SS Contest #21: Getting the Last Word
Apr 30, 2017 23:26:34 GMT
neonquincy1217, Addy01, and 1 more like this
Post by sgamer82 on Apr 30, 2017 23:26:34 GMT
Summary: Conan's leaving to finally become Shinichi, but Haibara has one last thing to say to him before he goes.
Word Count: 1,056 (First time I've had to use that 100 word buffer)
I've mentioned a bit that this isn't really a story, in and of itself. What it really is is a scene I'd had in mind for a much larger fic I'm hoping to do one of these years. My own version of the Organization's takedown. Part of that is Conan leaving to become Shinichi again, which this idea was always a part of.
Word Count: 1,056 (First time I've had to use that 100 word buffer)
I've mentioned a bit that this isn't really a story, in and of itself. What it really is is a scene I'd had in mind for a much larger fic I'm hoping to do one of these years. My own version of the Organization's takedown. Part of that is Conan leaving to become Shinichi again, which this idea was always a part of.
Detective Conan
Getting the Last Word
by
sgamer82
This was it. In a few moments, Conan Edogawa would board a train and it would be Shinichi Kudo who returned.
Conan stood on the platform, waiting with strained patience. The bulk of the farewells had already come and gone, but Conan could see his mother, in the guise of "Fumiyo Edogawa" bowing her deepest gratitude to Kogoro and Ran for taking care of him for so long. Kogoro seemed interested in getting this done, while Ran kept sending little glances Conan's way. Once upon a time, body language like that would make him wonder what Ran suspected. Now, whether she did or not would be a moot point. Within the next two weeks Shinichi planned to take the antidote to the drug that shrank him, get back to normal permanently, and confess all.
"Are you listening, Kudo-kun?"
Conan's gaze was drawn back to the girl in front of him. Ai Haibara and the other Detective Boys, chaperoned by Professor Agasa, had come to say their goodbyes, too. The Professor and the boys were trying to keep Ayumi from bursting into tears yet again, giving Conan and Haibara time to talk.
"Haibara," Conan said wearily, "How many times have we gone over this now? The procedure isn't exactly complicated. Step one, I take your temporary antidote to return to my original size. Step two, I take your half-cure purging drug and spend the next couple days bedridden while every bodily function I possess works overtime to get APTX-4869 out of my system."
Haibara looked unamused.
"You won't be so blase when 'part two' takes effect," Haibara said. "It was half a week before I could reliably keep down anything more solid than a glass of water. Even after everything ran its course it was still at least a full day before I could move under my own power-"
"-And my version of the drug is even stronger because it has to do its work before my higher resistance turns me back to Conan. I know! At this point, Haibara, there's nothing left but to do it."
He avoided adding that she should know that just as well as him. She had already gone through everything Conan was about to. The only difference being she had skipped Step One entirely.
Haibara stared at him for several seconds before closing her eyes with a sigh.
"Just promise me you won't jump the gun and do anything before the Professor can leave for his 'inventor's symposium' and join you."
"I promise," Conan said. He was reluctant to say that. He wanted to get it done as soon as possible, but Haibara, the Professor, and his mother, had all come down on him hard on that point. The latter two had watched over Haibara's convalescence and knew better than Conan himself did what to expect.
"And make sure you fast for twenty-four hours beforehand."
"Is that really necessary?"
"I fasted for twelve and was still vomiting within minutes."
"Twenty-four, it is. Will you be coming, too?"
Haibara shook her head.
"We've made plans for me to stay with Yoshida-san's family while the Professor is away." She glanced behind her. "Everyone's in agreement that she could use the company."
Conan forced himself to look at the Detective Boys. Sure enough, the dam had burst and Ayumi was crying loudly.
"I hate doing this to her." Conan sighed. "She knows I'll be in touch, but..."
"It's not the same," Haibara finished. "I think she realizes that this is the last time she will ever see Conan Edogawa."
The boys had managed better. Genta hid his sadness behind bluster the likes of which the others had never seen. Mitsuhiko struggled with calm stoicism, but one could see his feelings in his eyes.
A shadow appeared over Conan and Haibara.
"Are you ready, Conan-chan?" Fumiyo Edogawa asked.
Conan nodded, and everyone came for one last good bye. Ran hugged him, holding back tears as she did. Ayumi hugged him hard, holding nothing back. He was afraid she'd have to be pried off him, but to her credit she let go she stepped back herself. Genta punched Conan in the arm so hard Conan was sure it would bruise. Mitsuhiko kept his farewell to a handshake. Kogoro gave a noncommittal grunt and told Conan to watch out for himself. The Professor didn't say anything, but then he knew he'd be seeing Shinichi soon. Finally, Haibara came to him.
"This is it," Conan said. "Any regrets?"
"Too soon to say." Haibara held up her hand and stared at it. "I'm optimistic. Perhaps that's a sign in itself."
Conan laughed.
"I can't promise things won't get hairy over here, however much I try to prevent that." Conan looked at the Detective Boys. "But I promise to do what I can to keep things from bleeding over here."
"Just be sure to come back alive." Haibara smirked at Conan. "My new life will start on a sour note if my Onii-chan goes and gets himself killed."
Before Conan could even try to respond, Haibara had rushed off and was helping to console Ayumi. Fumiyo had grabbed his hand and pulled him into the train as the doors closed. Conan stared at the closed train doors, processing what he'd just heard as the train started its journey. He looked at Fumiyo, who looked excessively amused.
"Okay, what was that last part about?" Conan demanded of his mother. "You're trying too hard not to laugh to have no idea."
"Well, Conan-chan," his mother said. "It just so happens that I made Acchan an offer while she was sick. I think that was just her way of letting you know she said 'yes'."
"Yes to wh-wait, 'Acchan'? Not 'Ai-chan'? You don't typically abbreviate like that except for family..." Conan's eyes flew wide open. "You didn't...?"
"Well, as a matter of fact..."
----------
Between the noises of the train station, the sound of all the people around them, and Ayumi's crying, there was no real way for Ai to know just when Yukiko would tell Conan about the offer she'd made. No way to hear his reaction to being told Ai would be joining the Kudo household as its second child.
Despite that, she would forever insist that she heard the scream of "WHAT?!" Conan Edogawa let out upon learning this for himself.