Avenging a Thief

[Aeyra 260]

I decided that I'm just going to post what I have so far of chapter one, and the whole prologue so people get what I'm talking about. This is only a story preview, and there will be no more than one chapter until I finish 'The Murder of Shinichi Kudo'.

Avenging a Thief

Prologue

Believe you won, cry in relief at your victory,

Feel like you're flying, letting the weight off your shoulders,

Forget about the problems for just one minute, let your joy set you free,

Feel the arrow pierce your wings, sending you plummeting to the ground,

Never wake up, lie forever in eternal slumber.

Somewhere in the crowded, luminous streets of Tokyo sounds the beating of helicopter rotors, like the flapping wings of a hummingbird, and police sirens, loud and repetitive. They are still searching for their quarry, the elusive Kaitou Kid, of whom they are unaware has already escaped their grasps.

Kuroba Kaito walks cockily down a silent road, a quiet place where car lights hardly touch, and even the sirens screams of sirens don't reach. He flicks his newly stolen treasure up in the air, smiling as it spirals into the glowing rays of a full moon, shining bright red. He laughs, knowing that finally after so long, he has achieved his goal at last.

This means no more heists, no more fruitless searching, only a clear road ahead of him. As long as he could destroy the gem, the legendary Pandora, then everything would be solved.

He had dumped his greater ambitions of annihilating the Organization that had murdered his dad when they intruded into one of his heists and killed several police officers, including Inspector Nakamori. While one would think it would fuel his already burning fire for vengeance, it only dimmed the flame, caused his candlelight of resolve to flicker.

It only showed what a hopeless dream it was to take them down; he was only a teenage boy, with a wizened old man as his partner-in-crime. How then, could they destroy such a high-scale mafia? Destroy what must be a global underground powerhouse? No matter how he thought around it, he as Kid couldn't get help to stop the Organization; he was a wanted criminal.

You and what army? He thought of the line that flowed into his head that day, a day of total massacre. He had nobody but himself to face them; nobody was on his side but faithful old Jii.

Therefore, he would crush their goal of immortality, at least down the path of Pandora. Much safer for him and everybody around him, much easier to carry out. He branded himself as a coward from time to time, but what else was to be done? The only other option was try and die.

Oh sure, tantei-kun had a plan; a plan that he thought would work out fine. He hadn't considered taking it large-scale and actually infiltrating their headquarters, something Kaito had tried and ended up immediately scurrying out the exit. You couldn't beat them with just defense. In this case, defense wasn't the best offense, nor was offense the best defense. You needed to match the syndicate in both to even hope about winning.

The jewel fell back into its new owner's hand, where he squeezed it tight. If only the Organization would shatter like this diamond was destined to; it would be best for all.

His Poker Face hid a sea of conflicting emotions, ranging from pride and joy to guilt and sorrow. Two years ago he had promised to his late father he was going to obliterate the syndicate that murdered him, and now he turned his back on that road.

"Forgive me, tou-chan," he murmurs quietly, tossing the luminous scarlet jewel in the air again, watching the bright rays form rose petals on the sidewalk below. "I would do it if I could."

He didn't realize that on the top of a building he had passed lay a sniper, Snake. He didn't notice the red dot, like a drop of blood, settle on his mess of chocolate brown hair. Snake smiles, and pulls the trigger.

Pain as sharp as an arrow pierces Kaito’s skull, and his scream is quickly cut short by the silent stillness of death. The precious stone slides out of his hands, soaking in a pool of crimson.

Snake climbs down the stairs, running as he reaches his victim. Kaito's bright blue eyes are glazed over, no longer reflecting the moon and the stars. His limbs are arranged in an odd manner, one that could not be mistaken for sleep. He reaches down to the scarlet pavement, picking up the gem from the quickly blooming flower of red. How naive Kid had been, to think he had not been tracked. Snake had kept an eye on his every move and allowed the teenager to steal the prize for him.

Laughing, he walks away, leaving the corpse behind him. Minutes later, someone sees an unconscious boy laying on the street. The girl approaches, about to offer a helping hand. She screams when she sees the blood.

Chapter 1

Remember

A girl walks down a lonely street, moon shining on her chocolate hair,

Tears stream down her face like glistening rivers, leaving burning, hurting tracks behind,

She tries to hide her sobbing underneath a stoic mask,

It cannot conceal the pain-the grief in those deep blue sapphire eyes,

Memories of a long-gone past seize her, as they have so many times before,

An arrogant smile, messy dark brown hair, visions of a friend who is no longer here,

She promises to bring him justice, let him rest in peace,

She walks down a moonlit street where her friend died.

Dear Kaito,

How's it going up there? I know it's been a while since I visited you, but I know you'll understand. I've been studying day and night for my finals, and soon I'll be able to become a police officer, Division One. It's too painful for me to go to my dad's old division, number three, I know too many people that died.

I can't believe I've come this far alone, but soon I'll be able to help everyone myself. If I get a good grade, I might be get a higher rank once I get accepted into the force. Isn't that great?

I really miss you, and I wish you could be here with me. You wanted to become a magician, right? Wonder what kinds of college classes that would take. Maybe science; you did have to use physics, didn't you?

Ah! It's time for class! Don't want to be late, today's my finals! I promise I'll visit you later!

Miss you,

Aoko

I put down my pencil and the letter, sitting quietly in my chair as I remember my best friend. 'An arrogant smile, messy dark-brown hair...' Holding up the note I sigh; I’ve never been able to move on since that day. Still writing letters he’d never receive.

Staring at a photo, capturing Kaito's face, frozen forever at nineteen, I think of our last time together.

"Another Kid heist, what is that guy thinking?" I sigh, looking into my friend's broad, smiling face.

"Maybe he wants something really badly, wonder what it is." His gaze is enigmatic, piercing me with its intensity.

"What, Kaito?" I ask curiously, did I forget to wipe my mouth? He's never looked at me like this before. Ba-dump, ba-dump, my heart's fluttering like crazy, and my face heats up.

He laughs, and then looks away smiling. "It's nothing, Ahoko!" He snatches my books and disappears in a puff of smoke to emerge twelve feet away, running at a fast clip. I grab a broom and start following him.

Chuckling, I chase after him playfullt, yelling at him to give my books back. This is more like the Kaito I know, the Kaito I knew...

The clock sounds the hour, calling me out of the cheerful past. That had been half a year after my dad died. I was still getting over his death when...

The clock rings impatiently again, urging me to leave before I miss the finals. It's only seven in the morning, but my school's about half an hour's walk. I wish I could have managed to get a closer apartment, but I didn't have enough money.

I will soon, I think determinately. Soon I'll be able to be completely independent.

Once I prove myself capable, I will definitely be sent into Division One. Inspector Megure had already agreed to accept me given my scores are high. To tell the truth, his section is still investigating Kaito's mysterious murder and the suspect behind it.

I've managed to get into a couple meetings because I was his closest friend and first witness to the crime scene, but nothing was derived from the crime scene other than the missing weapon. It was a M-16, an assault rifle, capable of accurate shooting from over 500m away. Kaito’s body wasn't discovered until an estimated 15-30 after his death; plenty of time for a culprit to escape. There have been no leads for the past three years.

I don't know what drove me to walk down that lonely street that particular night, and I'm not sure if I think of it as the right decision.

As I strolled down the seldom used path to Kaito's house, I noticed a sticky red liquid glimmering in the full moon. I knew what it was immediately. Blood.

My eyes traced it up its zigzag stream, to a still teenage boy lying on his side. He had messy brown hair, a style that couldn't be mistaken for any other. My mind and heart refused to believe it. After all, what would Kaito be doing out at such a late hour?

I approach, hoping my horrifying assumption would be proven wrong, that there was someone who looked like Kaito bleeding onto the rough pavement. Once the distance is closed, it's quite obvious I was right. I scream.

"Watch where you're going!" Somebody shoves me aside, running into the building before the bell rings. I realize I am staring blankly into space as my feet tread a trail well-known to them, though, they weren't counting on obstacles.

It's surprising really, how I've managed to walk to college every day without being run over by a car or otherwise. Half the time I'm trapped in the past, where visions of Kaito haunt me constantly, begging to be revisited. Again and again.

In the beginning, I had almost wanted to throw myself onto a busy highway, join my late father and Kaito in the element that connects us all, death. Luckily, I had realized that I couldn't give up my- our- chance to avenge their deaths. If they couldn't do it in heaven, then I would do it on earth.

The bell lets out several angry dings and I go sprinting inside the school to my assigned classroom. "I'm here, sensei."

"Nakamori-san," she scolds, clicking her tongue in disappointment. "Late again?"

"Sorry," I pant. "There was... Traffic..."

She knows that isn't the case, but her eyes warm in sympathy. Everybody in my class knows my dark history and the pain I went through before I came here. They know how sometimes my eyes will fly to the windows and stay there, focusing on some sunny day years ago, trapped in a beautiful memory triggered by the most basic things. They know how sometimes I'll be stuck like that for ages, never taking my eyes off of the bright blue sky, not even when someone comes up and shakes me.

But everybody understands how hard I've worked to keep up with the fast-paced course, spending long hours studying every day. How no matter how long I'm stuck in the past, I'll be in my books longer. I had promised my father and Kaito. I would achieve.

The teacher hands out the tests, reminding everybody not to start until she says the directions. I take out a pencil, a mechanical one I've been using since high school.

"Ah! Shoot, I forgot my pencil at home!" I said, frantically checking my bag for a writing implement.

"Here, I brought an extra." Kaito smiles, showing an empty hand. He squeezes it into a fist, and then opens it to reveal his blue mechanical pencil.

"Must everything you do be so showy-offy?" I asked, pushing out the lead, irritated with his cocky smile, a teasing tone in my voice.

"But of course. Practice makes perfect, no matter how basic the trick." Suddenly Hakuba-kun's shirt is bright orange, and Kaito wears a huge smirk on his face. "See? Aren't I getting better?"

"I'm going to kill you, Kuroba." Hakuba-kun got out of his seat and started walking angrily towards Kaito. He looked like he literally going to strangle him.

"Fat chance!" Kaito stuck out his tongue arrogantly and vanished in an explosion of confetti. A note was left saying, Aoko, give me your notes later. Right, that's why I had been walking towards his house that night...

"You may begin." There was a huge rustle of paper and a frantic scribbling of pens and pencils.

First question, an essay about the rules of gun wielding as an officer and my opinions on it.

Guns are only given to Japan's protectors, the police force. They are to be used to defend others and not for personal reasons. Officers should never aim to kill unless necessary.

A gun should be carried as a badge of honor as it is a symbol of trust between the nation and the wielder. They should never be used for offense, only to protect and not to kill.

That was the essence of my paper, and I had to hold back tears the whole time. Both Kaito and my father had been killed by guns; an assault rifle and a machine gun respectively. It was hard to write about a weapon that had stolen so much from me.

I turn in the test three hours later, waiting for my teacher to dismiss me as she glances through the thick booklet. Nobody else is even close to done; I can tell from agonized faces of confusion and the repetitive tapping of feet and pencils. The teacher looks up smiling, and lets me out with a "I think you did great."

I grin in return, happy with her positive response. She wasn't one to praise easily. Walking out the front door I notice that the schoolyard isn't nearly as crowded as before. There are a few stray ditchers and early finishers like me, but it was quiet.

I wonder what it would be like if Kaito hadn't died. Would he have come to college with me? Would he be standing next to me now, flipping my skirt? Even if that had been annoying, I missed it so much. I wanted him back even with his boisterous, bothersome habits.

We had been in the end of our senior year of high school, less than two weeks before graduation. Kaito had made his choices, though he refused to tell me, insisting that it was going to a surprise. He probably could've been accepted at the most prestigious schools in Japan; scoring top in every exam, he proved himself of the valedictorian title for sure.

Many people had been surprised; despite his constant antics, he still had the grades to bring himself to the top. I, on the other hand, had hardly batted an eye to the news. I was proud of him when the test scores came in. I was proud because I loved him.

Did he love me? That was a question that would go forever unanswered. All that I could be sure of was that he respected me as his friend- his best friend- to the day he died.

The days of questioning and pain after that nearly tore me to pieces, threatening to rip me apart. The "Did you see any suspicious people?" and "Any suspects?" of the police contrasting with the sorrowful laments of apologies of my friends. Most of all, Akako. She had loved Kaito too.

I wonder where she went, having disappeared the day after graduation. She hadn't been 'missing' but still, I worried over her. Eventually, Hakuba moved back to England, leaving me truly alone other than occasional visit from my bespectacled friend, Momoi Keiko. We attend the same college; however, she takes completely different classes, almost severing our bond entirely.

The only person I talk to now is my classmate Mouri Ran. We take math, science, and government together. Her goal is to become a lawyer like her mom.

She whispers in my ear, "After all, my fiancé is taking after my dad. He's a detective."

"You're engaged?!" I exclaim incredulously. "To who?!"

She blushed, and replied, "Kudo Shinichi, famous detective of the east." She shows me her engagement ring, a beautiful ruby in a wreath of silver and gold.

"It's pretty!" I breathe, stunned at it's exquisiteness.

"So, Aoko-chan," starts Ran. "Do you have someone special?"

"I did. But he's no longer in this world..." I stop, not wanting to continue.

“Oh, I didn’t mean-“ I hold up a hand, smiling so she knows that I’m fine, and that I’m not hurt.Yet.

“It’s okay, I get that a lot. I’m used to death now. Kaa-chan, tou-chan, and even Kaito, they’re all… gone. Just gone.” It’s then that I burst into tears, hot fresh tears, and Ran comforts me gently, trying to sympathize. Why couldn’t have just one of them stay with me? Be my pillar when I needed it most? How could this be right? None of them did anything wrong.

We really grew close after that incident, and she does her best to avoid all of the ‘touchier’ subjects. I’ve been introduced to Kudo Shinichi, a young adult I almost mistook for Kaito when Ran had dragged him over to meet me. He talks similarly, only more formal, his hair is neater, but his eyes are exactly the same, blue and radiating with confidence.

I didn’t tell them that my lost friend looked just like him; Ran seemed guilty enough as it was for just bringing him up by accident. They were both kind, good-hearted, and great friends. I only manageto see them once a week however due to my erratic studying and sleeping hours.

I stroll down the street I’ve become familiar with, a street now covered in cherry blossom petals and contrasting bright green leaves, and pass a memorial marker. One with a picture of a boy with dark, messy brown hair. I always come alone, never wanting anybody to see me cry openly on this lonely little avenue where nobody ever walks. Kaito’s grave is a about a fifteen minute walk from here, but I always come here first. It’s where he left, after all.

There are still traces of the dark blood, stained forever into the cement, an eternal marker of that dreadful night that stalks my memory whenever I walk this road. I can remember leaning down, trying to call him awake, see the horrible hole in the side of his head, and his blank eyes staring into nothingness. Dead.

It only took the police five minutes to reach me, reach him, and the paramedics didn’t even bother once they saw me crying over his still body. It took me a long time to accept the truth. Why did death have to attack me so much? I know nobody who has gone through as much as me. It’s unfair.

I look up at the clear, cloudless sunny sky, the opposite of the night I found him; the full moon shrouded in a blanket of storm clouds, and the rain, seemingly mourning for Kaito, stars all hidden behind the dark veil. Things have changed so much. Would he have grown up differently if he had lived? Changed from happy and careless to a more serious person? I know I have, but I’ve made backwards progress.

From endless grieving to transforming to an empty shell, I’ve been nothing but a mere shadow of the Aoko who walked the earth three years ago. It’s as if my life was stolen with the bullet, along with his. Sure I’ve been able to fool the people around me with a ‘recovering’ façade, but the truth is that the only thing that’s made progress is my mask, nothing else.

It's not finished yet. (quite obviously, usually my chapters end with somewhat cliffhangers.) Please leave comments!

[Aeyra 260]

Lemme finish the chapter:

Slowly, I pick up my feet, trudge unwillingly from my secret haven, a peaceful place despite what had happened here. I reach into my pocket, pull out a rose, one so similar to the ones that Kaito would always give to me. This is what I’ll leave with him when I have to go.

Every day, despite my best intentions, I always question my resolve- to avenge them. I have made up so many excuses. We know nothing about the crimes. They might not even be related. What’s the motive? Suspect? Where did the weapons go? Why the heck were there weapons there? And in Kaito’s case, why was he walking down that street?

He was found with nothing on him; it would have been mistaken for a violent robbery if not for the fact that the gun used was an assault rifle, an illogical weapon for something as simple as money snatching. The chance that he witnessed some sort of shady deal is high, but what person carries such a large gun with them for blackmail? Hakuba-kun made slight, suggesting comments that Kaito had been walking home from thieving, and was unfortunately shot by the same one who killed my dad.

How on earth could Kaito be the Kaitou Kid? If he was Kid, he would have been found with the flashy white outfit at least. Not to mention, less than a month after his death (there was a mysterious break.) the Kid was flying through the skies again. One of the police officers had said his ‘aura’ was different, but it didn’t mean anything. There was only one Kid, right?

“Maybe not. I always felt there was something a little suspicious about Kuroba-kun,” whispered Akako, no menace in her voice. “It would be easier that way, right? At least you’d have something to build on other than the nothingness you have now.”

“Kaito would have told me!” I insisted, fresh tears in my eyes at the thought. He had to have trusted me enough for that at least, believed enough in me to confide an important secret. “He would always tell me everything! Ever since we were little kids!”

“Some secrets are dangerous to share, and maybe that was just the case.” Her ruby eyes shine with an emotion I can't comprehend; is it knowledge? "Keep in mind one of his favorite sayings."

"Always keep a good Poker Face," I murmur, letting it sink in, weighing her words. It was true; Kaito had become extraordinary at the hard, cold mask I've tried my best to copy, but I refused to consider he had been lying. "That doesn't prove anything."

"Maybe not. But it might help in the long run." She excuses herself from my room, my dorm room I could not afford to live in my old house. I didn't want to. All I could think about there is dad.

How he'd sit at the table impatiently, asking me to make breakfast due to his extreme incompetence at cooking. How he'd smash his fist into the countertop, complaining about the pain and cussing out the Kid after yet another loss. How he'd comfort me whenever I was down, and just how he'd be there for me. Watching TV, drinking beer, I could feel his presence, however nonexistent it was.

Unconsciously, my feet have taken me to my destination; a black stone engraved in white writing.

Kuroba Kaito

Born June 21st, 1991

Died December 21st, 2008

A great friend, and a great son. A brilliant student, and a pleasure to be around. He will always be remembered, carried in our hearts and minds.

Below that lay a small photo; his sharp blue eyes shining like a fox's, grinning ear to ear as if he had planned a prank, which he probably did. He had on his school uniform, which he had actually been wearing when he died. Hair was messy as usual, chocolate bangs falling in all different directions; even then this picture couldn't capture his essence.

How his eyes would sparkle like sapphires while he laughed, how his smile could make anyone's day. The way his voice traveled, pleasant and cheerful, filled with arrogance and a 'could-care-less' attitude. His spirit, playful as a child's, cocky as a rooster's, devious as a fox to the end.

Was it to the end? How did he react when the bullet pierced through his skull, an arrow stealing his soul? He must have acted like a normal human being; screamed in pain, shivered for one desperate moment with fear. Somehow

I can't see Kaito crying out loud, a plea for help, a plea to be saved. See him freeze cold with horror, hopeless acceptance of death. I just skip from the rifle shot to when I found him, keeping my perfect image of him untarnished.

"Sorry I made you wait so long, Kaito." I lay down the slightly wilted rose, petals crushed from my squeezing fingers, thorns removed, except for one that has pierced my skin. I ignore the pain, the small torrent of red emerging from the cut. The rose is red, a symbol of my love, still strong though he's in a different world. "Had to take a test today in class. I think I did okay."

There is silence where he would have answered, and then the cooing of a pigeon- or is it a dove? I peek out of the corner of my eye to see the snowy white bird, golden beak and feet. It spreads its beautiful wings, startled at my sudden interest.

I take out a piece of bread, leftovers from breakfast, and toss a few crumbs to show I mean no harm. It hesitantly takes a few steps forward, then charges, gulping down the food.

Maybe it's Kaito's dove; that's definitely a possibility. Nobody was willing to look after his multitude of birds after the murder, and they ended up being set free. I wonder if it remembers its old master, his ashes sitting just under the obsidian colored stone.

After its snack, it flies away, leaving me alone in the empty cemetery. As it is the middle of the day, nobody is here. Or so I thought.

I hear voices, clear and unmistakable, emanate from close by. I prick my ears and hear a hushed two-person chorus of thank-yous, and surprised eyes meet mine from the other side of the graveyard.

"Aoko-chan!" Ran waves at me cheerfully, running over in excitement. She hugs me, face red in the winter cold. "I haven't seen you in so long! How have you been doing?"

"Good! I just had my finals earlier, so I decided I'd pop in and pay my friend here a visit." I point behind me, and her gaze flies to the photo, a splitting image to boy behind her.

"That's the Kaito-kun you were talking about? Wow, I didn't think he'd look so-"

"So much like Kudo-kun? They're pretty similar, aren't they?"

"Yeah, no wonder you were so surprised when I first introduced you to Shinichi." Her eyes light up with guilt, but I wink to let her know I don't care.

Shinichi walks over and gives me a nod before turning to his girlfriend. "You forgot to put down your lily for Haibara," he tells Ran, his blue orbs filled with such tenderness that I will never be able to understand its depth.

"Oops!" she blurts out. "I didn't mean to! Give me a minute!" She runs back towards a pure white marble gravestone of which name and photo are obscured by distance.

"Who's Haibara?" I ask Shinichi, curiously.

"A close friend of ours. She died trying to help us. We're going to complete the mission for her." His irises are glowing with determined fire, something I wish I had in me.

"I'm going to avenge my friend too." I sound lame compared to him; his voice radiating with confidence.

"Kuroba Kaito? I heard that case, but the truth is I can't help the police despite wanting to be a detective. I'm being hidden under an alias right now, Sasaki Sora. Just wanted you to know. Ran usually forgets to mention it." He shrugs his shoulders as Ran returns.

"What did I forget?" she pants out, staring at him.

"Nothing, Ran." There's just something so special, so sweet, so loving in the way he says her name, indescribable and undeniably beautiful. It makes me jealous as I ponder the 'what if's.

What if Kaito and I fell in love? What if we had a future together? What if he had survived?

A vision of us, me curled in his strong arms, sitting on his lap, him smiling as we snuggled closer together. I see happiness and hear quiet laughter, smell his crisp, fresh clean scent, feel the warmth of his body pressed against mine. Perfect.

Tiny footsteps sound from the other room, and cheerful cries of joy. A pair of blue-eyed children with dark brown hair peek from the doorway, then run away.

Suddenly Kaito disappears, fading along the fire-warmed room. The walls dissipate, and I am in the graveyard, still watching those two, lost in the depths each other's stares, amethyst and sapphire.

"How about I introduce you to Haibara?" he leads me to the marble headstone where I see a picture of a light tea-haired woman.

Her icy eyes sparkle like a cat's, unreadable and mysterious, and her lips are curled into a slight enigmatic smile. For some reason, I feel this unexplainable connection between her and the boy beside me; not affection for a lost friend like me, but like two threads intertwined by destiny, trapped in the same fate. Perhaps not lovers, but as close as a brother and sister, dependent on each other for a different kind of survival, life and death.

“How old was she? There wasn’t a date of birth on this stone,” I comment bluntly, not wanting to intrude in private matters of death. I knew I wouldn’t like private questions about my beloved.

“Give or take, around the same age as us, maybe older, maybe younger. She never kept exact track. Didn’t want to.” He has a nostalgic look on his face, the one I imagine on my own, staring at her photo. “That picture’s pretty inaccurate. She never really smiled like that. She was a pretty pessimistic person. But we wouldn’t have been able to do anything without her either.”

Then I notice the name on the gravestone, not Haibara as he says, but Miyano Shiho, and I wonder if he is mistaken. “It says her name is Miyano. Miyano Shiho.”

“Guess I forget too,” he chuckles, never taking his eyes off of the photo, perfect and without a scratch. “I always called her Haibara, Haibara Ai. Just a nickname.”

“I didn’t get to know her that well until just a few months ago,” commented Ran, violet irises filled with regret. “It wasn’t until she left that I realized she was so important.” The look in Shinichi’s azure orbs signaled she had said too much, and she immediately hushed up, moving on to a lighter, happier subject. “How do you think you did on your finals today, Aoko-chan? It’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”

“I think I did well. Usually I don’t have enough time to come and visit Kaito, but since I finished the test early, I was able to say hi. How was yours?”

“I could remember everything! Shinichi helped me study, but I already knew most of the stuff. Contrary to this deduction baka’s beliefs.” She cast him a playful smirk, and he started retaliating defensively.

“Who said I was a deduction idiot?” he asked, a teasing tone in his voice. “Besides, you asked me to help you.”

“So what?”

“So nothing.” I backed away and shrouded my eyes with my hand, not wanting to intrude their private moment. I could hear the silent cries of love and affection as they kissed, completely unaware of me standing here, wishing I was them. Wishing on a fallen star.

I wish Kaito could have lived. I wish that I could be in love. I wish that somebody would just remember me, not just as a grief-stricken girl, not just a friend who needs help. I want somebody like Kaito, somebody who could cheer me up without trying, somebody who always knew what to do for me, somebody who could make me laugh no matter what.

It’s no wonder that buried inside of me that I feel the need to kill the one who murdered him, but that would be harsh. I don’t think Kaito would want me to go that far. He was always a supporter of living, no matter what the crime.

I hear police sirens, and see the black and white streak by, like a running zebra. And up in the sky, a white hang glider. It’s the Kid.

*Yes, Haibara is dead. Tragic, right? (it was half-planned, and half 'I needed a reason for Shinichi and Ran to be there'. How's the cliffhanger? Is this story even worth continuing? Tell me please!~Aeyra*

[cheesecake1412 0]

already read this in fanfic.. >_<

[Aeyra 260]

already read this in fanfic.. >_<

I know, but some people don't go on Fanfic... Tell you what. I'll post some of Chapter 2 for you, how's that sound?

[Aeyra 260]

This is for Cheesecake and whoever else was interested. It's only the first part of Chapter 2, the actual thing is almost 4,000 words long, but I'm not posting the entire thing because it's saved for after the end of 'The Murder of Shinichi Kudo'. Enjoy! (and hope the spaces don't get deleted! It better work this time! *crosses fingers*)

Chapter 2

Discover

Chase

The one

Who in a way

Ruined your life.

Who you blame

For the death

Of a loved one.

Hatred you won't admit

To anyone

Not even yourself,

Is pumping through your veins,

Already filled with adrenaline rush.

Why?

Maybe it's because

Of a nagging suspicion

That the one you loved most

Is the one you're chasing.

That the one you loved most

Killed another

A death you find

Hard to forgive.

The sudden blaring of police sirens followed by the gentle, almost inaudible swish flying overhead quickly fills the serene silence of the peaceful graveyard. Looking around, I see a huge pack of black and white cars, like ravenous wolves, chasing their fleeing quarry. But the Kid is in a completely different element- the wide open sky.

I am almost completely awed by the amazing sight; the last Kid heist I had seen was when Kaito had dragged me out to see one with him over three years ago. The Phantom Thief is like an eagle, soaring over his powerless opponents, taunting them with the knowledge that he could leave hunt right now without a worry, but continuing the pointless game only for his pleasure. Annoyingly cocky, but majestic in its own special way, knowing that he couldn't be caught, teasing the cops with his obvious superiority- if you could see it, I bet you would feel the same things I feel right now. Shock and amazement. Had I once dreamt it was possible for my father to bring down such a felon?

I can barely make out the arrogant smile on the magician's face as he flies straight overhead, white hang glider blocking out the sun like a giant bird, shrouding us in dark gray shadows for a moment and then letting the golden light pour over us once more.

Shinichi and Ran are in nearly the same state I'm in-Shinichi's face a little more wistful, clearly wishing he could join the fun of playing cat and mouse- him being the cat of course. What had he done that was so bad he felt the need to hide his true identity from the rest of the world? Why did he have to in the shadows when he was so obviously suited for center stage? Could he possibly be a type of criminal?

While my instincts scream in defiance, labeling my strange theory as impossible, I do not immediately dismiss the thought. It was indeed a very intriguing idea, one I'd store in the back of my head for later. No other possibilities come to mind so I let the thought stay, pondering its reasonability factor.

I look over at Shinichi once again; see his aquamarine eyes following the hang glider which is quickly fading from our narrow view, blocked by tall trees and buildings. I pity him; it's clear he's suffering just from standing here, unable to do anything.

"We could follow him if you wanted to, Kudou-kun," I suggest offhandedly. He jumps up at the offer, expression eager. He acts like a puppy about to go on a walk- I'm surprised he's not jumping around.

"You sure about that? I can get pretty crazy over these things," he warns, then he glances over at Ran, seeming to ask her approval. Why does he need to ask? It makes it seem as if she holds his leash.

She shrugs her shoulders compliantly, smiling. "A little entertainment in a while can't hurt you, Shinichi. Just make sure to stay out of the spotlight; they'd definitely find you that way. They've been searching ever since you-know-what." The last part was said in a whisper, barely audible. They? I think. Who's they? And why are they searching for Shinichi?

"Yes! It's been so long since I've done anything like this!" He breaks into a headlong sprint after the Kid, and suddenly the thought occurs to me that it's the middle of the day. Why is Kid out?

The guy is the magician of the moonlight, not the sun. His heists always take place at night, never an hour after lunch. There is definitely something fishy about this. But what?

"Come on, Aoko-chan!" Ran tugs on my hand, urging me to run as she pulls me along. "I don't want to be left behind!"

"But-" I want to say I don't want to chase after Kid, after all, he's the reason a mystery shooter killed my dad. Then I realize-if I catch him- I can ask him what happened that night at the hotel. He'll have to answer me.

Idiot! cries my inner voice. How could you capture the Kid? Not even the police can do it!

I have the famous (college) detective of the east with me today! He at least has a chance of cornering that thief! It's better than nothing! For some reason, my gut tells me I'll learn more than I intended to. Much more.

[tengaku squared 291]

Spaces didn't get deleted. Hooray!

[Aeyra 260]

Spaces didn't get deleted. Hooray!

This time I posted it onto some online thing and then here, so I guess it's just a Word problem.

[Cindy-Chen 82]

Wow! It's good! Your penmanship is great!