Case Closed Fan Fiction ❯ When Pandora's Box Is Opened ❯ Liquid Amnesia ( Chapter 60 )

Chapter Sixty

Liquid Amnesia

“YOU!”

Shinichi jumped at being thus addressed by an accusing finger the second that he entered the living room. The finger then turned into a fist, which Ran caught, and the accusing roar on the other end turned to a whimper of pain.

“I told you more than once that I don't like you hitting him, Otou-san,” Ran said, “And I really won't tolerate it now.”

“That little brat stole my thunder!” Kogoro complained, shaking his hand as Ran let go of it. “That lying little freeloading son of a-”

“My son,” Yukiko pointed out, ushering him over to a chair. They were all settled in the large living room, Yukiko and a man that Shinichi recognized from the book cover as Kudo Yuusaku- his father- on one couch, Kogoro and Eri on another. There were also two armchairs, and Shinichi sat in one, Ran settling herself between her parents, and Hakuba was hovering around the other, Koizumi Akako sitting in it and staring unsettlingly at Shinichi.

“Trust me, it is one of the least bizarre concoctions in effect in this room,” Akako pointed out.

“What are you talking about?” Ran said.

“Koizumi-san thinks she knows how Conan-kun lost his memory,” Hakuba said.

“We'll have to clear that up, too,” Yuusaku muttered, in reference to the “Conan-kun”.

“Amnesial,” Akako said simply.

“And that is...?” Eri asked, staring a little dubiously at the girl.

“It used to be known as liquid amnesia,” Akako said. “One of the many legacies of the ancient American cultures that never reached the modern world, thanks to the settler's policy of wholesale destruction. They had such a wonderful drug culture... too bad it was lost, like the cameras...”

“Wait a minute,” Kogoro interjected. “The Native Americans didn't have-”

“Didn't make it to modern society, I said... You'd be amazed how many redundant patents there would be if they didn't have the Roman's habits of destroying everything before seeing if it could be of any use to them... how little changes.”

“Please, please stop that line of thought there,” Hakuba sighed. “Back to the Amnesial, Koizumi-san...”

“Oh, all right.” Akako opened a rather ancient-looking old tome. “Amnesial... ingestion obliterates all memories, permanently. In scientific terms, you could say that it permanently destroys the nodes in the hippocampus or whatever... I've never had much truck with science. At any rate, recovery of memories is permanently impossible.”

“But I've been having flashbacks,” Shinichi said with a frown.

“Yes, that's the special bit,” Akako said with a slight smile. “Now, either you were fed a badly mixed or incomplete dosage of Amnesial... unlikely, because depending on which ingredient was switched or omitted, there's a number of rather special effects that it could have had, from making you bald or wiping your speech centre, rendering you mute, to producing some form of elephantitis in its worst-case scenario...” everyone stared at Yukiko as she fought to control the giggles, though if Yuusaku's slight smile was any indication he knew what the joke was.

“Never mind, it's nothing important,” he said, cheek twitching. “Please continue, Koizumi-san.”

Akako stared at Yukiko for another long moment, giving Shinichi the unsettling impression that she may well be reading the other woman's mind, before returning to her explanation.

“It's possible that you have some extra resilience, given your situation,” she continued. Hakuba was the only one to look confused.

“We'll get to that in a minute,” Yuusaku said consolingly.

“After all, children do have incredible abilities to heal, due to the powerful influx of growth hormones,” Akako continues, ignoring them. “And of course, both your brain and your body are used to dealing with such a lot. There's also...”

“Also?” Shinichi said.

“I'm not certain,” Akako said with a frown. “Simply that... something protects you. Your aura... it is so powerful. There is something special about you... something... beyond...” she trailed off, staring at him with brows furrowed.

“I'm now certain that I'm the only one missing something here,” Hakuba said.

“You know, an awful lot of people have been told recently...” Yukiko said worriedly.

“I know,” Yuusaku sighed. “But... it's necessary. I prefer to think of it as having more people that we can always trust, which is always comforting. Besides, Koizumi-san already seems to know...”

“Wait a minute... do you know, Koizumi-san?” Ran asked.

“I sensed it easily,” Akako said, closing the book, “And Lucifer confirmed it. Oh, and do call me Akako-chan.”

“Sensed what?” Hakuba said testily.

“That Edogawa Conan... isn't,” Yuusaku sighed. “It's a pseudonym. His real name's Kudo Shinichi.”

Hakuba jerked. “You're Kudo Shinichi?”

“Apparently,” Shinichi said with a shrug.

“This isn't anything to do with you, is it?” he said, looking suspiciously at Akako. She held up her hands, looking about as innocent as she ever got.

“It's a long story,” Yuusaku said. “Let's condense it to: Shinichi gets nosy, Shinichi gets poisoned with prototype elixir of immortality, Shinichi shrinks. Prototype is being developed by people who are trying to find a jewel which supposedly produces said elixir, and tried to hire Toichi-kun to do it, and you can guess what his response was given that they murdered him and are anxious to do the same for Kaito-kun, but you're very familiar with that particular mess.”

“Incredibly so,” Hakuba said with a shudder. “You know what? It's frankly barely any more weird than some of the stuff that Koizumi-san and Kuroba pull. The important things, right now, are: taking these people down and recovering Conan-kun- Kudo-kun- whoever-he-is' memories.”

“I'm afraid that an antidote is impossible, but given his flashbacks, the latter should happen in time,” Akako said placidly. “As for the former...?”

“A speed strike has been running,” Hakuba said. “The details that the Osaka police acquired from an “anonymous” source allowed them to locate higher-ranking infiltrators in surrounding prefectures. Strike have happened in five or six others now, I believe... word's gone out that as soon as you receive information on infiltrators, you strike, and once you have a high-level you've got all of his or her subordinates. It's spreading, and working. A number of officers in other prefectures have resigned and vanished or... “Committed suicide”. I'm reserving judgement on that one. I tried to call Hattori about it all, but he's not picking up for some reason. It might just be the major blizzards that have been hitting the south-west all day, they're making landlines awfully sketchy as well.”

“Oh, but you said they're trying to kill the Kaitou Kid, didn't you?” Ran said. “Then they might show up at the next heist...”

“Next heist? What next heist?” Hakuba and Yuusaku both said sharply.

“Oh, we got this last night...” Shinichi said, pulling out the card and reading it out. “I shall bypass the blind queen to take her false king awash with blood, before the circling ravens can strike...”

“That last part is clearly a challenge,” Hakuba said. “He's challenging Them.”

“I thought he tended to send these to news stations as well,” Eri commented.

“I think they'll be in the news sometime tomorrow morning or the day after,” Shinichi said. “It's going to be the 25th- the next new moon.”

“I see,” Kogoro said thoughtfully. “The “queen” is the moon- sort of a reference to the Kaguya-hime story, everyone knows that one; she would have been a queen once she'd returned to her realm. And blind means that there's no moon... a new moon...”

“And the false king must be that diamond,” Yuusaku commented. “They thought it was a crown jewel, but it wasn't... therefore, not a king's. Awash with blood...”

“Rather chilling, isn't it?” Eri said. “His notes have been getting darker... the one before the last mentioned blood as well...”

“These are dark times for him, after all,” Hakuba said. “If you don't mind, I'll take that to Nakamori-keibu...”

“All very cloak-and-dagger,” Kogoro grumbled. “But why not just kill the brat? Wasn't that what they'd originally intended to do anyway?”

“It's what the Syndicate wants,” Yuusaku said. “What Vermouth wants may well be another matter entirely.”

“She did let him live before...” Yukiko said, but she still looked frightened. “But... what is she up to?”

“Yet another mystery on top of many,” Hakuba muttered. “Well, I'd better be going... it's getting late and I have to deliver this to Nakamori-keibu...”

“I'll come,” Akako said, rising. “I would like to see how Aoko-chan is doing in Kuroba-kun's absence...”

“Give her my sympathies,” Ran said. “I know how hard it is to be waiting and worrying...” she glared at Shinichi, who couldn't help feeling deeply guilty even though he couldn't quite remember the implied transgression.

“Take care,” Yuusaku called as Yukiko, ever the polite hostess, walked them to the door.

“Which means we ought to be leaving as well, I guess,” Eri sighed. “You two do have school tomorrow...”

“Hey, wait a minute,” Kogoro growled. “Is he still coming back with us?”

“That's a good if rudely put point,” Yuusaku said. “If you're trying to regain your memories, Shinichi, it may be more conducive to do so in your real home...”

“So I'll be staying here again instead of with Ran's family?” he said. “Yeah, that makes sense, I guess...” but he couldn't help the little lurch at the thought of leaving Ran; her presence was a comfort to him, when he had been most frightened and confused, and he still was, a little. But...

“Listen, I know this is kinda overwhelming, but right now, you need to remember that you're not some frightened little kid. You are a smart, brave and downright brilliant kid, and in fact if what that girl said is true you're actually a smart, brave and brilliant guy...”

As he calmed himself, however, he could feel it- the unstoppable urge to put these people in jail, to see them pay for their crimes, to not let them get away. It was neither quite knowledge nor a memory, just who he was. Who he was, no matter what, couldn't let a case like this go. He wasn't afraid of these shadowy assassins any more, not like he had been when it had first come out of the blue that somebody was after his life; wasn't afraid that they would get him, since if they hadn't done it so far then he was damn sure that they wouldn't any time soon.

What did frighten him was the realization that he might not be the only one they were hunting; Kaito, he felt rather than remembered, could handle himself. But he also got the impression that he not only could handle things by himself, he had to. Whatever this was was dangerous, and people could- and probably already had- died for it. Kaito had come to him, even though his mind was in tatters and his body was shrunken beyond a lot of use, because he was already involved, rather than involving anyone who wasn't already in danger. He wasn't going to involve anyone he didn't have to, including the people around him. That was what frightened Shinichi; that he wasn't the only one who might be made to pay for his own mistakes.

He glanced up at Ran, remembering her kindness and patience, all through last night, when he'd been unable to sleep, trying to sort everything out; she'd sat with him and talked to him, like she had the night that he'd gotten to Hattori's, fresh out of wherever he'd been, sans memories. For hours, she had quietly and patiently talked him through his confusion, answering his questions as far as she could, soothing his fears. He didn't want to give up the security that she brought him, but even less did he want to see her hurt. If what she had told him was true- and he had no reason to believe that it wasn't- she had waited for him, fought her own fears for him, lied for him. He had no intention of seeing her die for him.

“Then the first thing you need to do is get some sleep,” Yukiko said, returning to the living room. “You look exhausted.”

“I don't feel it,” Shinichi said, but the second that his mother had mentioned sleep he had suddenly remembered that he was exhausted; he could feel the overwhelming urge to yawn. He hadn't slept at all last night, after all. “All right... where's my room?”

“We'll see Ran-chan and the others out of the door, and then I'll show you,” Yukiko said with a smile.

“Are you sure, Shinichi?” Ran asked as they headed for the door.

“I think it'll help me regain my memories faster,” Shinichi reassured her. “I really want to get back what I knew... I think it'll help.”

“We'll bring your stuff back over sometime tomorrow,” Kogoro grumbled. “If you're moving back in here...”

“I think it will be good for regaining your memories,” Eri said. “You'd better still be going to school, though...”

“I'm back to myself enough to dread kiddy school,” Shinichi groaned. Ran giggled, leaning down to kiss him on the forehead.

“I'll pick you up in the morning,” she said. “Now get some sleep and try to relax. You're frankly infuriating for remaining calm when the rest of the world is falling to pieces, you know...”

“I don't yet,” Shinichi sighed, “but I'll add it to the info pile. I'll... see you tomorrow, Ran.”

“No thumping, Anata,” Eri cautioned as she led Kogoro, grumbling, out of the door.

“She's still at yours?” Yukiko whispered gleefully. Ran winked and gave the thumbs-up before following her parents out of the door.

“They're a bit of a weird couple,” Shinichi commented, referring to Eri and Kogoro.

“I'm just glad that Eri-chan is living with her husband again,” Yukiko said happily. “You know, she's been living apart for... goodness, it must be getting on for eleven or twelve years now...”

“Really?” Shinichi said in surprise. “Why?”

“Because little kids only tease the ones that they really like,” Yuusaku chuckled. “Your room's up here... how are you doing? You look a little lost...”

“I do feel kind of lost...” Shinichi admitted. “And that really, really bugs me.”

“Well, tomorrow we'll talk to Agasa-Hakase and Ai-kun,” Yuusaku said,” and tell you all of the Syndicate information that you had... at least, all that you had and felt inclined to share.”

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The chapter's a day early because I'm spending all day Saturday moving furniture and reconnecting my computer to the internet... I probably won't get on at all tomorrow, so I'm putting this up now. Next chapter Sunday. ^_-

Now they have, Desperatembrace... inch inch XD Worry not, it's getting there... I think there'll be plenty of BAM at the next heist... XD

Kawaii, eh, Kayla Edogawa? :D They're just fluff-repellent sometimes... But there will be HeiKazu fluff! You have my word! (And my bow! AND MY AXE! XD) Keiko was that orca whale that played Free Willy, he was really famous in the nineties, died in 2003... (if I'm the only one here who had Keiko and Free Willy feature in their childhood, I'm going to feel old...) I love California (Governator aside XD) but Colorado is still my fav. ^_^ Hakuba does seem to be developing a lot of faith in Akako in their shared concern for Kaito and Aoko, doesn't he? You must be psychic! Like Akako! XD

I want a chibi-Kaito myself, Mel72000... I would glomp him and never let go... XD Thank you! ^_^

Go, SkysterHikari! XD I often worry that it's too long but it seems to be good enough to hook people anyway XD good luck on your exams! My secret is that I actually have fifty cyborg fingers for super-speed typing XD nahh, I just do nothing else in the evenings :P

Not long, I'd bet, FaithlessGirl! XD I'm writing the “final battle” scene at the moment, so it looks like the story will end in its late eighties or early nineties at the latest...

Oh, yeah. It is YouTube, Marie Ravenclaw. ^_^; sorry, I hadn't realized it had come up wrong... just paste “watch?v=ZgkAx33CzLo” in on YT and you should be fine. I'm most worried about Okiya's creepy smile... but the cashier is the dead guy's daughter, so maybe the living guy wants her dead because she knows something about her father's death... or she wants the other guy dead for similar reasons... ahh, I want chapter 703 now! PLOT! XD Next time: more chibi-Heiji...

Go ahead and set up a Sa-chan cheering section, International DCFanficNut 1207...

Remembering how long it took Shinichi to realize that he'd shrunk, KageNoNeko, how long do you think it'll take Heiji? XD

Heiji's in for a surprise, FHP2208... but I doubt he'll be able to hide himself like Shinichi does... XD

Glad you think so, Sunny Lighter ^_-

Chibi-squealy-fit, JapaneseAnimeFreak16! Disassemble the angry mob, Heiji is alive.... actually, go after Gin with torch and pitchfork, that oughta be funny... XD Hey, I haven't said WHO I was going to kill yet... RAN? Would I actually kill her? Who am I, JK Rowling? XD *just watched HP6 and cried when Dumbledore died* I'm still utterly shocked by my Psych grade... apparently it's going on automatic appeal on the basis of my prelim grade, though, so it's all good. ^_^ I wouldn't speak so highly of my maths skills... I read a lot, which is why my grammar, vocabulary and general knowledge are so good, but I'm afraid my maths skills suck beyond belief. I'm actually totally surprised that I passed at all, since I couldn't answer half the questions and could barely understand the ones I did... ^_^; Thanks, though! ^_^

Pretztailfan95, you are going to break your keyboard soon... XD SOON YOU WILL KNOW! She is, isn't she? ^_^ I have no idea what it means, but I'm happy for you :D

I do not claim to own any of the characters in Meitantei Conan. They are the intellectual property of Aoyama Gosho. All characters, couples and locations, if Canon, will be faithful to the manga, so if you're into fics with weird pairings like Shinichi and Heiji, the back button is at the top there. The fic may not make sense if you have not read up to chapter 698, which you can do at a site called (read between the lines) O/n/e/ma/n/g/a, but I advise you to buy the official Tankoban novels (up to volume 30 are out in English at the time of writing) so that Aoyama-sensei can afford to continue gracing us with his imagination. Now, I hope you enjoy the fic! (If you don't, please see my previous comments re the back button).