A/N: Just a random idea that occurred to me one day. I like writing stories for series that I like and I LOVE Detective Conan/Case Closed (and Magic Kaito xD). Although I'm used to the English names, for the sake of the readers I'll use the Japanese ones (I understand most are used to this).

EDIT: I'm changing the names to use the endings in the chapters I didn't use them as I go along. …so…if all of a sudden the endings are gone, that's because I haven't gotten there yet. (The endings and the hard rules, actually.)

GUH, long author note. Please review! It means a lot to me~

A Witch's Apprentice

Summary: The time had come. She'd long forgotten the ancient ritual of apprenticeship, but now that the task was upon her Akako needs someone fit for the job.

The Apprenticeship Showdown

Leaves tumbled to the ground as the cool fall air swayed the trees. Akako pushed her long bangs out of her face. Colors of red, orange and yellow tangled into her hair as more leaves fell. With a huff, Akako brushed them out with her fingers. The assault on her hair continued. Leaf after leaf fell, and leaf after leaf brushed away. Finally, after her annoyance grew with each swipe of her hand, Akako stopped walking.

Her hair started to sway, not by natural causes but magic. A light glow embraced her. Chanting out non-human words, her eyes stayed closed in concentration. Clasping her hands at the end of the chant, she opened her eyes, her pupils shining bright red. Swiftly extending her arms as far to each side she could, she yelled, "Stop!"

The wind had done just that. In an enormous wave of power trees settled down. Within a mile radius people glanced around them, eyes wandering toward the forest where the wave seemed to have originated from.

Smiling triumphantly, Akako once again started to walk. "How dare those leaves interfere with my beauty!"

She sighed. Being the one woman to command all men as her slaves was tiring. With magic on her side the task was slightly easier, but all the affection made her worry about being at her best.

Whatever the case, magic was indeed useful. It helped her win over those stubborn cases. All bowed to her will.

Except one.

Kuroba Kaito, aka the Kaitou Kid had not so much as given a nod towards her gestures. She had almost had him when it snowed, covering her magic circle and allowing him to escape. From that point on she had tried many things, but nothing had worked.

After a while, Akako tuned in her finer witch senses, just out of curiosity. She found something. It wasn't clear, but there was definitely power around the boy, but not of his own. Fellow witches or wizards didn't show in another's mirror. No, this force was something else.

Powerful, but not threatening Akako decided to drop the whole thing since it wasn't dangerous. However, even though she decided not to, the next thing she knew she was looking through his family files. With the knowledge she had currently she instantly drew up a conclusion when studying his parents: his father was the original Kaitou Kid. The fading kind face stared up at her from the stolen file. Fading, but familiar.

'Could it be…?' she shook her head and put away the file. 'If he was…then Kuroba-kun would be…' she summoned up her broom and flew out the open window. 'There's no way…' Her breath faltered. There was a way.

Akako faintly smiled as she walked on, recalling the memory. All that research, all that thinking. The one, small fact that, completely unbelievable, turned out to be the truth. Kuroba Toichi had been a wizard. So powerful was he, that even after death, he watches over his son in spirit form. Her magic assaults were always foiled by small indiscreet spells, nature's magic, but she knew it was just a dead man. She chuckled at the thought. How believable was that?

The door to her home creaked open and her servant hobbled up to her. Taking her coat he uttered the usual compliment of the day, "Akako-sama, this house had dimmed without your beauty." Sighing she waved off the words. But then the servant spoke up again, a different tone to his voice. "Mistress, there is something you need to attend to soon."

Somewhat taken aback by the unusual statement, rather than snapping she replied, "Yes, and that would be?"

"Apprenticeship, m'lady." At the words, her eyes instantly widened. The servant sighed inwardly. "Not to be offensive m'lady, but it seems you've forgotten one of the most important aspects of being a witch. You have no other family, so you need to search for a new heir to the scarlet arts."

On most days, Akako would've slapped him for talking to her in such a way, but the shock of the news stopped her. An apprentice. …An apprentice. Her previous knowledge of the situation kicked in and filled her with dread. She didn't have much time. Finding a male would be easy, but most that could tune in on the scarlet arts were female. There was no way that she could find a female that would quickly accept the role. They were all jealous of her.

Then it hit her. Her mind cleared of the little details and focused on one plan. She smirked. It would work. She knew it would.

"What!" cornered on the school roof with an impressive jewel necklace dangling in front of him, Kuroba Kaito did not look amused. He groaned and pushed his face in front of Akako's. "Listen, I am not Kaitou Kid! And even if I was," he pulled back and glanced to the side. "…why would you want me to steal that?"

Akako smiled in the way that made all the men fall for her. "Because! It'd help this poor girl out." She mustered up her most innocent voice she could manage. "Besides, this necklace gives me naughty, naughty ideas." Her eyes narrowed mischievously towards Kuroba at the second 'naughty'. His poker face cracked slightly and a blush showed. "W-What do you mean?"

Checking to make sure no one else was in sight Akako tauntingly swung the necklace back and forth. "Let's stop joking for a second. We both know who you really are. But…who else does? I know there're a lot who'd like to know. Maybe someone…" she feigned thought for effect. "…like Nakamori Aoko, perhaps?"

His eyes faltered but Akako knew it wouldn't be that easy. "…and what exactly would you tell her? She might be gullible, but she's pretty good when it comes to exposing lies."

"Oh really? When it comes to lies, you seem to be the best there is. And yet…" she stared directly at him. "…she doesn't seem to expose your lies. How sad."

He still hadn't given up. "As I said before: what lies? …If this is more of that 'Kaitou Kid' nonsense…" he paused, looking for the right words. "You need to open your eyes. I'm. Not. Kid."

Silence. Neither of the two looked away from the other. Each was in their own little world, but a bridge connected them from eye to eye. Both were unwavering. Both stood their ground.

Akako was the first to blink. She sighed and looked away. "Heh, alright. Be that way then." Pouting she walked toward the door that led into the building. "You wouldn't want this Apprentice Amethyst anyway." With that she closed the door behind her.

Classes had already been finished for the day when she'd dragged Kaito to the roof, so there was no rush to get back to her locker. Taking her time through the empty halls, she contemplated her current situation. Her mood brightened considerably when, a few minutes later, she arrived at her locker. A piece of paper was hanging out at the top.

Lifting her pencil from the paper in front of her, Akako blew off the eraser shavings. After just finishing a marvellous self portrait she read over the paper.

Come one, come all! Apprentice Magician needed!

Don't know how to use magic? That doesn't matter. Each contestant will be at equal grounds for the competition. The winner of the contest will not only be apprenticed to Koizumi Akako (pictured at left) but they will also win the Apprentice Amethyst: a beautiful jewel necklace that many have eyed over the years and wished to be theirs.

Place: Beika Studio

Time: November 5th, 12-5pm.

Refreshments will be offered~

Audience seats for those interested in watching are available.

Sign up is free.

Reading it thrice, she sighed. It sounded so desperate. She knew she couldn't help it though. She was desperate.

Using the media to spread news of the contest was not to be worn down to only pamphlets. No, Akako made sure of that the day before. A few trees behind her house vanished as she used a spell to copy the 'invite' to the newly made pieces of paper. As the papers flew neatly into a pile, Akako looked at the one paper that was different from the rest. Picking up the phone, she smiled deviously as she called Nichuri television.

November 3rd

Putting up all those ads the day before had been tiring, and Akako still had a few left. Those few were left on purpose of course. They were quite vital in her plan.

Innocently, Akako walked down the school halls. The lunch bell had rung only seconds before. Reaching her destination, she slid open the door, walked past the usual crowd of loving men, and stopped at one lone desk.

"Oh, Koizumi-chan. Can I do something for you?" Nakamori pushed some of her messy hair out of her face. 'Why was it that Kaito chose her instead?' Akako assumed it had to do with them being childhood friends.

Feeling the stare that Kaito gave piercing her backside, she quickly held out the remaining ads. "I still need to put up more of these. Do you think you could help me after school?" the stare stopped and Akako heard a faint 'huh?'

Staring at the papers like they were some alien object, Nakamori read them over. With a quiet gasp she exclaimed, "'The Apprentice Amethyst'! …Oi, that wouldn't happen to be the same jewel that-"

"The one and only." Akako cut her short. Glancing at Kuroba she smirked. His poker face was still as blank as ever bar one lone bead of sweat that had trickled down his face. She could only assume he'd guessed at what final words Nakamori had intended to use. 'All the better.' She cooed to herself. 'Let him squirm a bit.'

Smiling inwardly as well as outwardly, Nakamori nodded vigorously. "Yes! I'll definitely help you! But, um, Koizumi-chan…" she seemed lost in search for the words. "Do you think…me and my dad could come to watch? Y-You know the contest that's mentioned on here."

As according to her plan, Akako predicted the next question to come while answering Nakamori's first. "Yes, that'll be fine. Anyone can come, even some of your father's coworkers if he'd like."

"R-Really? Thank you kindly, Koizumi-chan!"

Waving a 'your welcome' as she left, Akako gave Kuroba one last stare. He rebounded with a glare of his own. She held back a chuckle as she closed the classroom door. "My, it seems he doesn't enjoy being used."

November 4th

The day had finally come. People had flooded into the studio early, as Akako had expected. From cameramen to stay-at-home moms to police in full uniform, every type of person you could imagine must've been there.

Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, Akako scanned the room. In the 'line' that composed of the contestants there were people of all ages – and all genders. Most of the men would glance at her nervously then get back to whatever topic they had been talking about previously. If the women ever looked at her they had a look of jealous painted on their faces. Of course, the women usually didn't bother to look at her, let alone anyone else. The majority of them were their to see one thing only. 'Well,' Akako mused to herself. '…more like one person.'

As the doors opened for what must've been the hundredth time that day, Akako felt a slight wave under her skin. …power. Magic power. So far none of the contestants so much as made her blink. With rising anticipation Akako looked towards the door.

Her eyes were met with five pairs of elementary school students. Two boys and a girl stood in front, all three looked as if it were Christmas. The other two that lingered behind didn't look that impressed. If anything, Akako would've described them as bored. 'Must've been dragged by the other three…' Akako noted in her mind.

The two in the back were harder to make out, but she could tell one was a boy and the other a girl. Surveying each of their faces as best she could, Akako frowned. None of the three she could see clearly looked very capable. As for the other two…what could she expect from elementary school students? Not much, she assumed.

But the surge of power she had felt…was that just anxiety? If she didn't find an apprentice here, she doubted she ever would. Not having an apprentice could, in the worst cases, mean banishment from the scarlet arts. They needed to be passed down from generation to generation; if they were wiped out…she shook her head at the thought.

Whether it was instinct or luck, Akako found her gaze floated up to the upper balconies of the studio. Standing there, leaning against the railing, was Kuroba. Of course, he was in disguise. "After all," she whispered to herself, "Kaitou Kid is planning to rob my apprentice." She glanced at the amethyst in front of her, neatly placed in a non-too-impressive case. Staring back at her 'rival', she laughed silently. He did quite enjoy being women, didn't he?

Seats were filled as were the sign-up forms. The room was noisy with thousands of words, each belonging to their own conversation. As a clock chimed twelve, everyone grew silent as Akako approached the microphone of the stage that had been set up.

"It is my pleasure to announce," she raised her arm, pointer finger extended. "that the contest," winking she brought it down and smiled. "has begun!"

A/N: Well, that was interesting. I'll definitely write the second chapter but where I go from there depends on you reviewers!