*This is the first of the chapters to receive a 'makeover', A.K.A. I rewrote it to make sure it wasn't the lame crap it was before. However, it still isn't great because I decided to write it at 10:30 at night in bed until 11:00, and that means that there may be some grammatical errors. To people who are just starting to read this, I'm sorry to announce this is the only chapter that has been redone thus far, and the next couple might be... umm... not good. But, the plotline is still there so please read on anyways. I'll be redoing chapter two as well, so stay tuned. In fact, I'll be doing the entire thing up to where I got my beta-reader and maybe even past that. But only at night, so it doesn't affect my usual writing. Please, read on...*

Chapter 1
Shinichi's POV

"Ran, would you try to stop crying already?" I asked, leaning down, an exasperated look on my face. "It's starting to get more than slightly annoying. All I hear is sobs and sniffles. Brighten up already!"

"Shut up, Shinichi!" Ran's blue irises were outlined with lines of red, nose pink from constant rubbing. How much can this girl cry? "Not everyone sees murders every stinking day of their life! Especially not beheadings!"

"Okay, maybe the method was harsh, but you should cheer up. We went to Tropical Land to have fun, remember?" I smiled at her, hoping she'd follow my lead. I was personally quite disappointed at today's results: what had started out as a great start on the romantic outlook turned horrifying when a murder plagued our roller coaster ride. So much for my dreamed untainted 'fun'.

"I know that you deduction baka," she replied, wiping away her tears. Light from surrounding vendors and the above moon reflected off of her chocolate hair, making her look beautiful. More beautiful than usual. It reminds me of why I asked her to come with me.

My heart did a flip as I imagined just confessing now. Maybe I'd get the smile I'd hoped to see. Then my brain envisioned the more realistic results. Laughter, and after that, endless teasing. I'd save the confession for later.

"Okay, okay," I said, giving up the fight, soothing her by patting her shoulder. She looked up gently at me, giving a slight hint of happiness in the tiny grin.

As I stared back, a black figure caught my attention. Swiveling around to get a better view, I peeked over Ran's head to see the tall, stocky man who had ridden in the roller coaster with us. He surveyed his surroundings, giving off the aura of suspicion and extreme caution. There was a strange bump around his waist, as if there was a small item placed around it.

That's strange, I thought, my detective mind whirring. Where have I seen that shape before? Also, where's that blond man who was with him?

As quickly as my questions took form, my brain returned answers faster than a calculator could solve math problems. That shape! I realized, heart pounding with furious excitement. It- it's a gun! It has to be! Only police are allowed to own guns inJapanthough... He can't be a policeman though, the only other choice is a smuggler or Yakuza! I'll need proof in order to catch him though. That man was probably his partner. This is excellent! I'll have both of them behind bars in no time!

The man suddenly slipped away into the shadows behind him, and my instincts urged me to follow. This was a case, and there was no way I could resist the pull of stopping crime. It was what I lived for as a detective- and what I lived for after death.

"Ran, I just remembered something I forgot to do!" I told her as my feet started carrying me in the direction of the mysterious person. "Leave without me- I'll catch up to you soon!"

"Wait, Shinichi!" she protested. "Please don't go!"

If only I listened to her, I might have stayed. If I had seen the expression on her face, fearful and full of worry, I might have stopped. If I just waited a second more, perhaps she could have convinced me to tell the police instead of handling what was to happen by myself. Unfortunately, I didn't do any of the above things, which would ultimately lead to my downfall.

Foolishly, naively, I instead approached death without a fear, not knowing my fate had been sealed the moment I entered that unlit, hidden alley. Silently, I pressed to the wall, carefully making sure I wasn't discovered as I inched farther along, tracking the stocky man until he reached an empty space lined with frail bushes and one lone lamppost, revealing a shorter, mustached man in the darkness.

He was short and fat, eyes covered by dark shades, wearing a high-class designer suit, complete with tie and even including a large briefcase which hung in front of him, grasped by his chubby fingers. Sweat was pouring down his face, body almost shaking as he announced, "I brought the money as you told me to. Now where is the video?"

Smiling, the other man snickered, voice laced with a fox-like quality as he answered, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. The money always comes first. You should know that."

As the other person hesitated, his hand moved ever so slightly to his hip, and the reaction proved my suspicions.

"O-of course sir!" replied the chubby man promptly, nervous and frantic with fear. The scene in front of me reminded me of a cat playing with a mouse, toying around until it decides to give the killing blow. "Here it is!"

When he opened it with a clack of metal, I was immediately astounded by the amount of yen I saw. Stack upon stack of 10,000 yen bills, filling the briefcase entirely. There must be at least 100,000,000 yen in there! I mentally calculated. That makes this blackmail!

I reached for the disposable camera I'd been using all day. 10 photos left, I examined. That's more than enough. Just gotta block the flash and I can pull this off without a hitch...

Barely a second after I snapped the first picture, I heard the crunching of footsteps behind me. Crap, I'd forgotten that his comrade might have been-

"Your detective game is over, meitantei." I caught a glimpse of long blond hair and cold, chilling green eyes as a blur of hard, blunt metal hit me over the head.

"Agh!" I screamed, but the sound was nearly inaudible as I laid still in agony. My skull felt as if it had cracked, pain overshadowing all other worries, warm, sticky blood dripped onto my face, and the salty, unmistakable taste of it entered my mouth.

My instincts screamed for me to flee, but I could not move, immobilized by the shock and sheer pain. I heard laughter from behind me and shoes hitting the ground fast. The man must have run off, and I wished I could follow.

"A-aniki," uttered a gravelly tome, sounding surprised. "What happened?"

"This brat saw everything that just happened. Took a couple of shots too," explained a sinister voice, icy and monotone. A stomp and then the crunch of plastic ensured the camera's destruction.

"Should we kill him?" My heart pounded wildly and adrenaline pulsed through my veins as I processed it. Come on! Move you idiot! Your life's on the line here, Kudo Shinichi! The cocking of a gun reaches my ears, and I prepare for a sickening bang that will signal my end.

"Hold it. You don't have a silencer on you, and those police are still around. This is the perfect opportunity to test out Sherry's new poison."

Sherry? I wondered. Poison? Oh no, that means-

"Since her original test subject disappeared, this detective brat'll be our little guinea pig. That girl said it'll leave no traces of poison on the body; let's put her skills to the test, shall we? Open wide," he said with a malicious, teasing tone, lifting up my head.

Taking out a cylindrical tube filled with water, he pulled a black case from his pocket, opening it to show small red and white pills. It must have been the poison. One was slipped into my mouth, and its foul taste seeped into my tongue, and I immediately felt fire.

I leaned forward a little to try to hack it up, but the water was forced in and my mouth held closed. "Can't let you spit it out." Laughter from above me. "Be a good boy and swallow."

I tried to resist, but he was too strong for me in my weakened state. The poison went down.

He let go, allowing me to fall back onto the ground, body already burning. It was as if somebody had increased the temperature of the earth at least 100 degrees, melting me down piece by piece.

"See you later," said the sinister voice. "Meitantei."

The poison seemed to spread, expand, threatening to char me to mere ashes. No, no, no! I thought, mind still reeling. I- I can't die yet! I'm only seventeen! I have dreams, plans, a girl I love- God help me!

Apparently not even heaven has the ability to ward off done evil, apparent as I take my last, shaky breaths, eyes closed, unmoving. The pain alleviated as I drifted into eternal slumber. The darkness claimed me as I floated.

30 minutes later...

"I found a dead body!" yelled a police officer, motioning to his comrades. Upon closer inspection, he declared, "It's Kudo Shinichi! He's been murdered!"

*I hope the re-do turned out okay. If you've read the older version and didn't review it, please leave some feedback on whether or not this or the old one was better... If you're new, please review as well. Thank you! ~Aeyra*