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It was just a rumour…
In hindsight, he should have known it was all a lie. Well, he kind of knew, but it was a different kind of knowing and he wouldn’t have believed it but now he knew and he felt betrayed. That person was way more mature than anyone he knew. That person was acting all the time, but even an actor can slip up sometimes, and he had caught it. That’s why when he just happened to look out the window, his very belief in science and facts just became a whole different dimension; the impossible became possible. But he should have known.
Mitsuhiko should have known that Edogawa Conan was not who he claimed to be.
~Q~
Mitsuhiko was just preparing to get to sleep tonight, after having taken a bath and changed into his pyjamas, and also putting his necessary textbooks and tools into his rucksack for school tomorrow for another week. He had a great time with his friends and Agasa-hakase at a camp for one night this weekend, and he just came back home this afternoon. It was in the mountains about two hours west of Tokyo, and they also played at a river nearby. It was cold, but also refreshing as it was hot during the day. Thankfully Lady Luck was on their side as there was no murder or criminals or the like (he didn’t want a repeat of that one time in the cave where Conan was shot), so they were just enjoying their time without interruptions for once. After having gotten home from the adventure Mitsuhiko talked about it with his family, and so he was tired and wanted to sleep a bit earlier than usual, so he proceeded to do that.
A few hours later though, something woke him up. He sat up and looked around, but there was no presence in his room, nor any sound nor light (other than street lamps, he got used to it ages ago), so he didn’t know what woke him, or why. He turned to look at the clock on the shelf of his bed - it was 1:17 in the morning (or night, depending on how one looks at it). It was too early to wake up, and he was really tired so his head hit the pillow again. But something stopped him from falling into sleep. He didn’t know what it was but he was a bit suspicious so he just turned his head to look outside his window to stare at the full moon that just came out tonight for a few seconds. He knew that Ayumi-chan loved to watch the full moon so he liked to think that if he were to look at it as well his heart would connect with hers for just a moment.
Just before he turned away though, he saw in the corner of his eye a brief flash of shadow running just under the moon. He thought it was just his imagination before he got off his bed and went directly to his window, opened it, and looked closer. No, it was not his imagination; there is indeed a figure just under the moonlight. At first he thought it was just a bird, but no… it looked too large to be one, and the shape is not just right. It looked more like a human figure.
Suddenly that figure seemed to jump higher and higher and higher , directly in view of the moonlight and he gasped. That jump was way too inhuman, there were no high buildings near his house, and no human could ever have jumped that high without some kind of tools. That figure didn’t seem to be carrying any kind of equipment like parachutes or anything, just the clothes on their backs.
Mitsuhiko took a moment to rub his eyes and looked at the figure again, also pinching his cheek and leg for good measure. Nope, not dreaming. It also felt too real to be one. He gasped, that figure was flying! Not just floating or standing on something solid like Kaitou Kid, but literally flying!
He wanted to tell his friends about this, but first he had to make sure that that figure was real, not an illusion, otherwise they would laugh at him. He had to have some kind of evidence to prove that what he saw was real. Besides, he didn’t want to wake them up so rudely.
He quickly changed out of his pyjamas and into clothes more suitable for running (because that figure seemed to be flying in a certain direction), went silently downstairs to the back door, unlocked it and went outside. He then went around the backyard to the gate leading into the street, and ran.
While trying to keep the figure in his sight as he ran, he spared a thought about how that figure was flying. He thought he had heard something about this from someone at school. They had said something about having seen a UFO or something flying about every full moon, and the rumour had spread around quickly. He wanted to investigate about this, with Ayumi-chan and Genta-kun agreeing, but Conan shot it down in a second. He said in a flat tone that there was no such things as UFOs or aliens or fantasies. Haibara said nothing, but didn’t dispute it either. They were crestfallen but soon forgot about it. That was a month or so ago.
Well, I’m actually seeing this playing out, Mitsuhiko thought. He couldn’t believe the rumour was in fact true, but he was also thrilled about it, if he was honest with himself. Tomorrow he was going to prove to Conan that magic does exist, and he was also going to show him the proof, and see Conan kneeling low and apologising and proclaim Mitsuhiko as the right one! He could almost jump in joy.
… But he also knew, while changing his direction to a more direct street so as to not end up in a dead end one, that Conan would never in a million years kneel low for someone else. That was how he was, mature like with Haibara but more suppressed. He wondered about that sometimes.
Ah, that figure seemed to be stopping at a certain area. If he remembered correctly, that area would be a large park surrounded by lots of trees. He ran faster, ignoring the throbbing in his sides.
He finally stopped just on the edge of the park, kneeling over, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. He didn’t want to attract the figure to his presence, so he had to be quiet.
Once his breath was in control, he speed walked to where he thought the figure would land. Of course, he would hide behind each trees as he went forward so as to not startle the figure.
When the figure came into sight though, he froze, gasping in shock and astonishment. That figure was actually flying, but what actually caught his attention was the fact that the moonlight seemed to be shining directly onto that figure, and he could see some sort of golden dust scattered about this person, as if dancing about in joy. They would follow this person’s every move, as if they couldn’t get enough of touching him as he floated above the grass, spreading his arms out. And yes, the person was a male, Mitsuhiko could tell now, with the help from the moonlight. He looked to be in his early or late twenties, wearing green sleeveless hoodie and dark green pants but didn’t seem to be wearing shoes of any kind. He also wore dark green tyrolean on his head with a red feather sticking into the side.
That man has had his back to Mitsuhiko so when he turned around with the golden dust still following his movements, Mitsuhiko’s eyes widened. His assumptions about the man’s age seemed almost accurate; under the moonlight he could see sky-blue eyes almost hidden by black frames, the corner of his lips curled up in a relieved smile, his face almost relaxing, like he was having fun. But the most shocking thing about that appearance was that Mitsuhiko actually knew that face. Even though they’ve never met more than two or three times, he was famous enough to have been featured in newspapers and so he knew that face. It belonged to the one of Kudo Shinichi!
But that couldn’t be it, it must be an illusion. He can’t be seeing that person in the presence of magic! That detective was known for facts and mysteries, not magic! Mitsuhiko rubbed his eyes again and took a second look. That face still didn’t change. He didn’t understand, but he wanted to know. But before he could reveal himself though, the other person spoke to himself in what he thought as a resigned tone.
“Well, it’s been fun tonight. But it’s time for me to close the curtain to magical stage for now, much as I hate it…”
Before Mitsuhiko could question that statement though, Shinichi started to wave his arms at the golden dust and then gathered it into kind of a ball in front of him. Once every speck of dust were gathered, his hands curled and the dust started to get smaller and smaller. No, it looked like the dust were getting absorbed into his stomach, his core rivaling a sponge. Shinichi then wrapped his arms around himself while curling into a ball. A low groan sounded through the quiet air as his body started to glow golden lights. The groan then turned into pained grunts and Mitsuhiko was worried about him, he sounded like he was holding back what must have been screams of pain, letting out cries every few seconds.
Mitsuhiko wanted to help Shinichi even through the impossibilities so he came out of his hiding and ran directly to him. When he came within a few feet in front of him though, he stopped. He actually didn’t know how to help, but he had to grab his attention.
“Shinichi-san?’
He suddenly threw his head up and stared at Mitsuhiko with eyes widened in shock, and he had to keep from stepping backwards because that expression was one of agony, like Shinichi’s been suffering in pain all his life and no one had the power to take that away.
“... M-Mitsuhiko?” he whispered, like he couldn’t believe his eyes. Mitsuhiko noted the familiarity laced in his name that was slipped from his mouth. He frowned, but said nothing as he stored that note into the back of his mind. He stepped forward, but Shinichi flinched in what he thought was horror. He didn’t understand why.
“Are you okay, Shinichi-san?” Mitsuhiko still took a step forward, becoming worried when Shinichi took a further step away from him.
“W-why are you h-here? Y-you shouldn’t be here, it’s the m-middle of the night…”
Mitsuhiko could see him trying to hold back a scream, resulting in stuttering. He really was getting more worried for him.
“I saw someone flying outside my window, and followed them here. Then I saw you floating with the golden dust, and you’re glowing…” he trailed off. Shinichi had changed from his position to turning his back on Mitsuhiko and slowly kneeled on the ground a few more steps away. He let out a small scream. Before Mitsuhiko could get close —
“Stay away from me!”
He recoiled back in shock at his strangled tone. “B-but, Shini—”
“Leave! J-just stay away from me! N-n-now—! ”
He seemed to choke on his breath before letting out the loudest and agonised scream Mitsuhiko had ever heard in his life. His heart broke a little at the raw emotions of sorrow and suffering and sadness laced in his voice, even though he’d never known or conversed with the detective properly.
Then the most astonishing sight he’d ever seen in his life happened right in front of his eyes. The golden glow, if possible, seemed to glow even brighter. But that didn’t hide the figure in the center. Mitsuhiko’s remaining hold on the knowledge of science and facts promptly shattered into pieces as he stared bewildered at the crouched form getting smaller and smaller and smaller what on Earth is happening?!
While he stared at the sight, he didn’t notice how Shinichi had moved to lying on his side on the grass, so when the golden light had faded into himself, as if nothing happened, Mitsuhiko stared fixedly on the now smaller form of Shinichi. What was different was that Shinichi did not remain in his adult form in a smaller size, but it looked like he had been reduced into a younger version of himself. At least, that’s what he looked to Mitsuhiko still standing a few feet away. The screaming had also stopped, diminished to that of a heavy breathing, as if he’d been running all day, though the breathing seemed to be slowly getting back to normal levels.
Mitsuhiko waited for the other detective to regain his breathing and then begin to sit up, his back still to the freckled boy, though it seemed to still be tense - probably from sensing Mitsuhiko’s presence a few feet behind. He dimly noted that Shinichi’s clothes seemed to have followed its owner’s footsteps, having been shrunk together with him so Mitsuhiko didn’t have to worry about finding clothes suitable for the now younger detective. But that did not matter at this point. Somehow, that young detective seemed so much familiar to the freckled boy; he wanted to run to the other and see his face, but that seemed too impolite so he waited, ignoring the shivers running down his body at the now cool air gently billowing around their surroundings.
After what felt like hours but really a few minutes, a soft voice sounded through the chilly air. Mitsuhiko was stunned to shock not at the words that flowed out of the other person’s lips, but at the certain way a sound resounded through his voice. He recognised that voice, but that person couldn’t be here. Mitsuhiko looked around himself, yet found only himself and the detective in this quiet area. And the voice seemed to have originated from just what was in front of him. Mitsuhiko stared at him in shock, because he couldn’t believe it.
“Mitsuhiko… you shouldn’t have followed me here, tonight of all nights…”
He didn’t reply, still not moving from his spot just behind that person . It must have been an illusion, or he must still be dreaming. But he had already made sure that he wasn’t dreaming. He actually heard two different voices coming from the same direction. It’s just not possible…
As if to hear his thoughts, that person turned his head over his shoulder and connected his eyes (those sky-blue orbs with wisdom hidden behind the pretense and childishness he was so familiar with) with his own inky orbs. That simple act of turning his head shattered his disbelief at the impossibility of every single impossible thing in this world. Then, so slowly as if to approach an enemy, that person stood up from his spot on the grass and turned his whole body to fixate onto the freckled boy, to then slowly putting each of his feet forwards. Mitsuhiko stayed frozen to his spot, his brain attempting to turn its gear around, slowly but surely sending bloodstreams through his veins. In short, they were sorting through all and any memories he could remember, bringing every single memory of that person to the foremost of his mind, taking everything into detail and thus adding one and one to make twos. Suddenly, everything turned into place, he could see everything now. And he could see the proof of that conclusion, right in front of him. That person had stopped just within an arm’s reach of himself, eyes still connected with his, peering into his soul. He didn’t say anything, and Mitsuhiko could see that he was waiting. But for what…?
Mitsuhiko opened his mouth but stopped; he couldn’t get his voice out. I’m afraid, he realized. Of what, he wasn’t sure. Still, he tried.
“C-Conan-kun…?”
He hated how his voice sounded like, there were raw emotions within that one sound. But the other boy didn’t react, simply replied in a steady tone, as if he confirmed Mitsuhiko’s recently realized conclusions about him.
“Mitsuhiko.”
He said nothing more than his name, but the freckled boy didn’t understand why Conan was waiting, or what for. After a tense moment, he drew to the conclusion that perhaps Conan was waiting for him to voice his deductions about the other boy, or perhaps something else…
“Conan-kun, are you actually… Kudo Shinichi-san?”
It was more of a statement than a question, hence he didn’t reply, sky-blue orbs still staring at inky ones. But that silence was more than enough. But that’s… Does that mean that everything about Conan-kun was a lie…? Mitsuhiko felt betrayed, in more ways than one.
“No.”
That one word snapped the actual boy out of his trance-like stance. Inky orbs stared bewildered at blue ones. The smaller-teenage one continued.
“While I did lie about who I am, I didn’t deceive you guys about everything else. Everything we shared up to this point… was not a lie.”
A single tear slipped Mitsuhiko’s control and rained down his cheek, drip drip drip to then spill into the grass.
Mitsuhiko didn’t know why, but he didn’t expect to feel so relieved at that statement, the indisputable way he said it. He wanted to hear that more than anything else. He knew now that Conan must have had a reason for everything but he realised that he didn’t care about that. He only wanted to know that Ayumi, Genta and he were not some kind of pawns to be used and then discarded. He was so glad it made more tears slip down his cheeks, but he gave the startled teenager a tearful smile.
“Thank you… for remaining yourself, even in your condition.”
Conan was frozen in shock for a moment, and then gave a relieved smile in return.
“Thank you as well, for giving me a childhood I never experienced.”