Chapter Text
Shinichi heaves a big sigh. As Conan he lives his life as a performance. Although he has been Conan long enough that it all has become routine for him and usually nothing major occurs; where he breaks character and bring suspicion to himself, but he can’t fully say it doesn’t effect him. The mask he has to wear constantly around others does occasionally crack and crumble around the edges the longer it stays on. He was never a good liar but he has become better, had to become better, since becoming Conan. That isn’t to say he doesn’t love all the people he’s met and connected with as Conan. It’s made him realize it is okay to rely on others and that he can’t do everything by himself. That wasn’t the problem. Shinichi just wants to be able to continue this life as himself. There are times he can unmask like with Haibara, and Heiji and he is grateful for that but some days it’s just not enough.
Those times when Conan’s mundane life gets a little unbearable is usually solved within the week, when Kaito Kid sends out his notice of an upcoming heist, and it’s high time a new notice comes in.
While at the professor’s the kids are piled over something and trying to solve it with some help from the professor, and Shinichi just knows it’s just what he’s been needing. A break.
“Are the notices usually this hard?” Genta whines.
“That’s because usually Conan-kun helps us solve it.” Ayumu chimes in. “Right Conan-kun!”
Shinichi walks in and sees all their hopeful faces that clearly wish for Conan’s help, but he can’t muster the energy to put on his act to help guide the kids right now. He wants to solve the notice on his own.
“That’s rude when the professor is right here trying to help you guys. I’ll solve it own my own and then I’ll test you guys to see if you guys figure it out. Okay?” Shinichi tries to let them down gently.
The kids seem kinda down but are understanding and like the idea of testing their abilities. So Shinichi leaves them and goes to solve the notice in his own comfort.
“
On the night of the full moon, the blood pools from the night sky
The heliotrope rests in peace, for no longer under the wrath of the sun
May your body turn to the stone, May you stop bleeding in fear
Find union alongside the blood moon for,
I will come wipe away your tears with magic.
- Kaito KID
“
Shinichi reads the lines and is immediately unsettled by how somber this notice is. Not having any of the typical mischievous energy his messages usually carry. It gives him a bad feeling about the upcoming heist but he can’t really place what it could be yet, so he continues to decipher the notice.
The first line clearly is dating the heist on the night of the blood moon, which is next week. The second line is the biggest clue with mentioning the heliotrope and the sun. This is referencing the mythological story of the ocean nymph Clytia, who was once beloved by the sun god and then abandoned. She was changed into the heliotrope, a flower which is supposed to always turn its head in the direction of the sun’s movement. Cursed to always yearn for someone whose abandoned her, except during the night. Is she meant to find solace in the moon’s light? No, it says to “find union”, and asking for her “body to turn to stone”. It must be their conjoining that makes her turn into a heliotrope gem instead of a flower destined to long for the one whose forsaken her. The heliotrope gem also goes by the name bloodstone, for the red inclusions of hematite it has embedded in a sea of green jasper.
Shinichi is pretty sure with his deduction so now all that he needs is to search for where they have this bloodstone displayed. After some quick searching he finds a Bloodstone Ring being displayed next week in some Tokyo Museum and immediately sends word to the authorities so they can set up necessary precautions for the upcoming heist.
Shinichi still isn’t satisfied with solving the heist notice when usually it would. He can’t rid of this ominous feeling. Why is Kid interested in this semi-precious gem? When there are other gems being displayed that cater to his usual taste? There must be something he is missing, especially with the melancholy undertones of his heist notice.
-
Shinichi never gets the chance to explore the grim feeling further because cases drop into his lap one after another and it he doesnt catch his breath until it is the day of the blood moon.
“Are you excited for today’s Kaito Kid heist Conan-kun?” Ran speaks up behind Shinichi.
“I don’t know Ran-neechan. I am kind of worried.” Shinichi says in his pitched Conan voice, but it comes out a note softer since his worry is leaking out.
“Why? Did you find something out about the heist notice?” Ran questions.
“No, but I have a bad feeling.” Shinichi is frustrated he let this go on for too long with out figuring out what was bothering him about Kid’s message.
“Do you think it will be dangerous?” Ran asks, starting to get worried herself.
“No of course not, Kaito Kid would never put anyone in danger at one of his shows.” Shinichi says quickly, not letting her worries grow anymore.
Shinichi spends the entire trip to the museum in his head, not talking to anybody unless necessary. He realizes that he was too caught up on the story of Clytia that he didn’t pay more attention to heliotrope as a gem and what that signifies. The bloodstone is a stone that has a rich history, mentioned in folklore for predicting the future, and the Ancient Egyptians using it for protection in battle, while the Babylonians used the bloodstone for it’s healing properties. The stories don’t seem to be relevant in any way that Shinichi can think of other than this might be the gem that Kaito Kid has been searching for all this time. He quickly looks into the symbolism of the bloodstone and reads that it could represent courage, presence of mind,……… and farewell as well as mourning absence.
A shiver runs down Shinichi’s spine, and it all clicks together. This was Kid’s last show, his farewell. It’s the only thing that makes sense, but it can’t be. Shinichi doesn’t want to believe it, he can’t believe it, but at the same time it all adds up. He needs to find Kid tonight. He needs to catch Kid tonight. It’s the last time he will ever see him, and it will also be the first time Kid will ever steal one of his targets and keep it.
Shinichi is inside the building and he feels numb and alert at the same time. He takes mental notes of the room around him and the people roaming around the exhibits. Each entrance and exit is crawling with security and no one goes in or out with out inspection. There at the center of the room holds the bloodstone ring arguably less precious than other jewel within this room but the only one with such security surrounding it.
Shinichi is examining everyone and their actions, determined to find anything out of place or suspicious that would lead him to Kid’s disguised appearance. It has yet to reach the time but Kid is always around when it comes to setting up his next trick that will allow him to steal his target.
Alarms are going off in his head when he spots a particular women who looks to be a part of the staff, telling guests the history behind some other jewels within the vicinity of the bloodstone ring. She is tall and slender wearing a simple short black but long sleeve dress with a v-cut, and chunky low heels with her hair tied up in a low and loose bun that hangs at the nape of her neck. She is good at her job and seems to love what she does, but she also seems too comfortable with where she is. Most staff members are concerned or excited with the upcoming heist to a certain degree but she is doesn’t seem bothered. Shinichi still observes other guests but keeps an eye on her.
He makes a move toward potential escape routes and looks into the quickest ways to get to the rooftop for when Kid eventually makes his way up there. Only then does Shinichi feel satisfied enough to sit still until the show starts.
-
When the time strikes, the lights go dark and he hears the usual “It’s Show Time~” within the crowd. He knows. Shinichi knows, he is just waiting. He can’t enjoy the magic trick that is being performed because all his focus is on catching Kid. His feet are ready to run after him. So when Kid appears right where he predicts he would be, he gets himself into place. Kid is his normal exuberant self, giving absolutely nothing up, but Shinichi doesn’t fool himself otherwise that this isn’t a farewell.
Then everything happens so fast. Kid says his Phantom Thief nonsense, steals the jewel, and runs off and Shinichi is right after him. He going up the stair well and skips a couple steps, uses the railing to assist him with the tight turns, controlling his breathing as much as he can, but still by the end of it he is heavily panting.
Then there he is standing under the blood moon completely serene, the only movement is the swaying of his cape gently in the breeze. It makes him feel like all his rushing was meaningless because here he is waiting for Shinichi.
“I wanted you to be here for this.” Kid says out into the night sky, still hasn’t turned to look at Shinichi.
Shinichi is still catching his breath, but now he can’t help holding it when he sees the ring in Kid’s hands and its slow ascent into the moon’s light. Right when it perfectly frames the moon is when the bloodstone transforms, what was originally green with speckles of red is now a complete scarlet, it glows as if it is radiating heat as though the moonlight has burned it.
“It’s beautiful, but I think its time to return it.” Shinichi voices his concerns, if this is truly what Kid has been searching for he will not give it back.
“Of Course.” Then Kid is tossing the ring in his direction within the same moment. He catches it and without the direct moonlight the blood red gem fades back into a dull green with scattering of red that cannot compare to the red it once was with the help of the moon.
Shinichi is actually speechless that Kid has returned his target since he was sure that all the signs showed that this is what he was looking for.
“I thought that this was your farewell. That this was your last show.” Shinichi can’t help but interrogate Kid a little more.
“I was sure you were going to steal the bloodstone and disappear for real this time.”
“True, after I find what I’m looking for Kaito Kid will disappear along with it.” Kid says nonchalantly, confirming what they both already knew since long before.
Something cold spreads within Shinichi’s chest at Kid’s words. “Not if I catch you first.” Shinichi bristles.
“Are you boldly claiming that you are capable of catching the great Kaito Kid?”
Shinichi lets Kid’s teasing words hang in the air for a moment before killing the playful question with a very sharp response leaving no room for the facetious banter they usually have.
“If you were to ever run away I don’t think there’s anything I wouldn’t go through to catch you.”
This has Kid stalled for a second with eyes widening a little before he quickly recovers his pokerface. He laughs it off with a soft chuckle.
“I dont doubt your tenecity Meitantei, but dont you have more important things to do?” Kid asks with a disbelieving huff.
Shinichi burns with irritation when his words don’t seem to go through to him, but also with himself for feeling thrown off balance at the the thought of a future where Kaito Kid isn’t around. He should be annoyed that Kid thinks that he can get away with his crimes and not that the Phantom Thief will some day disappear. Disappearing. Something all magicians know to do and perform, but every turn is then always followed by the prestige. What disappears must reappear for the full effect. So no matter where Kid disappears the shows not over till Shinichi finds him. It just isn’t. As a detective it is his job to solve these types of mysteries and he’s never left a mystery left unsolved. He won’t let Kaito Kid go.
“You are greatly underestimating me Kid if you think I leave things unfinished.” Shinichi scowls. “Your attempt at escape is only delaying the inevitable, the moment you entered my gaze your fate was sealed. So go ahead and play this game of cat and mouse. The game isn’t over til I say it’s over.”
Kid only smirks as he processes these words and then it turns into a genuine smile albeit a little sad. “My fate was sealed? How romantic of you Meitantei. I didn’t know you could say such sweet words of devotion. If it’s the truth then I’ll be glad. I also enjoy this game of ours but I have my own agenda as do you, so I’m afraid we must part ways. May we meet again, perhaps on full moon or maybe some other fateful day?”
Kid then whirls his cape and smoke disperses and Shinichi reaches out. “ Hey! Wai-“ and Kid is gone, and all his hand grasps is leftover mist.
Shinichi clenches his fist the one outstretched in the air that once occupied Kid. He still had more to say but at least he made his pledge on catching Kid even though it still frustrated him that Kid didn’t seem to fully take it to heart.
Shinichi sits there in the cold night air, watching is breath materialize and disperse with each puff. He still feels wrong like he is missing something. So he checks one last time.
He takes out the ring and pulls it up to the moon. He wants to see for himself, but when the bloodstone basks in the moonlight for a couple seconds with no change, only then does Shinichi’s heart freeze over.