Mission Improbable.

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

This particular Shinichi prides himself on stealth. Discreet appearances and exits, undetectable surveillance, shadowing -- there is little about stalking he doesn't know (note: this isn't necessarily a good thing). There's just one thing.

He's not Shinichi any more.

The lack of height is in many ways a plus. Who is going to suspect a seven-year-old of following them? That's if he can avoid truant officers of course. The rest of it, however--

It needs work. And that is precisely what Conan is doing.

It's night. You might be in the library when you hear a strange noise. Have the feeling you're being watched in the kitchen. See something shift just on the edge of your vision as you make your way down the corridors to bed.

Whatever you're doing, you're not alone.

Comments

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"Yeah... in fact, this isn't actually my natural state any more. 'Shinichi' is. 'Conan' is just for a case - and if I have anything to do with it, won't ever again except in phone conversations and maybe in ten years' time." He closes his eyes and breathes in sharply. There's a minute before he speaks again. "Ran's - Ran's fine with it now. She was hysterical when she first found out. But that might've had something to do with the how. And before you ask, that was an accident. If nothing else was."

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

Conan blinks. He's got the feeling that there's something he's missing about the conversation -- he hasn't been Conan as long as the other. Maybe that's it? "Ran finding out was an accident? Or turning?"

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

He is missing something. Actually, he's missing a lot. "Ran finding out," he said with a wince, understanding completely the truth that he was implying.

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Conan's serious. Ran's reaction to his secret wasn't good -- and she knew why he'd kept it because she'd done the same. Any other Ran--

And a vampire on top of that.

"But you're all right now?" he insists.

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"I'm all right now."

He's not mentioning the newly ingrained instincts, the nightmares, the real life scares... no, he's not.

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

"What about sunlight?" It's like having a conversation with a yo-yo.

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"Depends. If I keep my concentration on not burning to a complete and utter melted pile of singed goo, I'm fine. Otherwise - well. I got burnt once. Trying to go out of the house."

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

"Does an umbrella help? Sunscreen?"

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"Too embarrassing, and probably wouldn't work. And two wouldn't either."

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

"When do you play soccer?"

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"What d'you mean, when do I play soccer? Whenever I can, I guess. Took me a while to be able to kick the ball without either sending it flying or deflating it on impact, though."

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

"No one will let me play soccer inside," Conan explained his concerns. "And if you play it after dark, who do you play with? Everyone will be in bed."

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"R-really? That's not right. Surely there's a gym or somewhere that we could use, right? And I don't play after dark. Just because it's harder for me to be about in the day doesn't mean I don't do it day in and day out. I still go to school. For as long as they don't realise I'm not aging."

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

"I told everyone the broken vase was Kuroba's fault just as much as it was mine," Conan said. "But no one listens." He sighed, before being distracted by his counterpart's words. "You can play soccer and concentrate on not being burnt?"

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"Broken vase. Right. Next time, use the gym..." he trailed off slightly, completely believing of the statement concerning Kuroba. "It actually helps, believe it or not. Means I'm not putting as much concentration into putting so much power into my kicks. So I can play as more of a standard player. As standard as I ever was, anyway."

...Is that humility? Er, no. I didn't think I recognised it.

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

As if Conan -- particularly this Conan -- is going to think he needs humility. "'Oi, Brat,'" he says in an okay imitation of Kuroba's voice -- he's not got the bowtie. "'Bet you can't still hit that vase all the way over there.' Can't believe I fell for that one." Conan snorted then brightened. "We could play soccer sometime."

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"...you should've known better. Even now, you should've known better." Shinichi brightens up a lot, too. "Definitely! Hey - we could invite all our others - Conan and Shinichi only soccer tournament or something! Then we'd have opponents who were all at our level!"

And the humility is still strangely missing. Weird, that. Not.

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

Conan nodded, regretfully. "He was being cool," he said. "You know, like he used to be. I momentarily forgot he is a big jerk." He sighed.

The mention of the soccer tournament perked him up, however. "I already know two others mes! I'll let them know!"

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"Kaito's good. But you've always got to look out for those times when he's just plain being stupid with you."

"Really? That'd be great!"

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

"Which is basically all the time." Kaito is not being forgiven for that for a while it seems.

"Now?"

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"More or less, yeah." You're getting sympathy. As his older self, Kaito's a certifiable prankster. This Conan probably didn't stand a chance.

"Maybe not now! Give everyone time to find out about it first, all right?"

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

"All right." Conan considers. "Tomorrow?"

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"Tomorrow!"

[dynamic-brat.livejournal.com]

"I'm going to tell Ran!"

[shrunkenvamp.livejournal.com]

"She can come watch!"