming a hand on top of it with a growl. His eyes flickered over to his homework and he scowled. My brain is dying doing this work. I can't take it any longer… It was pure torture, being forced to do things that he could do when he was half asleep or playing football (soccer).

He was interrupted mid thought/rant by the loud opening music of "Detective" Mouri's favorite cooking show and sighed.

What have I done to deserve this? He wondered idly as he got dressed, pausing to stuff his quickly scrawled homework into his backpack.

He opened the door to the words Kaitou Kid and froze.

"What-"

"We are now interrupting the program with a very special news announcement!" A news reporter declared excitedly. "Jirokichi Suzuki has once again challenged Kaitou Kid and offered one of the biggest amethysts of the world, the newly discovered Dream Flower! The event will take place…"

Conan leaned forwards unconsciously perking his ears as the television reporter informed them of all the details of old man Suzuki's challenge with a bright, falsely cheery voice that while sickened him had caught his interest in a second.

"Old man Suzuki hasn't challenged Kid." He murmured, thinking back on all the times that he had nearly captured the phantom thief—each time the thief escaping with a teasing smirk on his lips. "Kid will come as a challenge to me."

Because Kid's most brilliant acts were shown when Conan was around, something that he knew wasn't a coincidence.

And as he listened, despite himself, he began to smile. He was ready for this.

0o0o0o0o0

Somewhere in this darkness there's a light I cannot find…
Maybe it's too far away…
Or maybe I'm just blind.

"Kait-oh!" Aoko exclaimed, exasperated as she yanked the tablet out of Kaito's hands with a scowl. "What is it with your encouraging of this—this—criminal!? Kaitou Kid is just a big fat dummy who's going to be caught by my father any second now!"

"Like hell! That third-rate inspector couldn't catch Kid if Kid stood in front of him and turned himself in with a sign that said 'I'm Kid'!" Kaito replied hotly. "He'll just be like: Kid would never do something so stupid, I know kid… or something stupid like that."

"How dare you talk that way about my father!?" Aoko demanded angrily. "I'll have you know that he's one of the most amazing detectives ever! I'll bet that Kid's shaking at the thought of facing my father!"

Kaito snorted. Yeah right. Like I'd be scared of that lame brainless police? Well, I can't exactly complain. With them as the sideshow the magic act is easy to control—but now that Old Man Jirokichi's challenged me…

He allowed a smirk to settle on his features. Jirokichi's challenge wasn't a challenge to Kid anymore—it was the signal that Kid was challenging that little brat.

What trick shall I show little Tantei-kun this time? Hm… tch, that jerk, making me think like this. Ah well… I hope that he enjoys the show.

"Oi, Kaito! Kaito! Are you even listening to me?" Aoko demanded, beginning to leak some murderous intent.

Kaito couldn't help but shiver involuntarily. "I—um—Kid's a coward, you're third rate inspector father scares him away, blah blah blah blah blah, right?"

Aoko raised an eyebrow.

"I mean um—the transfer student program?" Kaito guessed nervously.

Aoko sighed, knocking on his head. "You're so scatterbrained sometimes, you know. But yeah, the transfer program. Since we've been selected to go as the highest marked students in class we'll be transferring."

"Oh yeah…" Kaito paused. "We're living with other students, right? Who was mines again…?"

"Hm…" Aoko tilted her head to the side and frowned. "…To be honest, I'm not really sure!" She exclaimed, sounding amazed. "Well, I know mine. Mouri Ran-chan… and since she's in the transfer program, next month she'll be coming to live with me!" She smiled cheerily. "I hope we get along well!"

"Why wouldn't you?" Kaito asked. "I mean, you're both girls—" He paused and leaned in closer to Aoko. "I mean… you are a girl, right? You have such a flat chest, it's just that—"

Aoko's features turned bright red and suddenly a mop had seemed to magically appear in her hands.

So fast… too bad she's not into magic, she would have been really—"Gaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! I'm sorry, Aoko-chaaaaannnnn!" Kaito yelped as the desk split clean in two due to the force of the mop.

"DIE, KAITO!" Aoko screamed.

"Nakimori, Kuroba!" The teacher yelled, having apparently entered the room and started the lesson sometime during their fight. "Tell me the answer to this question!" She pointed to the board.

"79!" Kaito yelled, not even bothering to turn his head as he caught the reflection of the question on the window.

"Th-that's right." The teacher sighed. "Nakimori! This question, here!"

"3884!" Aoko replied, face hot in fury. Then she paused for a second and frowned. "Or 5.032944e+132. It doesn't really matter."

The teacher sank to the floor, defeated, then realized something and sat up, pointing a finger triumphantly. "The transfer program!" She exclaimed happily, then began to hum. "Yes! For an entire month I'll get rid of these two and have a wonderful peaceful and quiet life! Oh how wonderous!"

The two in question didn't even notice her, they were so set on their 'battle'.

In the end Kaito managed to escape Aoko's wrath by taking out a card, pulling out a blue rose, and multiplying it to make a bouquet. Aoko smiled and sniffed it, then yelped in shock as a Jack-in-the-box popped out with a sign declaring Aoko's panties to be pink with white hearts.

And, of course, it started all over again. No surprise there. And so their ordinary life continued—soon they would realize just how much they had taken it for granted.

0o0o0o0o0o0

A smirk flitted onto his lips, and Kaito Kid lifted his cape grandly. "Ladies and Gentleman!" He called out with a wide smile. "Tonight you'll see an illusion of jewels…" He paused, and the crowd of Kid fans cheered even louder.

Conan scowled and gritted his teeth. "Just you wait." He growled. "I'll figure out your trick, no matter what."

"I've already stolen the jewel." Kid continued with a smug smirk. "But alas—I can't find it! I wonder why? Perhaps it's because…" He held up his hand and suddenly millions of bright purple jewels glowed around him in the air. "There are so many here!"

Kid hadn't stolen the jewel yet—what was his plan? This trick was so simple. Mirrors… Kid had arranged a bunch of mirrors and then made them reflect the true gem. But why such a simple trick? Conan frowned. It wasn't like Kid to do something so… so… not-elaborate.

What are you doing, Kid?

He wondered, narrowing his eyes.

Is this a decoy or something? I see… he's trying to distract us from something. And I'm betting that if that's a decoy then the Kid up there isn't the real Kid at all… then where is he?

It was obvious. The gem, of course. Conan gritted his teeth and turned to Nakamori to tug on his pant leg, only to find that Nakamori was already yelling at his men to "Get to the jewel, you bunch of lunkheaded idiots! That's just a decoy to avert our attention! The real Kid is in the museum, after the jewel!"

And Conan would have applauded Nakamori's wit and genius, had it been for the fact that Nakamori didn't have any. The officer, being the head of Kid's investigation team, should have long realized by now that sending in this mob of officers was only going to help Kid succeed in his plan even more.

Though, as it was a probably spur-of-the-moment thing, it was pretty smart. Conan wasn't stupid or arrogant enough to think that he could take care of Kid all by himself. The Phantom Thief had evaded him far too many times for him to think such a stupid thing.

…Or at least, now he wasn't. Perhaps he had been arrogant enough to think that before—a long, long time ago, of course…

With a sigh, Conan dashed inside as well. It was obvious that Kid would dress up as a police officer this time. The numbers of the uniformed men were multiplying by the minute, and the number of possible suspects crowding around Conan was multiplying just as fast.

He swore under his breath, and made his way through the riptide-like rush of bodies with much difficulty.

"I swear—once this is over, I'm going to talk to Nakamori about this whole rushing- into- the- building- to- catch- Kid thing." Conan grumbled as he managed to make his way to the jewel, gasping for breath.

And stopped as he noticed something small and white fluttering in the air, swaying slowly as it descended onto the earth.

"Snow?" Someone—one of the perhaps more inexperienced or stupid officers—murmured in amazement as he held out his hand. There was a cry of shock, and a note of "It's not cold!".

"Paper." Conan heard somebody else identify the small white substance. "But why—? Kid has never distracted us by binding our vision like this before…"

He was smart, noticing this at the same time that Conan did. It wasn't like Kid to do this—or maybe it was and Conan simply hadn't seen enough of his work to know.

But he was pretty sure that it was uncharacteristic of the phantom thief, who craved attention and welcomed his audience with that infuriating grin of his.

Then Conan felt a small worm of doubt wriggle itself into his mind. What if this wasn't Kid's work? Could it be some other phantom thief? No… Kid always would come even if the heist note wasn't his, and he would publicly humiliate whoever had made the stupid decision to use the name of Kaitou Kid.

"Ahem." There was a loud cough, the papers seemed to attract to a spot on top of the case. In a swirl of paper, the Phantom Thief appeared. "Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, it would seem that you've made it past the opening act and have come to see the real show!"

The 'real show', eh? What an irritating guy…

Kaito Kid lowered a hand and pointed to the gem in the case. "You see the jewel in there?" He asked cheerfully, held out his hand, and in a puff of pink smoke the gem vanished from the case. "Huh? Where's the gem? Oh wait a minute…"

Another puff of pink smoke, and the jewel appeared in his hand, gleaming brightly in the white glove.

"It's right there!" Kid cried, faking shock.

Nakamori finally burst through from the crowd and pointed an accusatory finger at Kid, growling. "You are going down, Kid!" He cried angrily.

Kid blinked, and then a decidedly evil smirk grew over his features. "Nakamori-keibu! How wonderful of you to volunteer for my magic show!"

"Wh-what are you planning Ki—" The inspector was interrupted by smoke beginning to pour into the room from a small capsule on the ground.

There was a loud sound like a bell being rung, and in a flash the room was filled with white. Confused as to what Kid had done, the police officers looked around and let out identical cries of shock.

They were surrounded by Kids.

Really? Conan thought to himself. This is just about the most common trick in the book… is this another distraction of his?

He gritted his teeth and started to think.

0o0o0o0o0

It wasn't a distraction. Kaito could tell that that was what the little detective was thinking, but it wasn't one. He sighed. What was he so worried about anyways? This transfer program wouldn't really effect his life…

Yes it will. A rational, pesky little voice in the back of his head whispered. And you know that it will. When you go live with someone else it'll get harder and harder to become Kid. And then you won't be able to draw out them…

No, it doesn't matter! Another part of him replied furiously. Kaito Kid will go once two weeks from now, then at the end of the month! Going once every other week will be fine. It's not like I go on a heist every day, you know…

"There you are." He was interrupted by Conan's voice, the boy's eyes narrowed. "What was that lame trick back there? What are you planning?"

"Lame?" Kaito repeated, placing a hand over his heart. "I'm wounded, tantei-kun. I tried to please you, you know."

"Well you weren't very good at coming up with new tricks." Conan snorted.

Kaito faltered. This trick wasn't good enough to make the news… no, was this really a trick that he wanted to be talked and gossiped about for two whole weeks? He should have planned better, but figuring out how to still be Kid had been on his mind and he had no solution.

Maybe he should tell little tantei-kun. Tell him that Kaito Kid would be out of commission for the next month.

Kaito gave the detective a light smile. "I was too busy trying to think of next time's trick." He replied cheerily. "This is just like last time… April fools, tantei-chan." He tossed held up the gem to the moonlight and squinted slightly, eyes widening when he heard the sound of breaking glass and a dull thunk! as it hit the gem.

Conan's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, then narrowed and he rushed forwards, kneeling at the ground as he picked up the small black object.

"No way..." Kaito heard the boy mutter. "The same as theirs? But I thought…" He quickly shook his head and turned to Kaito, eyes narrowing in contemplation. "Exactly how many enemies do you have?"

Kaito tilted his head to the side with an innocent smile. "Whatever are you talking about, tantei-kun?" He asked.

"Don't play dumb." Conan replied icily, and held up the small bullet in his hands.