The Princes of Faith 2
The 2nd Chapter
Summary: Tragedy tore their family apart, war will bring them together. Discover the fate of the von Lezeinteinth twins who grew up as two different but very similar young men... Kudou Shinichi and Kuroba Kaito.
Chapter 2: Reunion of Sorts
And when is there time to remember, to sift, to weigh, to estimate, to total?
- Tillie Olsen
Haido City Hotel
Present Time
The Kaitou Kid slipped from the smoke-filled building, his prize for the night safely tucked away in his breast pocket. The structure was only four stories, high enough to use his hang-glider, so he opened it up and instantly became air-borne. He barely made it ten meters high when a loud crack split the air and a bullet grazed his shoulders, and knocked him to the ground, barely conscious and fading fast. He still felt it when his assailant placed some kind of pill in his mouth, though. Pouring some water in after it, he swallowed, taking whatever was in that thing down with it. He was thrown against a wall and heard footsteps running away. A fire blazed through his body and his Poker Face melted as he cried out in pain. In almost no time at all he had fainted from the burn, and it was clear that he was going to die there.
Conan slipped through the smoke after Kid, having escaped his little traps early. By the time he got out and had started looking around, the attacker had fled, but he still heard the cry from the side street. Upon seeing his enemy against the wall, wounded and trembling, he called Ran to say that he'd be going home with Agasa-hakase, followed by a call to the professor asking to be picked up. He gave their location as Kid thrashed, knowing that it wouldn't be fair to turn him in like this. He wanted to be able to catch him under normal circumstances, just him against Kid with no help on either side, no third party. Until then, since the fever and spasms indicated that someone had fed him the same damned poison that had shaved a few years off him, it would be best to just keep him out of sight and hide. In a few minutes, the yellow Beetle was waiting in front of him.
"Come on, help me get him into the car," he said, pulling Kid up.
"We're rescuing the Kaitou Kid?" Ai asked dryly.
"Just give me a hand here."
Agasa came over and lifted him, setting him in the backseat. Conan ended up with Kid's head in his lap. Removing the hat to see how badly he was injured, he caught a wound bleeding in the back of the head. He rubbed his own head in a similar place, the same place Gin had struck him that day. Judging from the heat and how long it had been since his discovery, they would likely know soon if Kid would either experience the same thing or die.
In a moment the body began to steam as a bright light shone from its core. As that light outlining the teenager shrank, so did his body until a small child lay panting in Conan's lap.
"Hakase, do you have those things I asked you to bring?"
"Yeah, the first-aid kit should be under the seat."
The detective thanked him and pulled out some bandages, wrapping them around his charge's head and calf. "He'll probably wake up in a few hours; it's his first time and he needs to recover. Do you mind if we stay at your house for a while?"
"Of course you may, Shinichi. Do you have an excuse set up for Ran-kun?"
"No, I'll call her right now," he decided, dialling her cell phone.
"Moshi-moshi?"
"Ran-neechan? Agasa-hakase said that I could stay there tonight; may I?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Thanks, Ran-neechan!" He ended the call.
"And now we wait for Kid to wake up."
"Kudou-kun, how did you find him?"
"I got out of the heist to start looking for him early and I just found him collapsed against the wall. It looks like he was attacked. From all we know, he was given that same poison that we took."
"Did you see anyone?"
"No; they had already escaped by the time I got there. What should we do now?"
"I suppose there's nothing we can do until we get back home. Once we're there, we can better treat his injuries and get him into some fresh clothes."
"Speaking of which…" Agasa said as they pulled into the driveway. "We're here."
"I'll carry him," Conan offered, slinging the Kid over his shoulder and walking inside. When he left the bedroom the thief already had his head decently bandaged.
"Who knew you were so good at first aid, Kudou-kun?"
Shinichi pulled off his glasses with a sigh. It hurt to watch another life destroyed by the Black Organization, it doesn't matter that the small boy who was just beginning to awaken was a wanted criminal. It still hurt to be reminded of all that had been taken away from him, perhaps the worst part was being reminded that until the Black Organization was stopped more lives would be destroyed, innocent or not.
The child began to stir, struggling free of the folds of the white cape and suit that muddled around him. Putting his glasses back on, he leaned forward offering his hand to the confused and frightened boy.
"Welcome back, Kid."
The Kid just stared at him, eyes wide.
"Wh-what happened, Tantei-kun?"
"Care to guess?"
"You've got to be kidding me! I've shrunk, like you!"
"Mmmhmm."
"You've got some explaining to do, Kid. That birthmark on your nape, isn't that-?"
"Ah la~? So tantei-kun found out about my secret? Then, I think it's time to tell you. Yes, I am Prince Keith von Lezeinteinth, second son of the late Crown Prince Philippe von Lezeinteinth, who was murdered along with his family thirteen years ago. I was thought to have died along, but my brother and I escaped that dreadful vault. He's still missing, you see, we were separated by another volley of gunpowder when those guards found us. The reason I steal all these jewels was to unite all of our family heirlooms together and also to avenge my adoptive father, the fist Kaito Kid, who was murdered by the same Organization that shrunk us," he finished leaning back on the couch's arms with exhaustion from telling his tale.
Now it was Shinichi's turn to be surprised. He smirked, rolled a side of his collar, and showed it to Kid. A birthmark, which looked identical to the one he found on Kid, was also visible on the same spot of his nape. He then hugged him, crying, not letting go.
"Keith, where were you all these years! I tried finding you with my adoptive parents! I missed you so much~," he squealed with delight.
"Seith, is it really you? Ah, stop hugging me! I can't breathe!"
Shinichi stopped and wiped off the tears of joy that welled up in his eyes.
"I thought you died there," Shinichi finally said after a suitable interval.
"I thought you did, too. How did you get to Japan?" Kaito asked his long-lost brother.
"Well, after that 2nd batch of gunfire, I lost consciousness, and the Kudous found me. Their son died a few weeks previously, and seeing the resemblance, they agreed hiding my identity and I assumed their late son's name, Kudou Shinichi. And, what about you?"
"The same thing, but the difference is that they never had a son. So I assumed a made up name and they made it look as if I was born overseas so they wouldn't think it weird that I didn't have any records."
"So, what's your name now?"
"And why should I tell you?"
"Because your Nii-san asks for it."
"You won't tell the police, would you? Of course you wouldn't. Alright, it's Kuroba Kaito. I live in Ekoda now."
"Nee, let's get you sorted out. I brought you some of my other clothes. After you change, let's get you another name."
"What about Edogawa Arthur? We are twins, we should have matching names," Kaito, no, Keith, told his brother.
"Suit yourself. Now I just have to tell Ran that they have another kid to take care of," Shinichi replied.
"Your girlfriend, nii-san?"
"SHE. IS. NOT. MY. GIRLFRIEND."
"OK"
And they laughed together all night, telling each other of the things they missed all those 14 years they were apart.
A/N: lil_1337, this is just the beginning.
Summary: Tragedy tore their family apart, war will bring them together. Discover the fate of the von Lezeinteinth twins who grew up as two different but very similar young men... Kudou Shinichi and Kuroba Kaito.
Chapter 2: Reunion of Sorts
And when is there time to remember, to sift, to weigh, to estimate, to total?
- Tillie Olsen
Haido City Hotel
Present Time
The Kaitou Kid slipped from the smoke-filled building, his prize for the night safely tucked away in his breast pocket. The structure was only four stories, high enough to use his hang-glider, so he opened it up and instantly became air-borne. He barely made it ten meters high when a loud crack split the air and a bullet grazed his shoulders, and knocked him to the ground, barely conscious and fading fast. He still felt it when his assailant placed some kind of pill in his mouth, though. Pouring some water in after it, he swallowed, taking whatever was in that thing down with it. He was thrown against a wall and heard footsteps running away. A fire blazed through his body and his Poker Face melted as he cried out in pain. In almost no time at all he had fainted from the burn, and it was clear that he was going to die there.
Conan slipped through the smoke after Kid, having escaped his little traps early. By the time he got out and had started looking around, the attacker had fled, but he still heard the cry from the side street. Upon seeing his enemy against the wall, wounded and trembling, he called Ran to say that he'd be going home with Agasa-hakase, followed by a call to the professor asking to be picked up. He gave their location as Kid thrashed, knowing that it wouldn't be fair to turn him in like this. He wanted to be able to catch him under normal circumstances, just him against Kid with no help on either side, no third party. Until then, since the fever and spasms indicated that someone had fed him the same damned poison that had shaved a few years off him, it would be best to just keep him out of sight and hide. In a few minutes, the yellow Beetle was waiting in front of him.
"Come on, help me get him into the car," he said, pulling Kid up.
"We're rescuing the Kaitou Kid?" Ai asked dryly.
"Just give me a hand here."
Agasa came over and lifted him, setting him in the backseat. Conan ended up with Kid's head in his lap. Removing the hat to see how badly he was injured, he caught a wound bleeding in the back of the head. He rubbed his own head in a similar place, the same place Gin had struck him that day. Judging from the heat and how long it had been since his discovery, they would likely know soon if Kid would either experience the same thing or die.
In a moment the body began to steam as a bright light shone from its core. As that light outlining the teenager shrank, so did his body until a small child lay panting in Conan's lap.
"Hakase, do you have those things I asked you to bring?"
"Yeah, the first-aid kit should be under the seat."
The detective thanked him and pulled out some bandages, wrapping them around his charge's head and calf. "He'll probably wake up in a few hours; it's his first time and he needs to recover. Do you mind if we stay at your house for a while?"
"Of course you may, Shinichi. Do you have an excuse set up for Ran-kun?"
"No, I'll call her right now," he decided, dialling her cell phone.
"Moshi-moshi?"
"Ran-neechan? Agasa-hakase said that I could stay there tonight; may I?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Thanks, Ran-neechan!" He ended the call.
"And now we wait for Kid to wake up."
"Kudou-kun, how did you find him?"
"I got out of the heist to start looking for him early and I just found him collapsed against the wall. It looks like he was attacked. From all we know, he was given that same poison that we took."
"Did you see anyone?"
"No; they had already escaped by the time I got there. What should we do now?"
"I suppose there's nothing we can do until we get back home. Once we're there, we can better treat his injuries and get him into some fresh clothes."
"Speaking of which…" Agasa said as they pulled into the driveway. "We're here."
"I'll carry him," Conan offered, slinging the Kid over his shoulder and walking inside. When he left the bedroom the thief already had his head decently bandaged.
"Who knew you were so good at first aid, Kudou-kun?"
Shinichi pulled off his glasses with a sigh. It hurt to watch another life destroyed by the Black Organization, it doesn't matter that the small boy who was just beginning to awaken was a wanted criminal. It still hurt to be reminded of all that had been taken away from him, perhaps the worst part was being reminded that until the Black Organization was stopped more lives would be destroyed, innocent or not.
The child began to stir, struggling free of the folds of the white cape and suit that muddled around him. Putting his glasses back on, he leaned forward offering his hand to the confused and frightened boy.
"Welcome back, Kid."
The Kid just stared at him, eyes wide.
"Wh-what happened, Tantei-kun?"
"Care to guess?"
"You've got to be kidding me! I've shrunk, like you!"
"Mmmhmm."
"You've got some explaining to do, Kid. That birthmark on your nape, isn't that-?"
"Ah la~? So tantei-kun found out about my secret? Then, I think it's time to tell you. Yes, I am Prince Keith von Lezeinteinth, second son of the late Crown Prince Philippe von Lezeinteinth, who was murdered along with his family thirteen years ago. I was thought to have died along, but my brother and I escaped that dreadful vault. He's still missing, you see, we were separated by another volley of gunpowder when those guards found us. The reason I steal all these jewels was to unite all of our family heirlooms together and also to avenge my adoptive father, the fist Kaito Kid, who was murdered by the same Organization that shrunk us," he finished leaning back on the couch's arms with exhaustion from telling his tale.
Now it was Shinichi's turn to be surprised. He smirked, rolled a side of his collar, and showed it to Kid. A birthmark, which looked identical to the one he found on Kid, was also visible on the same spot of his nape. He then hugged him, crying, not letting go.
"Keith, where were you all these years! I tried finding you with my adoptive parents! I missed you so much~," he squealed with delight.
"Seith, is it really you? Ah, stop hugging me! I can't breathe!"
Shinichi stopped and wiped off the tears of joy that welled up in his eyes.
"I thought you died there," Shinichi finally said after a suitable interval.
"I thought you did, too. How did you get to Japan?" Kaito asked his long-lost brother.
"Well, after that 2nd batch of gunfire, I lost consciousness, and the Kudous found me. Their son died a few weeks previously, and seeing the resemblance, they agreed hiding my identity and I assumed their late son's name, Kudou Shinichi. And, what about you?"
"The same thing, but the difference is that they never had a son. So I assumed a made up name and they made it look as if I was born overseas so they wouldn't think it weird that I didn't have any records."
"So, what's your name now?"
"And why should I tell you?"
"Because your Nii-san asks for it."
"You won't tell the police, would you? Of course you wouldn't. Alright, it's Kuroba Kaito. I live in Ekoda now."
"Nee, let's get you sorted out. I brought you some of my other clothes. After you change, let's get you another name."
"What about Edogawa Arthur? We are twins, we should have matching names," Kaito, no, Keith, told his brother.
"Suit yourself. Now I just have to tell Ran that they have another kid to take care of," Shinichi replied.
"Your girlfriend, nii-san?"
"SHE. IS. NOT. MY. GIRLFRIEND."
"OK"
And they laughed together all night, telling each other of the things they missed all those 14 years they were apart.
A/N: lil_1337, this is just the beginning.