InuYasha Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction / Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ *What* Insertion? ❯ Shattered Seriousness ( Chapter 5 )

[ A - All Readers ]

*WHAT* INSERTION?
by Curtis Wildcat


Chapter Five --- Shredded Seriousness

--------

(Cue theme)

--------

Time: Three days after events in Chapter Four
Place: Heading away from art studio

Phibrizzo's new life, he felt, was starting to settle into a pattern.

He'd had school yesterday and today. Both mornings he greeted his foster parents, ate breakfast, and got to school at a brisk pace. He paid attention as best as he could throughout the day, periodically receiving help from Curtis or Inuyasha on difficult material. Of course, he had difficulty whenever he needed to talk to Curtis; ever since the "video game" lesson several evenings before, the fat human was either playing one of his games or adding to his collection. Inuyasha would either watch things going on from his chamber, watch whatever Curtis was doing, or just snooze.

During the afternoons after school, Phibrizzo had walked with Conan, Mitch, George, and Amy; after the incident involving the famous Yoko Okino just a few nights prior, the latter three had agreed that Conan was worth hanging around. Both days after everyone was either home or off doing something else, Phibrizzo had split to follow his own agenda.

During the evenings after dinner, Phibrizzo had cooped himself up in his room. After taking the obligatory bath (which he still thought was unneeded), he'd waited for his parents to go to sleep. Ten to twenty minutes after they did, he'd let Inuyasha take over so that they could patrol a random section of the city for most of the night.

Phibrizzo was thankful for several things: that his parents weren't light sleepers, and that he hadn't run into Azusa again.

This afternoon, he was heading back from the art studio that he'd dropped his shirt off at a few days before. He'd immediately slipped it on when he received the finished product, ignoring the fact that he had another shirt on already. Neither Inuyasha nor Curtis had any time to see what was said on the shirt; Phibrizzo had wanted to keep it a surprise as long as possible.

Another surprise greeted him when he was three blocks away from the art studio: the mysterious woman, Sherry. She was standing at the street corner, waiting for the light to change. More to the point, she was facing away from him. Perfect.

--------

There were numerous things that Sherry didn't like. Included in that list was disorganization, failure, and being caught unawares. In line with that last dislike was someone sneaking up on her.

Hence, she was more than displeased when someone snuck up behind her and grabbed her hand. Shivering just a bit, she yanked it loose and turned to see who had tried to startle her. She wasn't surprised. "Oh. It's you."

Phibrizzo tilted his head just a bit, obviously trying to look puzzled as he shoved his hand into his pocket. "Huh? What do you mean, 'it's you'?"

"No matter how mature you seem, only a kid would try to amuse himself by placing his cold hand on mine," Sherry told him, looking just slightly annoyed. "I see you've picked up your shirt. May I ask exactly what you mean by this?" she asked, indicating the design he'd chosen.

Phibrizzo smiled cutely. "That, Miss, is a secret!"

"Uh-huh," Sherry muttered, checking to see if the light had changed. Seeing that it had, she hurried across the street. To her annoyance, Phibrizzo kept close behind her. "Why are you still following me, kid...or is that a secret, too?"

"Because, lady, there's something I want to ask you," the boy answered, his own annoyance showing. His smile was gone. "Why do you always have to act so cold, even when your hands aren't?"

"You wouldn't understand," Sherry said curtly. "Now could you please let me be?"

"Let you be what...icy to the point of disassociation?" Phibrizzo murmured. Sherry winced ever so slightly as she caught the comment. "You really ought to open up more. This type of behavior's detrimental to a person's health. Honestly...I should know this."

"Phibrizzo, just...quit bothering me." Sherry didn't say anything more as she kept on going. She knew Phibrizzo was still following her, but speaking again would only encourage him.

As she thought about it, she figured that she'd always been a bit introverted ever since she began her work for the organization. Although she would occasionally speak with someone when she had to, a lot of her work was done alone. She wasn't exactly the out-going type nowadays, for fear that any friends that she'd make would be dragged into trouble. The only exception to this was what little family she knew, and even then communication was usually limited to her sister. She didn't want to talk with Phibrizzo anymore; she decided that she probably wouldn't want to associate with him either.

The boy, it seemed, had other plans. "Miss, please. At least tell me why you don't want to talk to me. I've told you already that I can keep secrets."

Should I really believe him? "It shouldn't be anywhere around here. Who knows where they are?"

"Well, I know this great place outside of Beika. Is that alright?" Phibrizzo asked innocently.

Sherry sighed, giving in. "Where, and when? I'll be busy the rest of the day."

There was a brief pause. "Tomorrow afternoon, at around four," the boy said, intentionally pretending to sound mysterious. "Be there, or be square." He pressed a piece of paper into Sherry's hand.

The woman raised the piece of paper to her face, ignoring the brief hissing noise behind her. Hmm...it's an address for a restaurant in the Nerima district. Seems innocent enough. She looked behind her, only to discover that Phibrizzo had somehow disappeared. Her eyes narrowed just a little. That makes twice he's vanished on me. That's rather irritating.

--------

From on top of the roof of the building across the street, Phibrizzo watched as the woman pocketed the address and continued on her way; he'd teleported there after checking to see if anyone else was watching. "I hope she accepts that invitation," he muttered.

"Phibrizzo, why are you doing this?" Curtis asked. "This doesn't seem like your style. It's more like something I'd do."

"That lady's too serious for her own good," Phibrizzo quietly explained. "Besides, you told me last night that if you didn't have a sense of humor, you'd probably go crazy. By that logic, either she's insane or her mind's gone numb."

Curtis shook his head. "I doubt she's had to deal with bullies and jerks in school her whole life like I have. On the other hand, maybe she's just distant from people in general."

"Whichever the case," Phibrizzo said, frowning, "she has a sense of humor somewhere in there, and I'm going to find it. It shouldn't be too hard, shouldn't it? Maybe an actual conversation with someone will do her good."

"Oooh boy," Inuyasha muttered. "Whenever I hear that, something happens. I wouldn't want to be around, but I don't have a choice."

"Ditto," Curtis agreed, groaning as he coughed a few times. He pulled his arms inside his buttoned flannel shirt and clasped his shoulders, shivering just a little. "That invitation he gave Sherry is for a meeting at Ucchan's Okonomiyaki...smack-dab in the heart of Nerima."

Phibrizzo nodded in satisfaction, then reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a cell phone. Yesterday morning, at roughly the same time that he had relocated his subspace portal there, his parents had given him this device. He hadn't needed to use it then; he figured it would be alright to use it now. "You took down the number for the Tendo family, didn't you?" he asked.

Curtis nodded. "Yeah, I have it. You need it?"

Phibrizzo nodded again. "I need to see if I can contact Nabiki Tendo. She seemed like the person to talk to in order to arrange something there." He glared at the cell phone, his eyes narrowing.

"Something wrong over there?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yeah, I'll say." Phibrizzo hesitated for a few seconds, then added: "Do either of you know how this stupid thing works?"

Inuyasha fell over sideways, and Curtis---who knew that the half-mazoku still had no clue as to the "hows" of technology---settled for a sweatdrop and a forehead slap.

----------

Place: The Tendo Residence

"Hello?...Elementary school-kid with black hair and yellow-green eyes? Yeah, I remember you. Why'd you call?...You're meeting someone from outside Nerima over at Ukyo's restaurant? I don't know if that's a good idea. I mean, you've heard and experienced the district for yourself...Oh, I see. In that case, I could probably manage. Nothing really new has gone on here for a week or so...just the same old, same old...Are you sure she'll show up?" A slight smirk. "Then I'll see you tomorrow. Keep in mind that I only accept cash or check. No credit cards or C.O.Ds." The smirk widened a little. "Even I can be funny sometimes, Phibrizzo. I'll let you off the hook this time, but don't expect me to give out anymore freebies...Okay, okay. Bye-bye."

Nabiki hung up the phone, still smiling a little. The next 24 hours were going to be worth it. The only thing that needed to be done was to place a few phone calls...

--------

Time: The following morning
Place: En route to unknown destination

Sherry yawned just a little as she switched on the car radio. She could get up early if she had to, but the hours she'd been spending working for the organization were starting to get ridiculous. She wanted to quit and pursue another career, but she knew that would be impossible. Once you checked in, you couldn't check out.

The radio newscaster went on, ignoring her thoughts. "Last night, a kidnapping case turned from anxiety to joy as the teenage son of the Benson family was returned safe and sound. Police arrived at the scene to find the mysterious white-haired boy that's been helping to keep the streets safe recently. Apparently, he was the one responsible for rescuing Willy Benson, and using his quote-unquote "really big sword" to keep the kidnapper from escaping. While the boy did not stop for police interrogation, he did stay long enough to give his name. Although the authorities do not condone the actions of vigilantes, it looks as if he's here to stay regardless; so Inuyasha, if you're listening right now, the Benson family thanks you. In other news---"

Sherry switched off the radio. While the idea of a strong vigilante didn't seem all that bad on first glance, the fact that it was a boy made her worry a little. Specifically, she worried that she hadn't had enough coffee before she left. I must've just been hearing things, she thought.

------------

Time: That afternoon, immediately following the final bell
Place: Teitan Elementary

Phibrizzo stood up, stretching his arms a little before putting the last of his school supplies away. As other kids did the same and the teacher said that day's good-byes, Conan made a beeline towards him. "Hey, Phibrizzo? Are you doing anything later?"

His classmate looked thoughtful. "Maybe. Why?"

"Well, Rachel and one her friends are going someplace this afternoon, and I don't really want to go. Problem is, Richard's not exactly what you'd call the friendly type when his daughter's not around..."

Phibrizzo finished packing and slung his blue backpack over one shoulder. "Basically you don't want to spend your free time hanging around him. Understandable." He waited until Mitch and the others left the room, then gestured for Conan to follow him out as well. As he walked out of the room, he continued: "I'm supposed to be meeting someone at Nerima at around four. I don't know if she's on the way yet, but I'm heading there early just to be on the safe side."

Conan did a quick double-take. "Nerima? Again? I thought once was enough!"

Phibrizzo shook his head. "Nope. You still want to come?"

"I don't know..." Conan murmured, very much hesitant. "I've heard strange stuff about that place..."

"And most of it is true," Phibrizzo said. "Don't worry. I know my way around. And last night, I told my parents what I was doing; they didn't like it much either, but after I promised that I'd head straight to the doctor's if anything happened to me, they agreed to let me go."

"Your foster parents sound strange too." Conan walked silently for a minute, wondering whether or not he should go. In the end, his curiousity won out over his conscience. "Alright. How're you going to get there?"

"Well, first I've got to swing by my house and get something, and drop off my books," Phibrizzo told him. "After that, I'm good to go."

Well, Phibrizzo, I hope you'll be good to go AFTER you meet that person, because I don't want to stay any longer than I have to. "What do you need to get?"

His classmate grinned. "My after-school T-shirt. And you remember back after I first met you, I told you that I've been keeping secrets of my own?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"My method of transportation is one of them." Phibrizzo let out a deep breath and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Well, it's not really a method of transportation as it is teleportation."

Conan blinked, and his eyes narrowed. Teleportation? What is he talking about? That's impossible!

"You don't believe me, do you?" Phibrizzo asked as the two of them exited the building and headed toward the nearest cover.

"I think you're just being silly. What you're saying is impossible!" Conan was starting to get nervous, and even a bit frantic. Something about this kid's just not adding up!

"Conan, I'm hardly ever silly. A lot of times I'm serious about stuff, but recently silliness has been trying to find me anyway."

Neither of them said anything more until they reached cover from the kids who were still departing the school. Phibrizzo decided to speak at that time. "Okay. I'm gonna get to my house first. Grab onto my arm."

Conan did so hesitantly, and he felt himself go dizzy for the briefest of instants...

--

Place: Kaden residence, Phibrizzo's room

When Conan came to, he found himself in a small room. Letting go of Phibrizzo's arm, he let his gaze wander around in amazement at his surroundings. How did I...was that...teleportation? That has to violate every known law of physics out there! What's going on? Who is this kid, really? It's not making any sense!

Phibrizzo got out a different T-shirt from his closet and hastily switched shirts. Tossing his school shirt and backpack onto his bed, he turned to look at Conan and spoke in a low voice. "Maybe this secret was better off kept..."

Conan sighed, setting it at the back of his head for now. "I don't know how you do it, and I'm not sure I want to know. Let's just go." He eyed Phibrizzo's T-shirt. "What's that supposed to be?"

"I like to think of it as my personal logo," Phibrizzo explained quietly. "And I like to think it suits me well whenever I get ticked off. I had someone at an art studio help me with it recently, and someone else I met agreed to cover the costs."

"Whenever you get---never mind," Conan said irritably. "Let's just go. Where exactly in Nerima are you going?"

Phibrizzo smiled. "You'll see. I have enough money to cover for both of us. Grab on, and let's go."

Great. Here we go again. Maybe I ought to have Rachel take me to a psychologist or something. Conan grabbed Phibrizzo's arm, and a second later the room was empty.

-------------

Place: The Tendo residence
Time: 3:35pm

The telephone rang once more. Since Kasumi was the closest one to the phone, she stopped what she was doing and answered it. "Hello? Tendo residence...yes, Nabiki's here. Do you want to speak with her?...Oh. I see. Well, I'll tell her you called then...Oh, my. Yes, that should spark a reaction in anyone...Okay, then. You have a nice day! Bye-bye."

She hung up and edged towards the stairs, calling out: "Nabiki? Phibrizzo Kaden just called. He wanted to say that he and a friend are on their way to Miss Kuonji's restaurant, and that they're going to wait for that other person to come by. She should be entering the district about now, he said."

"Alright," Nabiki's voice answered her. "I'm on my way."

------------

Place: Outside Ucchan's Okonomiyaki
Time: Half an hour later

Sherry had heard that Nerima was a madhouse, a place where you'd have to be insane to enter, let alone live in. Being a scientist---someone who accepted certain things as fact and never questioned them---a lot of the rumors she heard were subsequently dismissed.

As she leaned against the building's outside wall in order to catch her breath, she was beginning to question why the scientific method simply could not be applied to the situations she had found herself in; each time to she tried to apply it, the entry read: "Syntax error. See appendix A: Murphy's Law, Nerima, and You." The more she thought about it, the more she tried not to think about what she'd seen.

First had been the man with the palm tree on his head. The man had charged towards her, brandishing a pair of huge clippers and shouting something about "free haircuts for everyone". At that moment he'd been blindsided by a robed man with thick glasses, who afterwards apologized to her before leaving.

She had to give the man credit; she would never have thought of apologizing to a door before he came along.

Sherry had kept on going, her eyes constantly moving and seeing what lay before her. The sky was cloudy, but not quite to the point of rain. Down the street, two girls were yelling at each other; she wasn't quite close enough to hear what they were yelling about. She could see a bokken-carrying teenager slowly walking toward them purposefully, a bit closer to her current position.

Something about the situation smelled like trouble, and she hadn't liked it. She had to go through here in order to get to the restaurant, unfortunately; she took her time walking, trying to make as little noise as possible.

Her intuition proved her right; a few seconds later, the armed teenager came to a halt several meters away from the shouting couple and got their attention. "Pig-tailed girl!" he'd exclaimed.

As the girls stopped yelling and turned to him, the stranger began regaling them with a mixture of traditional haiku, Shakespearean poetry, and what was probably supposed to be a segment of an English sonnet. Throughout the whole thing, the girls just stood there and watched with bored expressions.

Sherry waited for the boy to stop, and eventually he did. The redhaired girl asked him indignantly: "Where do ya get off spouting something like that?", starting up the whole routine again. The scientist clenched her fists, waiting for the ranting to end and trying to ignore the inane expressions the boy was using. Finally, the other girl obliged her by pulling out a mallet and whacking the kendoist into the sky.

She remembered thinking: wait one second. Something's not right about that. For all intents and purposes, she looked like a girl of average constitution. Where'd she get the strength to accomplish that? Where'd she get the mallet to begin with? And should it even be possible for a man to be sent flying like that? The English line "You will believe a man can fly" came to mind as well, although she doubted that the boy had a uniform with a large red S on the front.

Another block or so away, Sherry had caught sight of a giant panda standing in front of a vending machine. The panda didn't notice her at first, instead holding up a sign that read: "Let's see. What would I want..." After a few seconds the panda put the sign away and ambled off down the street, grunting disappointedly.

Blinking at the odd sight, Sherry had decided to get something to drink to get her mind off what she was seeing. She reached into her purse and pulled out several yen coins, then deposited the coins and made her selection. "Ow! My eye!" the vending machine had shouted, shortly before the yen coins fell back out. Abruptly, the machine grew a set of arms and legs and charged after her. Thankfully, vending machines don't go very fast; Sherry had been able to lose her pursuer before long.

The sheer lunacy of the situation had hit her shortly afterward. Vending machines didn't talk, and they sure didn't develop violent tendencies! Sherry wondered if there was a television camera trailing her somewhere, filming this for an entertainment program of some kind.

After she resumed her journey, she had crossed paths with another teenage boy. The boy told her that he'd gotten lost looking for Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, so Sherry had pointed in the direction that she was walking in. The boy thanked her, then ran off---in the direction that he'd just came from. A second later, a purple-haired girl appeared and asked: "Pig-boy come this way?" Figuring she meant the boy that the scientist had just met, she nodded and pointed in the direction where the boy had disappeared. The girl ran off, muttering something in a language that Sherry didn't recognize.

She didn't know what the "pig-boy" reference was about, and she didn't much care. She just hoped she wasn't losing her mind.

The next several minutes had passed by in a rush. The "pig-boy" had reappeared and was engaged in a fight against the redhaired girl from earlier; several times, Sherry had to dodge out of the way as the fight got too close. Along the way, numerous other people joined in: a laughing girl with a gymnastics ribbon, a small gnome (which she realized afterward was really a very old man), a large winged bull (who apparently had a grudge against said old man) with octopus tentacles, the glasses-wearing man she saw early on, the purple-haired girl, and the other girl who'd accompanied the redhead. The showdown took place in such a manner that one would think of it as a very elaborate anime production. Along the way was a tangle of comments, some that she didn't catch but others that made her right eye twitch at how ludicrous they were.

Having had enough after dealing with several close calls, Sherry had taken off at a dead run. She just wanted to get to the restaurant, meet with Phibrizzo, and get out as soon as she could. She'd reached the restaurant several minutes after 4:00.

Having completed her mental examination, Sherry stood up and stopped panting. Her mind kept going, hoping for extra credit. What was he thinking by inviting me here? Forget maturity. The kid's insane, and I'm not doing much better! She shook her head, preparing herself for whatever Phibrizzo wanted to talk to her about. Here goes. Gathering her wits, she entered the restaurant.

A teenage girl---a rather nice one, at that---greeted her after looking at her face carefully. "Welcome, Miss. Someone told me you're here to meet with someone, right?" After she received a nod in reply, the girl glanced briefly at a nearby table where two kids---one of which was Phibrizzo---were calmly discussing something. "There you are. And would you like anything?"

Sherry nodded and asked for a tuna okonomiyaki before heading towards the table.

----------------

"Well," Phibrizzo said, "the person I've been waiting to meet is here." He smiled as the woman sat down. "What took you so long?"

He received an icy glare from the older woman. "Phibrizzo, what were you thinking inviting me here? This place is an absolute madhouse! I hope you had a very good reason for this."

Phibrizzo folded his arms and glared back, equalling her ice with his fire. "Lady, by that comment you've just proved that you've lost your sense of humor. What in the world's happened to you? Has your work drained your will to live or something?"

"You don't know the first thing about what my work entails," she countered. "And even if you did, it's none of your business anyway."

"Right," Phibrizzo said sarcastically, a strange accent coloring his voice. "'A man shouldn't get into anything that ain't his own affair.'" His eyes closed part-way as he dropped the accent. "But that's besides the point. I brought you here to prove that things aren't always what they seem."

Conan decided to speak at this point. "Phibrizzo, what are you talking about? All you've told me is that you asked some acquaintances to 'just be themselves' or something like that."

"Actually, I asked someone else to do that for me. I get what you mean, though." Phibrizzo turned a bit, paying closer attention to Conan than to the woman. "You remember that girl that greeted us when we came here?"

"Yeah. What about her?"

"There are two things that aren't what they seem there. The first thing is that I heard that she's a ninja."

"Okay," the woman said calmly, her icy glare in submission for the time being. "And what else?"

"It's not a she," Phibrizzo uttered in deadpan. "And the person who runs this restaurant isn't any better."

Conan's eyes widened. "Are you saying that---"

"Yes, I am," Phibrizzo deadpanned again. "Trust me. You don't want to know."

A slightly-bemused Conan noticed that the woman stumbled a little over her next words, but the end result almost caused him to fall over. "Anything else, Phibrizzo? I don't suppose you could explain the panda and the vending machine?"

"The 'panda' is the father of a well-known martial artist---at least, well-known around here. The vending machine was just an elaborate disguise for another person, the third in the pattern started earlier." Phibrizzo muttered as an aside: "Honestly, I think the entire human race is warped..."

Considering my line of work, I sort of agree with you. "But how can a panda be someone's father?" Conan inquired.

"You'd have to ask his son or daughter about that," Phibrizzo said, looking up briefly as the 'girl' who greeted them earlier brought several glasses of water and some tea to the table. "I still don't understand it entirely myself. Excuse me, Konatsu? Could you have Miss Ukyo make an extra okonomiyaki? I think I may need it."

Konatsu smiled and nodded. "Of course, Phibrizzo," 'she' said before walking away.

The woman sipped some of her tea. "You seem to know a bit about this, so I'll just rattle off some of the sights. The man with the palm tree on his head and the shears?"

-------------

The three-way conversation between Phibrizzo, Sherry, and the little boy (whom Phibrizzo had introduced as Conan Edogawa, a friend from his school) continued for some time. While they did so, both Sherry and Phibrizzo's meals were delivered; after she had consumed some of it, she had admitted---to herself---that the okonomiyaki made here was some of the best she'd ever had.

As she ate, she listened as Phibrizzo spoke of the annoyances and strange activities of those in the Nerima district. There was the Kuno family, who were all certified nutcases but still had a large amount of influence financially; the "vending machine" was just an elaborate disguise for someone who liked the restaurant's chef; the bull-like creature was actually quite sentient and was looking to get his name changed; the "pig-boy" was a tough-as-steel martial artist who couldn't find his way out of a maze with a map.

At some point in her life, Sherry had heard of a myth pertaining to a group of warriors known as Amazons. Who'd have thought that they still existed...or that two of them---the purple-haired girl and the guy with the glasses---hailed from China...or that their names were heard as hygiene-care products?

Phibrizzo had started to explain the old man but cut himself off for some unknown reason, his face a vibrant shade of violet as it gave way to disbelief and anger. After he'd had a few minutes to calm down, he'd turned to Sherry and Conan---who both were wondering what was wrong with him---and groaned: "Don't ask. Won't tell. Too scary."

There was the Tendo family, which was also filled with oddballs of various types; the Saotome family, of which one member was the cause of most of Nerima's chaos; the wide variety of martial arts schools. Sherry's head figuratively spun as she absorbed the information given. Looking across the table, she saw that Conan was trying to do the same. Must be a smart kid to have followed the conversation as far as it went.

Sherry eventually finished her meal; since Phibrizzo did most of the talking, it took a bit longer for him to finish his. She waited until the boy finished his okonomiyaki before saying: "Anything else, Phibrizzo?"

Phibrizzo nodded. "I'm just curious about what your opinion is regarding Nerima's overall climate."

Sherry shrugged, remembering a story that a fellow scientist once mentioned to her. "I'll admit it's nowhere near the norm, but I've heard of some crazy things happening before. I haven't recognized any of the names or people you've listed, so I don't think they're the ones involved with Project: Clandestine DNA. They're much too young for that."

Both boys looked puzzled. "Eh? Project: Clandestine DNA?" they asked in unison.

They couldn't tell this to anyone. People don't typically listen to a child's ranting without sufficient reason to do so. Besides, most everyone in the organization doesn't believe this anyway. "There was this story I heard once not long after I got into my present occupation. About twenty to thirty years ago, there was a young boy of American descent in Osaka; his intelligence seemed to know no bounds. He absorbed information like a sponge, and by the time he was 8 he could outthink even the smartest high school kids. It had been rumored that he'd graduated with a master's degree at 15 years of age."

Sherry saw Conan's eyes dilate as the boy gasped: "15 years old, and he has a master's degree!? He must've been some kind of super genius!"

Phibrizzo looked at Conan quizzically. "I hate to sound dumb, but what's a master's degree?"

"After graduating from high school, people who seek one typically have to attend college six to ten years to get it. Along the way, they become very smart in a certain area of work," Conan explained, sounding a bit excited as he spoke. "By that time, they're usually somewhere between 25-30 years old!"

"Yikes," Phibrizzo murmured. He glanced at Sherry, a bit unsure. "Go on."

"Not long before this boy earned his master's degree, his parents learned that he had a mental disorder. The proof of this was in the boy's behavior. His ego reached overwhelming proportions; he'd act furious one second and shy the next for seemingly no reason; he had a habit of becoming overwhelmingly depressed, even during the occasions where people treated him with respect. The night before he earned her degree, he woke up and began laughing hysterically without warning." Sherry stared at her listeners, her icy demeanor in full control. "Several days afterward, he began muttering to himself about changing people so that they could do fantastic things like he could. The mutterings became rantings. His parents realized what they were dealing with, but by then it was too late. Soon enough, the boy disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Conan asked. "Where?"

"To start Project: Clandestine DNA. I'd heard that this boy had been seeking a way to alter the very genetic code of a person. Perhaps in the corner of his mind, he believed that the reason some people disrespected him was because his own abilities were greater than others. He might've thought that if people were as smart as he was, or posessed some kind of ability, they'd know how he felt and they'd be able to reach some sort of understanding. In reality, it was his own egotism and haughtiness that caused others to shun him. He didn't believe that, though.

"He set to work immediately, and when he thought he had finished the process he secretly asked several people to help test his theory. During the experiment, however, something went wrong. No one knows what the boy was thinking during this time, but that's just moot; the entire lab went up in a massive ball of flame and chemicals. No one knows whether or not the boy genius survived, let alone where he is now."

Sherry sipped the last of her tea. "Of course, that's just what I heard. It's up to you if you want to believe me or not."

Phibrizzo and Conan sat back, looking thoughtful. After a few minutes Phibrizzo got up to see the chef, pay the bill, and issue a tip to Konatsu. After he returned, Sherry stood up. "I'm going to have to leave, so I can't stay here any longer. Is there anything else you want to say to me?"

"Yeah," Phibrizzo said after a moment. "You don't need to keep things in the freezer just because of a few minor details in life. Free feel to laugh if you find something funny, okay? I don't think you want people to shy away from you just because you're afraid to smile."

He has no idea what I do for a living, or what the consequences may have been by now, Sherry thought apprehensively. Why did he have to go through this just to see if I even had a sense of humor? It's useless, and---

The scientist noticed that Phibrizzo had seen her hesitation. The boy's eyes were tearing up, and his lips were trembling. "Please?" he whined. "Could you please at least mull it over?"

"The word 'mull' sounds funny when a crybaby says it," Conan muttered, amused.

Phibrizzo spun towards him. "I am not a crybaby, Edogawa! It's not like I do this every day or even every week, you know!"

"I know, I know," Conan said, still amused. He held his hands in front of him. "Just calm down, would you?"

Sherry coughed quietly, interrupting them and getting their attention. "Phibrizzo, Conan...we'll see about the whole amusement thing. It seems I have a bit to think about later, but for now I can't afford to take any chances." She turned her head momentarily as Konatsu greeted someone who walked through the door.

Phibrizzo wiped his eyes free of tears, returning to a calmer state. "Great. Trust me when I say that it's better for your health."

The scientist nodded, then turned to leave. Out the corner of her eye, she noticed the two kids waving good-bye; taking the cue, she did the same. "Good-bye, kids," she murmured as she departed. "I don't know if I'll talk to you again, but I suppose a conversation was what I needed after all."

Unseen from everyone, a thin smile graced her face.

-------

Place: Several blocks from the Tendo Dojo
Time: Several minutes later

Conan looked up at Phibrizzo, folding his arms behind his head as they walked down the street. "She seemed like a nice person. Who was she, anyway?"

For about a minute, the other boy didn't say anything in response; he just stared straight ahead of him, his eyes narrowed. Before Conan could ask again, he finally got his response. "The name alone says volumes, Edogawa. Until the right time comes, we can't afford to let on that we know anything about her or what she does for a living. Promise?"

"I guess so..." Conan said quietly, unsure.

Phibrizzo glared at him. "That had better be a definite promise, Edogawa. I don't want you rushing off and getting your friends in trouble."

Now he's really getting mysterious. Why does he think it's so important? "All right, then. I promise," Conan declared, his tone serious.

His schoolmate nodded and relaxed his movements a little. "All right," he said, lowering his voice. "You were able to figure out what her occupation was by the story she told, didn't you?"

"I figured out that much, yes," Conan said. "She's a scientist. Probably deals with genetics or chemistry."

"You saw what she was wearing, right?" Phibrizzo asked.

"It was a gray business suit with a dark coat," Conan told him, wondering where this was heading. "So what?"

"She made me promise a few days ago not to mention her name in public," Phibrizzo said, smirking just a little. "But I can tell you this much: the name she currently goes by is the same as that of a fine Spanish wine. Do the math, Edogawa."

Conan looked away from Phibrizzo as his brain analyzed the provided evidence. She's a scientist, she was wearing a dark coat, and---

Recognition jolted Conan like a static shock, and he emitted a startled gasp. ---and her name's that of a fine Spanish wine!? She must work for those people who shrunk me!

Phibrizzo must've noticed his upset expression. "Heh. The lights switched on."

Angrily, Conan jumped ahead of Phibrizzo and forced him to stop. "Wait one second! If she worked for those men in black coats, why didn't you tell me before!?"

"Because if I had told you and they somehow found out about it," Phibrizzo said testily, "they'd also find out that the ace detective they thought they'd done away with was still alive. You, that woman, and everyone else you know would be in some serious trouble." He waited for that fact to sink in before adding: "By extension, that would include me. I can't have that, either."

"Well, I don't want to stay like this," Conan complained.

Phibrizzo frowned as a determined expression took form. "Hopefully, you won't need to. If I can get that woman to like us enough, she may be able to help us out without risking her employers' wrath."

"Huh?"

"You mean you didn't know?" Phibrizzo asked, arching an eyebrow. "I'll go over the facts again. She's a scientist, she works for that organization, and she's very hesitant to talk about her work schedule. What does that tell you?"

Conan felt his heart sinking as he stared down at the ground. "It...it would mean that...she was...she was the one who..."

"Who what?"

"SHE created that toxic drug!" Conan growled, his angry tone at odds with his shrunken form. If that assumption is correct, then that means...!

"That's part of it, admittedly," Phibrizzo said thoughtfully as he turned his gaze to the sky.

"What do you mean, 'part' of it? You knew who she was, and you didn't tell me earlier!?"

"I can tell just by listening to her words and her tone of voice," Phibrizzo explained. "It's no wonder she's hidden her sense of humor; she's being bothered by a guilty conscience. She wants to admit what she's done, but she's afraid that those men will find out. I don't blame her."

Conan made sure he looked upset enough. "So what are you going to do about it, Phibrizzo?"

"Given time," Phibrizzo said, mostly to himself than to Conan, "we could possibly use her as our link to the organization. I know a few people who could probably help me out in finding where those guys are based." He paused a few seconds, wincing at some sort of ache. "Ow. Anyway, I'll see what I can do. But right now, there's something I need to take care of first." Finished speaking, he continued on towards the Tendo dojo.

Conan followed him, staying a few paces behind. This kid's becoming more and more of a puzzle, but it's gone from an 80-piece to a 500-piece. He read that woman like an open book, he's claiming to make plans to find those men, he somehow managed to teleport, he treats an afternoon in Nerima like a day in the park, and he somehow discovered that woman's identity! That clinches it; there's just no way that kid is normal.

He took a look at Phibrizzo's back, re-reading the English phrase on his shirt. 'Don't Get Burned', huh? Perhaps he's no kid at all. Regardless of what he is, though, it seems like he's made finding them his own personal mission. I can support him, right? Maybe I shouldn't of been so upset at him.

A cry from several blocks away got their attention, followed by a crash (That sounded like wood splintering. Must've been pretty strong to be that loud, Conan thought). There was a high whistling noise that reached a peak, then rolled downward and became louder. A shadow appeared a short distance away.

Conan realized what was going on. Uh-oh. Incoming! He halted his forward movement and jumped backward several feet, keeping his eye on the incoming projectile. Now that he could make out some detail on it, the object looked...Human!?

It was a human, alright; a pigtailed boy with black hair and an expression that combined annoyance, soreness, and panic. He descended headfirst towards the ground, but he never got there. A loud *clang*, like that of something hitting a brass bell, shattered the previously quiet air.

Ooh! That has to hurt.

Conan flinched and looked on, his earlier musing forgotten as Phibrizzo fell to the ground and clamped both hands to his head. "Owwwch!" he yelled. "I'm not going to say this again: my head is not a target!"

"It's not my fault, Phibrizzo," the older boy said as he recovered and stood up, one hand on his head. "Ya could've just gotten out of the way."

"I suppose I could've, Ranma!" Phibrizzo snapped from the ground. "I was trying to catch you, or at least cushion the impact. How was I supposed to know that your head was going to hit mine?"

"I'm just telling ya what ya could've done," Ranma argued. "You don't need to act all upset over it or anything!"

Phibrizzo stood up. "I am upset, you dolt! Acting has nothing to do with this!"

Conan sweatdropped as he listened to them argue. Add 'freaks out when accidentally hit' to the list. Hearing a slight tapping noise, he looked down and saw that Phibrizzo's right foot was tapping the ground a few times. He's getting too agitated, though...I hope he doesn't try anything stupid.

------------

Location: Tendo residence
Place: Ten minutes later

A quiet knock signalled someone's arrival. Since Akane was the closest one to the door (and still a bit sore over another example of Saotome idiocy), she decided to get it. It beat sitting under the new skylight, anyway.

She yanked open the door and started in on him. "You know, you don't need to be so---"

Ranma wasn't there. "Huh? Where is he?"

"Hey....hello..."

Akane looked around for a second, but couldn't find the voice's source. "Huh?"

"Hey, Miss! I'm not that short!"

She finally looked down and found who had knocked at the door: the boy that Nabiki mentioned that she'd talked to. He didn't seem the friendly type; he instead looked thoroughly ticked off, mirroring his shirt perfectly. "If you're going to give that dolt a free trip to the sky," he shouted while pointing at the large bump on his head, "the least you can do is improve your aim!"

Akane tried her best not to yell. He's just a kid. No need to get mad, she repeatedly told herself. "Sorry about that, but Ranma's idiocy bothers me sometimes," she said. "I wasn't expecting someone smaller than him to come by."

"Perfectly understandable," the kid groused, looking down at his feet for a moment before turning his gaze back upwards. "Name's Phibrizzo Kaden. I talked to your sister over the phone earlier..."

Akane nodded. "Come on in," she said, ushering him in. He did so, followed by a smaller, slightly nervous boy with glasses. After they removed their shoes, Akane spoke again. "What were you talking to my sister about?"

"I asked her if she could get some of the people that you know around here to hang around that okonomiyaki joint for a bit," Phibrizzo explained, substantially calmer. "I met someone who acts just as cold as your sister, so I decided to see if she'd forgotten how to laugh."

"That explains why Nabiki asked Kuno to confront us, at least," Akane explained as they took seats in the living room. "It also explains the big fight. Do you think it worked?"

"I have no way of knowing until she gets back with that camera," Phibrizzo said, looking at his feet again. "Oh, and by the way: you might want to move a few feet over to the left."

Looking confused for a moment, Akane did as told. About ten seconds later, a medium-sized metal pole---one with a deep indent---crashed into the floor next to her. Taken back just a bit, she did a double-take as her nerves jumped. "What was that!?"

Phibrizzo shrugged, nervously scratching the back of his head. "Well, after Ranma landed on me, I got into an argument with him. I got so mad that I thought about booting him, but changed my mind at the last second and kicked that pole instead."

"I wasn't even aware that the human body could bend like that," the other boy chimed in. "You were at fault, though; you freaked out after that collision."

Phibrizzo sighed a bit. "Yeah. Guess you're right, Edogawa. Things had been going great up to that point, too. Shame."

"Excuse me?" Akane asked a trifle suspiciously. "What do you mean, you weren't aware 'the human body could bend like that'?"

"Let's see..." Phibrizzo thought aloud. "I got mad, went to kick the pole...after I kicked it into the air, my leg was...what's the word...huh? Thanks, Curtis...parallel with my body. I'd never done that before." He chuckled to himself. "Wow. I must've been really upset, and---you alright, Miss?"

Akane was staring straight at him, her eyes wide. "That is impossible," she declared. "It has to be impossible. You look like you're what, nine years old?"

"Closer to seven, actually," the small boy told her. "He's in my class at school."

"Seven, then. No one could do that. I don't think even Ranma could do that."

Phibrizzo shrugged. "It's Nerima."

"And at any rate, it is true," Nabiki's voice said from the door. "My video camera caught the whole thing."

Confused, Phibrizzo looked up as Nabiki walked in. "Miss Tendo? I thought you were following that lady."

"I asked someone else to trail her," Nabiki said, "but that's not important. You're certainly not an average kid, are you? Ranma told me as much before he went to the dojo."

"That's understating it a whole lot," the smaller boy said, looking a bit annoyed about something.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Phibrizzo asked testily.

"It doesn't matter if you can make 180-degree kicks or not," the boy replied in the same tone. "If you can teleport all over the place, you're nowhere near average."

Akane's eyes boggled, and Nabiki's interest seemed to increase; the younger Tendo had no way of knowing this, but the Ice Queen was rather stunned as well. "I see," she said. "Looks like we have a lot of questions to ask. For starters, who's the other kid?"

The boy smiled. "Conan Edogawa. I'm a classmate of his."

The questioning continued, but Akane tuned everything out for a bit. A kid who can make 180-degree kicks and can teleport? That's not normal, even for Nerima. What next? Does he spit fire or something?

----------

Elsewhere, unaware of the questioning taking place in the Tendo home, Sherry was waiting for the next train to come. She had a lot to think about before heading back to work, and most of it revolved around what she had seen that day.

As she thought, she placed her hands in her pockets. One of them closed around a small piece of paper; knowing it hadn't been there before, Sherry pulled it out in order to read it. "This coat has been inspected by Phibrizzo Manufacturing Incorporated," she mouthed. "Note: coat needs more candy. Sourballs preferred, pocky accepted." She shook her head, mildly amused. Kid must've put it in my coat when I wasn't looking.

With that thought out of the way, Sherry's mind began to wander as it analyzed each detail of her visit. A vending machine disguise...there must be others she's used that are even crazier. A telephone pole? A school desk? A tiny smile appeared as she considered other possible disguises.

Chinese Amazons with the names of hygiene products...there are three in Nerima, with the names Shampoo, Mousse, and Cologne. Soap, Hair Spray...there's definitely got to be more where that came from. From subspace pockets onward...the scientific possibilities for study are endless! Sherry's smile lengthened a little.

The Kuno family's definitely psycho...probably isn't their own fault, though. I don't fancy the idea of getting asked on a date, and I can't imagine what I'd look like with a bowl haircut. The amused smile was at its full length now, and her cold eyes melted a little.

A giant panda that talks through signs, and somehow understands martial arts and human lifestyles as well...the traveling circus would have a field day if they somehow managed to get a hold of him. I wonder if they could get him to hand out balloons or snacks? A quiet chuckle escaped her as the thought crossed her mind.

I had thought that the redhaired girl had a brother when I first saw those pictures, but it looks like a very clever disguise. I'd thought a trick like that was supposed to be impossible! And that young man who couldn't go the right way even once in eight tries...where in the world did he pick up his direction sense? I can only imagine the places he's been. Sherry got a mental image of Ryoga holding a map of Spain every which way, trying to figure out where he was. A giggling fit overcame her, making her feel as if she were in elementary school again.

Take three Amazons, three insane Kunos, one intelligent panda, two martial artists with innumerable quirks, numerous fiancees and weirdoes who seem to enjoy messing with other people's lives, a giant winged bull with a ridiculous name, an old man who deserves a lifetime within a mental institution somewhere far from Japan, and the most ridiculous martial arts schools known to man. Toss them all together in the same area, and...and...

------

In the middle of the conversation between Phibrizzo, Conan Edogawa, Nabiki, Kasumi---who had gotten done with some cleaning and decided to sit in on the conversation---and herself, Nabiki's cell phone rang. Akane looked on as her older sister excused herself and went upstairs to answer the call.

"Let me see if I have this straight," Conan was saying to Phibrizzo. "Not long ago, you picked up a multiple personality disorder?"

"Yeah," Phibrizzo said, wincing at some unknown ache. He took a bite out of a rice cake that Kasumi had made. "If you ever see me spacing out or acting differently, that's the reason why."

"That explains why you jumped up and hugged Rachel right out of the blue," Conan said, amazed. "One of your personalities must've kicked in."

"Did you have to bring that up?" Phibrizzo growled unhappily. Akane, a trifle suspiciously, stared at him. "I was hoping not to get belted by an overzealous martial artist due to some misunderstanding. Rachel's my cousin by her uncle's adoption of me," he added as he noticed Akane's stare. "Nothing more, nothing less."

Akane let her suspicions fade for now, reminding herself that it was a kid she was dealing with. "Well, I guess if she's your cousin..." She let that statement remain unfinished, beginning a new line of thought. "Where did Ranma go?"

Phibrizzo smiled a bit. "After I kicked that pole like that, he went off to your dojo. He was muttering something about wanting to see if he could do that. Insanely skilled or not, I think this is one trick he won't be able to manage." He continued nibbling at the rice cake calmly.

Kasumi appeared pleased, which wasn't any real surprise to Akane. "Well, it looks like things are about to become exciting again. I wonder what father's going to think when he and Genma return?"

"So everything that goes on here is just 'same old, same old'?" Conan asked Kasumi, on the edge of his seat.

Before anyone could answer, Nabiki came back down the stairs and reassumed her spot next to Akane. "You know, Phibrizzo," she said with a smirk, "you really are something else. You know that?"

Phibrizzo frowned. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that your little plan to make that woman laugh was a complete success," Nabiki explained. While paying attention to her, Akane saw Phibrizzo's face light up. "I'd sent my informant to trail her after I decided to come home. From what I was told, the woman was standing in the subway waiting for a train to come in. She took out a little note from her pocket, then put it away. Afterward she was smiling, and then she began chuckling. Soon she had to lean on my informant's shoulder to keep from falling over; that's how hard she was laughing."

"The note I slipped in her coat pocket couldn't have been that funny," Phibrizzo said, a broad grin in place. "The sheer number of oddities around here must've hit her all at once. I love it when everything goes right, don't you?" He wolfed down what was left of his snack.

Akane shook her head, thinking about her life after Ranma's arrival. "I wouldn't know too much about that."

Phibrizzo shrugged and stood up, then stepped toward Nabiki. "Nabiki, thanks a lot for helping me out. I've gotta go."

For a moment, Akane thought she saw a smile flicker across Nabiki's face. It was quickly replaced by her usual facade. "Don't mention it, kid. Just remember what I said about not giving you anymore freebies. It's full price from now on; do you get---he's not listening."

While she was talking, Phibrizzo and Conan were busy trying to get their shoes back on. They succeeded after a minute, waved good-bye, and bolted.

"Such energetic children," Kasumi remarked. "I wonder why they took off like that, though?"

Nabiki tapped her chin. "Well, Phibrizzo told me that his parents weren't too thrilled about him coming here. That Conan kid didn't look eager to stay, either."

Akane remained silent for a few seconds. She wasn't an expect in such matters, but she was certain that both Phibrizzo and Conan were a lot smarter than they looked. How else could they keep up in a conversation with her sister, Furinkan High's resident "Ice Queen"? "There's something funny about those two. I just know it."

"What, you think they're going to challenge Ranma someday?" Nabiki asked jokingly, keeping her poker face in place. "I can imagine Genma and father chewing him out for letting a kid get the best of him."

"No, not like that." Akane shook her head, upset. "Forget I even mentioned it!"

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't," Nabiki said, shrugging. "Okay, maybe I won't. You know I was kidding, though. Right?"

She nodded, but kept silent as he thought over the afternoon's events.

------------

Nabiki was thinking, too---about their visitors. Phibrizzo seemed to have the know-how to survive in Nerima, despite the fact that he lived in a bit more modernized area. Conan had an intelligence that belied his youth a great deal. A child prodigy, maybe? Perhaps...but perhaps not. She'd heard of the names Conan and Edogawa before; one of her informants was a closet mystery freak, and sometimes went on about them whenever she thought Nabiki wasn't around.

No one used the name "Phibrizzo", no matter how strange your parents were. And there was something about his little friend that didn't add up, either.

Being curious about those things wouldn't keep the family and building afloat, though. A deeper section of Nabiki's consciousness reminded her that charging money to kids (who weren't even half her age) just for information wasn't just unethical, it was wrong.

Didn't mean she wouldn't do a little checking tomorrow, though.

------------

Location: Beika Park

"Phibrizzo, it has to have been at least five minutes since we left," Conan complained as the duo departed the park. "Your little fit's starting to worry me."

Phibrizzo tried his hardest to contain his grin, but ultimately failed. "Sorry, Edogawa," he said. "This is one of the first things that has gone right for me ever since I arrived in town. Who would've thought that a burdened scientist with a monkey on her back still had some trace of humanity? I love it when things go my way!" He kept up his fit, his laughter somewhere between a snicker and a giggle.

Conan shook his head and sighed. "I don't know about you, but I'm about ready to go home. I'm not sure if Rachel's gotten back yet, but I think I can last until she returns home."

Phibrizzo slowly calmed down. "I'm going to get home too. Might as well get that homework over with."

"You know, you're perfectly welcome to drop by and get either my help or Rachel's on it," Conan offered. "I already know all that stuff."

"Wish I could, but I have a curfew," Phibrizzo murmured. The nerve... "Since we usually eat around six o'clock, I have to be back by that time. Mom made it perfectly clear to me before I left this morning. She probably said that just to make sure I didn't stay in Nerima too long." He yawned a little, then blinked his eyes wearily.

Conan noticed this. "What's wrong?" he asked curiously.

Phibrizzo looked around him a bit, making sure everyone else in the area was out of earshot. Lowering his voice, he explained: "That little teleportation trick of mine? I can't use it at will."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. If I teleport repeatedly in only a few hours time, I start feeling physically drained. It really wears me out, but there's no way around it. Got to take the bad with the good, as someone I know told me once."

"I only counted four times, though," Conan pointed out. "Once to your house, then to Nerima, once to get away from the clueless swordsman when we arrived, and then back to Beika. It's not that bad, is it?"

"Four's enough if it's only been a few hours," Phibrizzo responded. "If spread throughout the day, it's different. Anyway, I'll take you up on your offer some other time." He turned at a street corner, keeping his eyes out for passing cars before tilting his head and waving good-bye. "See you tomorrow," he said, a shadow of his earlier smile showing up briefly.

Conan did the same. "See ya."

------------

As was the case with Nabiki, Conan's thoughts filled his mind as he made his way back to the agency. It's certainly been an eventful day so far. I would never have figured that coming into contact with him would've given me a lead on those men!

But the more I know, the more questions I have. Why does it sound like he doesn't trust anyone with that information but me? Why does he persist in going there, and why did he detail the life of the average Nerima resident in a nutshell? What does he have to gain by finding those men? How can a person so young be capable of so much?

Phibrizzo Kaden...just who are you?

----------

Time: Ten minutes later
Place: Kaden residence

Since it was still some time before dinner, Sylvia took her time taking care of small chores around the house. She looked forward to a full recovery; she wasn't 100% yet, but she was getting there. Phibrizzo's arrival had a positive influence on her health; she figured she just missed taking care of a child. It wouldn't be long before she could return to the local community center again; it was the kind of work she enjoyed, after all.

After Phibrizzo had left for Nerima (I hope he returns home safely. There's no telling what will happen to him there, she thought), Sylvia had straightened things up around the house, did some laundry, dusted off the living room, and put various discarded items away. After she'd done so, curiousity led her to examine the two-piece tunic Phibrizzo had been wearing when he first came to live with them. She'd been quite impressed with the quality, although she wasn't sure if the material was polyester or silk. Afterwards, she decided it was a little bit of both. Whoever made this knew what they were doing. Did he get this handmade overseas?

Before she could muse any further, she heard a familiar voice shout from the living room: "Mom, I'm home!"

Immediately closing Phibrizzo's closet, Sylvia charged into the hall, down the stairs, into the living room, and grabbed her foster child in a huge hug. "I'm glad you've arrived safely, hon! You weren't hurt at all, were you?"

"If I wasn't before, I probably am now," Phibrizzo managed to groan. "Mom, would you mind?"

Sylvia stopped herself and stepped away a bit. "I'm sorry, Phibrizzo. I'm just glad you're okay." She noticed the image on Phibrizzo's T-shirt, one of her eyebrows arching. "Um...that's nice artwork, but I'm wondering where exactly you got that shirt."

Phibrizzo looked down at his shirt. "Oh, this? This was one of the shirts Dad got me. I met someone at an art studio who did some silkscreening, and he added the image. I just picked it up yesterday."

Sylvia found herself eyeing the image. "Yes, but...a spinning fireball?"

"I like it, anyway." Phibrizzo shrugged. "Besides, it's not like I'm going to wear it to school or anything."

Remembering that he hadn't worn this shirt when he went to school, Sylvia relented. "All right. But just not to school, okay? You wouldn't want to set a bad example or anything."

Phibrizzo smiled cutely. "Okay, mom." He dropped the smile, and for the first time Sylvia saw how tired he looked. "I'm going to rest until dinner, then I'll do some homework after."

"Okay, hon."

As Phibrizzo walked past her and went upstairs, Sylvia's eye was caught by one additional detail. It was the English phrase (written in orange and yellow letters) on the back of his shirt, which read: "Don't Get Burned." Unsure of whether to question her foster child or not, she let it go. She made a point, though, to make sure he wouldn't get into undue trouble.

As she went about her business, Sylvia thought about showing Phibrizzo the art brochure that had arrived in the mail recently. If he likes art, maybe I'll show it to him after dinner.

Goodness! I think I left his bedroom door open...oh, well. He hasn't gotten to meet her yet.

---------

Phibrizzo closed the door, kicked off his slippers, and threw himself onto his bed. I should've just had Inuyasha take over and take care of that moron instead of teleporting away. I feel drained.

"Smart move, though," Curtis said; throughout most of the encounter with Sherry and Conan, he'd just laid back in his chair and watched a basketball game (not counting another disappearance an hour prior). He'd only stopped at one point to explain something to Phibrizzo concerning the old man; just the memory of what Curtis said disgusted him. "Kuno's one of the cogs that makes Nerima tick, and we wanted to show that to Sherry, right?"

Inuyasha looked up from where he was checking over a deck of cards. "It's still strange that this much idiocy can be crammed in one area. How did things get that way?"

"Don't ask me." Curtis ignored Phibrizzo's half-shut eyes in favor of the basketball game, despite the effect it had on the lighting. "You satisfied, Phibrizzo?"

Definitely, the half-mazoku thought wearily. Not only did I get myself entertained, I think I know how we'll be keeping ourselves busy for a while.

"How's that?"

Finding those men that Conan seems so obsessed with finding.

"I'm surprised that you want to help him get hold of those toxic pills," Curtis said. "I mean, once he gets them and delivers them to Doctor Agasa, he'll be returning to his teenage form within a short time."

I never said I was going to get the poison...at least, not yet. I just want a chance to drive the organization crazy.

Inuyasha chuckled. "You figured out that it's an organization already?"

There's got to be more working with those men than just Sherry. I'm sure there's got to be others, and--- Phibrizzo's thoughts were interrupted as something stepped onto his stomach, causing him to grunt softly. This was followed by a feeling of warmth as whatever it was settled down.

"You okay, Phibrizzo?" Curtis asked.

Yeah, I'm fine. Let me see...

Phibrizzo's eyes re-opened, but he wasn't quite prepared for the sight that greeted him: pointed ears, whiskers, twitching tail, long cream-and-white fur, bright green eyes staring into his...it all started and ended with a capital C-a-t. "Mrowwwrr."

Everything was silent. No one knew what to say until Phibrizzo asked silently: Should I move?

Curtis coughed a few times, looking upset at him. "Why? It's happy where it is!"

"Huge fuzzball," Inuyasha commented dryly.

In the end, Phibrizzo decided not to move. He wished his foster mother would come upstairs and carry the feline away, though, because he---wait. Why did he have a feeling of dependency all of a sudden? "Just when I was feeling happy with myself, too!" he moaned.

His only response was a quiet purr.

------------

Chapter Five concluded. Chapter Six soon to commence

Author's Notes

The fireball and the English phrase of his choice fit Phibrizzo perfectly, especially as we'll see later on.

Can anyone here imagine Phibrizzo playing "RC Pro-Am" or "The Goonies II"? I guess I should've asked this at the end of the last chapter, but oh well. I think it's amusing, at any rate...especially his reaction if he loses. Heh, heh.

"A man shouldn't get into anything that ain't his own affair." Phibrizzo was quoting John Wayne from Big Jake when he said this to Sherry. Curtis likely showed him the movie at some point.

Can't think of anything else to say. Let's move on.