Alternate Universe

Terrible Two's

Part 1

"Hurry Shin-chan!" Kaito screamed as he ran a few paces ahead of the slighter detective.

Behind them, the echoed steps of their pursuers followed them through the cold night air of the theme park.

The two teens who now ran as though their lives depended on it, which they did, drew the attention of random bystanders everywhere, but no one gave it much thought as the two continued on, out of sight. However, had one looked close enough, they would have noted the white tailored suit of the infamous Kaitou Kid and perhaps they would have recognized the facial features of Japan's number one crime stopper, Shinichi Kudo.

That night however, that cold and dreary night, not a single person could remember the two teens who had passed in a flash, hidden by the shadows. No one would recall the screams that occurred ten minutes after, when the two rival's lives were changed forever; only because no one had been left alive to tell the tale.

It all started that very night…

[1 Hour Earlier]

Shinichi Kudo stood on the rooftop overlooking Japan. The lights of the city seemed to sparkle within his eyes and the beauty that was the life below had never felt more electrifying then it did on a night of a heist.

Staring off with the composer of this nights fabtabulous circus of lights, glamor, and magic, was Kaitou Kid, the infamous Magician under the moonlight or Thief Kid as he was otherwise known.

"Meitantei~" Kid grinned, "Always a pleasure to see my favorite critic."

Shinichi just huffed.

He had been chasing kid for the better part of six months and while he should hate the thief for doing what he does, he honestly had come to somewhat respect the stubborn magician for the pure fairy-tale like charm that he shared with the world. While he faced death around every corner on a daily basis, Shinichi never seemed to face as much when the Kid was around and for some reason, that made the heists even more special in his own opinion.

Still, he couldn't let Kid know he didn't actually hate the thief. It would go to his head.

"Give me back the jewel, Kid," Shinichi demanded, his hand outstretched, "You and I both know you don't actually want it."

Kid stared at the detective with a frozen grin. Inside, Kaito was wondering just how much the detective actually knew about him and his mission. Did he truly understand that Kaito never chose to be a thief or was he merely guessing based on the information he had been able to ascertain from previous encounters?

Kaito guessed it was the latter, though he couldn't blame him. No one would truly think a thief as famous as Kaitou Kid was a mere sixteen year old boy trying avenger his father and save the planet. Heck, not even he actually believed it sometimes and he was the one doing it.

"No can do, Meitantei~" Kid cackled, "You need to ask nicely and in a polite manner."

The whoosh of a soccer ball slamming into the railing beside his hand made the thief freeze as the ball rolled back to the rather apathetic looking detective who merely smirked at the look the thief was now giving him.

"Something wrong, Kaitou Kid-san~" the detective mocked and Oh, if Kid could wipe that stupid, little smirk off his face, he would…

Kid froze, his attention no longer on the detective but on the sight only he could see in the building behind the cocky investigator. Narrowing his eyes and zooming in with his monocle, he scowled at the sight of his arch nemesis, Snake the assassin.

Shinichi frowned and peered closer at the thief before him. He no longer seemed to be looking at him but rather at something behind him. Curious, he started to turn when a hand on his arm suddenly stopped him.

Snapping his head up, Shinichi was about to jerk back and ask the thief what he thought he was doing, but the pressure the thief placed on his arm and the serious gaze on his face was enough to make Shinichi pause.

"Here is the jewel, Meitantei," he whispered, his breath hot against Kudo's ear. "So sorry I couldn't play this night."

With those words, the thief ran for the end of the building and vanished over the side and into the night. Shinichi ran to the edge, peering over the side for any sight of the thief's white hang glider, but saw nothing.

"Did he even leave?" Shinichi whispered aloud.

Suddenly a shot in the dark echoed through the night in the direction the thief might have gone and Shinichi felt his blood run cold. Stuffing the jewel into his coat pocket, he raced down the stairs past the trapped policemen of the Kid task force and out into the cold night air.

T_T

Shinichi slowed to a stop, his breath visible in the cold of the night as he peered around the street in which he found himself. Walking in the direction, he was certain he had heard the shot, he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of a shooter in the vicinity.

What he wasn't expecting was what actually happened. One moment he was passing a dark empty alley and the next thing he knew, hands were descending on him, yanking him into the darkness and covering his mouth from any noise he might have made. The only thing that stopped him from fighting the sudden assault on his person were the whispered tones of the man behind him.

"It's okay Meitantei," the person whispered, "It's only me. Please don't scream."

Shinichi calmed and he could feel the relieved exhale of the person behind him.

"Promise not to scream?" he whispered in his ear.

Shinichi nodded, curious yet hesitant to honor his deal. What if this was a trick of some sort? Then again, he had never heard anyone say anything about the thief kidnapping someone or murdering anyone, so he doubted that was the case.

Slowly the hands released him, as though waiting for a sign the detective might try to scream for help anyways. Kudo however was nothing if not a man of his word and he watched in a strange sort of fascination as the thief's hands lowered and the man behind him relaxed ever the slightest.

Turning, he stared at the thief with a hard look, evaluating him as he scanned his person. Nothing seemed out of place and yet he knew the thief wouldn't land unless something had happened.

"So… what happened?" Shinichi whispered, waiting.

The thief stared him and Kudo guessed he was sizing him up, trying to understand how much he was safe to tell him.

"Nothing important," the thief mused, and Kudo sighed. Seems the thief didn't think the detective could be trusted so easily.

"That gun going off wasn't anything not important," Shinichi snapped, "what really happened?"

Kid glowered.

"You are far too curious for your own good Meitantei. As I said, nothing truly important occurred, just a slight reunion with an old acquaintance."

Kudo cocked an eyebrow.

"A friend of yours?"

The thief snorted. "Hardly."

Seeing he wasn't going to get anything else out of the stubborn criminal, he was just about to step out of the alley and head home when a hand yanked him back.

"Watch it, you…" he froze, suddenly noticing the paleness the other now displayed and the tension around the thief's eyes. "You…"

Kid winced, but attempted to hide it. If the expression the detective was anything to go by, that meant he had failed miserably.

"We don't have time to talk now," he whispered, "We need to move. If they find us…"

"They?"

Kid sighed and counted to ten. He really didn't have time to deal with twenty questions.

"Just follow me and keep up."

Moving stealthily through the shadows, Shinichi followed Kid down the street, somewhat in awe of the man's ability to move without making a sound. He attempted to do the same, but he found himself stumbling or kicking a pebble every so often and to both of them, with the tension of the unknown surrounding them, it sounded insanely loud.

Slowing to a stop, Kid yanked Shinichi into another alley and gave the sign to stay silent and hunker down in the shadows. Both remained still as they waited. For what, Shinichi didn't know, but they waited.

After several minutes, the sound of barely audible footsteps seemed to draw closer. Shinichi wondered if anyone could hear his heart beating, it sounded so loud in the dead silence of the night. Staring just above the thief's head, he watched with curiosity and uncertainty as a man suddenly appeared in the entrance of the alleyway.

The man looked mean, Shinichi noted in his mind, his appearance rugged and unkempt. He made Kudo shiver and the detective knew almost immediately this man was dangerous.

Said man looked around the alley, his eyes narrowed, but slowly he moved on down the road and Kid relaxed in front of him ever so slightly making Shinichi himself relax. He had never seen the thief so tense before.

"Alright, come on. Quietly," Kaito whispered, beckoning to the detective who gave a soundless nod of acknowledgement.

Slowly the two stepped out into the night and stayed hunkered in the shadows. Sprinting beneath the streetlamps, yet in the shadow of the nearby buildings, they made their way further down the road until finally, Kid slowed and slumped to the side, his hands braced against his side.

"Are you alright?" Shinichi whispered, causing the thief to flinch.

Kaito nodded, having forgotten the detective was even following him.

Kudo said nothing, but he did press his lips together, unimpressed by the lie. He could tell the other was hurt, though he didn't know how badly.

"Here, let me take a look…"

Kudo started forward, but the magician held him off and stepped back.

"Not now. We need to get further away first. If he or one of his team finds us, we could be in serious trouble."

Shinichi sighed, conceding the point.

"Should you change?" Kudo asked, pointing at the magician's attire.

The thief just smirked. "Want to know who I am so badly, Meitantei?" he teased.

Kudo frowned, but the thief just smiled, his expression softening ever so slightly.

"Thank you for your concern, but at the moment, I am well enough to continue and no, my uniform does not need changed. This time of night, who would truly think they see Kaitou Kid walking down the street?"
Kudo huffed, but he supposed the thief had a valid point. It was nearing three in the morning. Hardly anyone but drunks would be out this time of night.

A shout suddenly shook the two from the silence that formed between them. Startled, Kudo took off after the source and the thief growled behind him, following.

"Meitantei, didn't I just say we needed to keep a low profile? That does not mean running off to every crime scene in…" he stopped and stared just behind the detective as the two rounded the corner of the amusement park entrance.

Standing there were three men dressed in black over the body of an unknown woman, all staring at the Detective and thief as the two rivals stared back.

The movement of one of the men pulling a gun snapped Kuod out of his frozen frame of mind and he grabbed the thief and yanked him back around as the two shot through the theme park, dodging obstacles left and right, as well as the occasional person staring at them wide eyed in wonder.

The first shot shook them as they snapped their heads back and watched as the body of the person they passed fell in a pool of their own blood. Racing and trying to steer clear of anyone else who might fall prey to the three in black closing in on them, they were nearly to the exit when it happened.

"Ugh!"

Shinichi skid to a halt and sprinted back to the side of the fallen thief. He stared in horror at the growing mass of red on the pure white color of the magician's suit. Had he been shot or was this because of the earlier incident? Shinichi wondered, but he didn't have time to ponder. Yanking the thief up and half carrying him, he continued to hurry towards the exit, but they just couldn't get there fast enough.

Something hard snapped his head around and he nearly blacked out from the pain as he collapsed onto the cool concrete, the weight of his burden beneath him.

"They saw too much," a cold, emotionless voice replied, "Do away with them."

Shinichi could barely make out one of the figures drawing a gun.

"No," the first one snapped, "too messy and too much attention. They are only kids, so let's do away with them in a more… discreet manner."

"APTX, right Gin?" one whispered, excited.
"Correct," the one named Gin replied, "let the poison eat away at their system and fad without a trace. That way, none of this can be tied back to us."

"What about the bodies of the dead behind us?"

"Bury them in the southern grove. No one will think assassins had anything to do with it; it's just not our way."

As the laughter of the men echoed through his head, Kudo felt the sharp sting of a needle and then darkness consumed him.

[Present Time]

Blinking open tired eyes, the boy stretched, but a sudden sharp pain through his head stopped him, causing him to grimace. Confused, he placed a hand to his head and brought it back, staring at the red now coating his small fingers.

Small…

…fingers…

Staring, he glanced down and yelped at what he found. His clothes swam upon his now tiny frame and he felt alien as he stared at the buildings around him that seemed so much bigger than they had before. Just what had happened?

A groan beneath him had his attention snapping back to the clothes and he stared slacked-jaw at the boy beside him. The kid looked just like him in appearance, though his hair was a bit messier and his skin just slightly more tanned. The eyes blinking up at him, riddled with pain and confusion were slightly more violet, but so very close to his own physical appearance.

Memories from before the darkness rushed back to him and he stared at the other, a bit hesitant to confirm his suspicions.

"K-Kid?"

The boy turned to him and stared with obvious confusion at the detective.

"Meitantei?" he whispered, blinking as he attempted to sit up, only to gasp in pain.

Concerned, Shinichi helped the other to sit straight as he pulled the pile of clothes down just a smidge to see the wound hidden below. The bloody mess seemed much more serious on the body of a small child and Kudo felt his concern heighten for the thief as he seemed dazed. Then again, he thought to himself as he took in his own body once again, he wasn't the only one a bit dazed feeling.

Just what did those men do to them?

He remembered them talk about some sort of poison called… what was it again? AP…APTX? Was it what changed them into… into children?

"W's go'n on?" the thief slurred, his voice childish and weak.

Kudo sighed. How to explain…

The sudden sound of foosteps had the detective jumping up, his shirt still hanging off of him as he stood in front of the magician, ready to defend them if he must.

To his surprise and slight relief, a police officer turned the corner, his flashlight nearly blinding the two children who closed their eyes, flinching at the brightness.

"Kids…" the man muttered frowning, "who are you boys? What are you doing here?"

Suddenly, having an officer appear didn't seem like such a good thing. Just how was he going to explain to this man what had happened? Would he even believe him? He highly doubted it. Even Shinichi Kudo would have had a hard time believing someone could be shrunk with a poison by a criminal organization told to him by a child was the supposed victim. Yeahhhhh, he would have thought the kid crazy, or at least making up a story for attention.

The slight intake of air behind him had him remembering that Kaitou Kid was also with him and that could only spell more trouble if someone took a closer look at their clothes. Quickly deciding on a story, Shinichi took a deep breath and was just about to go into a full blown account of the events he wanted the officer to believe happened when a sharp cry behind him had him spinning around to stare wide eyed at the now bawling thief.

Literally… bawling. The kid was sitting there like the five or six year old child he now was, crying large crocodile tears that just made you want to offer the boy puppies and candies galore.

It seemed the officer felt the same thing.

"W-what's wrong boy-o?" he asked, kneeling beside the thief turned child.

"We was cwimbing the gate and I fwell and hit my side. I want my mommy. It hwt me."

The childlike slur in the words was convincing to both the officer and Shinichi, but he honestly wasn't sure if it was more the thief trying to make his voice more convincing or if he honestly couldn't speak straight. Shinichi guessed it might be a little of both.

"Hurt your side you say?" the officer asked, reaching forward.

The boy reached out like a baby wanting its papa to pick it up and the man let down his guard. It was all Kid needed as he released a sudden can of knockout gas. Shinichi who had come to know the noise, quickly covered his mouth and nose as the thief grabbed up the clothes and snatched the detectives hand as he hurried through the exit and down the street to the closest dark alley. Slowing the thief panted and Shinichi stared at him.

"Why did you do that?!" he demanded, "What if he tells what he saw?!"

"Who is going to believe him? Seriously, the guy smelt of alcohol and the fact that two children outwitted him would hardly be told to just anyone, since it would also make him the laughing stock of the entire department. Let's not forget the al-co-hol," the thief reiterated in a 'duh' sort of manner, "he will think he imagined us and even if he didn't, someone else might think he did and he wouldn't want someone testing his alcohol levels. I would say we are in the clear."

Shinichi could only sigh and shake his head. He honestly couldn't argue with that logical.

"Alright, so now what? We are… we can't exactly go just anywhere looking like this?"

"Why not?" the thief asked, clearly confused.

"Hello! We are children now and those guys, they weren't normal. They were assasins and they think they killed the two nosy teens who witnessed too much. If they find out we are alive…"

Kaito suddenly understand and he frowned, aggravated by the realization.

"They would come after us to finish the job and possibly, anyone else who might have found out what we saw and heard."

"Exactly."

Kaito growled.

"So where exactly do you expect us to go?!"

Shinichi stared at him, his mind racing.

"I think… I think I might have someone in mind."

Kaito frowned.

"You do?"

"Yeah, but… honestly, I don't know what he can do but he might be able to find a way to cure us. First though, we just need to convince him we are who we say we are."

"Yeah," Kaito nodded, "and your plan to do that is?"

Shinichi shrugged.

"Who knows."

Walking down the street, his shirt still draped around him like a blanket, Kid could only stare.

"Who knows, he says," the thief scoffed, but inside his fears were rising, "who knows…" he repeated. Would he ever see home again?

AUTHORS NOTE:

Like you may have guessed, this is the rendition of the story with both Kaito and Shinichi as shrunken children. Please review and let me know your thoughts and then, on to part 2!