When Pandora bleeds... (Shinkai)

Keep it

Haibara stared at her friend, eyes wide, unable to say a tone. She had to digest this. Conan stared back at her, expecting an answer to his problems. Oh the innocence... he had no idea. Absolutely no idea.

It makes sense. It all makes sense.

Haibara swallowed and turned away to shuffle busily in her files, just to be able to avoid the eye contact to her fellow detective. She had to win time.

How am I going to tell him?

"I need to brood a little over this. I'll call you when I have an idea..."
Disappointed, Conan gave her a tiny nod and raised himself from the cushioned couch. He knew better than to disturb the woman when she was after a scientific mystery.
"Thanks. See you, Haibara."
"Leave the gem here, please."
Conan froze, eyes slipping downwards to his pocket. He hesitated a long time, fighting with himself, hand reaching down to pet the gem in his pocket. It reassured him a little.

Leave the gem here...? I... I don't want to. I don't want to. I want to keep it. I need to keep it.

"No."
Haibara paused, silence spreading over these two. Conan repeated himself, more confidence in his voice than the first time.
"No. I won't."
Haibara didn't answer anymore and Conan chose to leave to avoid any drama.

He doesn't want to leave the gem here...?

The woman took a deep shaking breath, eyes finally pried away from her files. It made sense. It all made sense, all of a sudden. Kaitou KID made sense to her, his motives, how the gem had turned out to be a half, Conan's sudden symptoms, his unwillingness to part from his half gem-
Haibara sat down, thoroughly exhausted and worn. For the first time, she didn't have any idea what to do. She honestly doubted that Shinichi would allow her to examine his gem. Why did KID even give it to him? Anger began to bubble up inside Haibara, she slammed her fist down onto her table, causing the cup of tea to jump and spill all over the ground.
"Why KID...?!"
Tears began to prinkle within her eyes. KID must have known, there wasn't any other solution. Her gaze fell onto the mess she had created and with a deep sigh, she marched into the kitchen to fetch a few napkins to clean up.

Pandora.

Pandora's secret, KID must have known it. It all made sense. The magician had been created to find and destroy Pandora... KID's sole purpose hadn't been mockery, even if she had doubted that at the beginning; it had been the search and destruction of Pandora.
Haibara sighed again and plopped down onto her chair, spinning slightly in it. After hearing Conan's story, she seriously doubted he hadn't gained most of Pandora's abilities. The loss of appetite, the inability to eat or drink anything, the energy burst... Swallowing, Haibara's eyes fell back onto her gathered notes. She would only know for sure if she attempted to kill her friend and neighbor but no way in hell was she going to try that.
"If he doesn't sleep today either..."
Chewing on her lip, Haibara tried to organize her thoughts. Something was amiss here, Conan couldn't have been entirely corrupted by Pandora. Wasn't it going to secure that Conan could live on with his real age? Shinichi was twentyseven, Conan seventeen. Or was Conan too much Conan? Was that now more of his personality than Shinichi? Ah, this was too much for her at once.

Above all, two things are for sure. Shinichi has been influenced by Pandora... and KID has the other half.

Conan entered his house with mixed feelings. Haibara had looked so hollow and terrified for a split of a second... there was more to the story than she wanted to tell him. The detective scrunched up his nose and huffed.
"Who does she think she is to be able to hide something like that from me?"
He paused, then shook his head. Maybe she really had a good reason... he wasn't going to judge his friend ahead. After all, Conan wouldn't be at this point without her, someone who understood him and was in the same situation.
Maybe he wasn't hungry now... but what else could he do to spend his time? Conan took a helpless glance around, then finally just pulled out his phone and dialed the number of Megure-keibu. Perhaps the keibu had a new case for him to solve.

***

This feels strange... certainly strange...

Kaito gripped the gem in his hand, tight, not daring to soften his muscles any bit. This was certainly unusual for the retired phantom- KID kept the gem mostly in a secret hideout he changed every single day to prevent anyone from finding Pandora on him. But now? Nothing had happened and yet he felt the overwhelming urge to keep the gem as close as possible, always in reach, on his body.

This is ridiculous. If the Black Organization ever locates me and tries to steal the gem from me... I'd be screwed.

Kaito paused. He honestly doubted Pandora had its full effects split in a half. A breath of relief came past his lips and he shook his head, dismissing his concerns.

Meitantei has the other half. Did you find it? Are you protecting it?

Chuckling, Kaito let a pack of ice cream slip into his bag, then let his gaze wander to find any other items he might have liked to buy, one hand always fiddling with Pandora. The small urge to go back to Japan was there... however, Kaito just did it off as homesick. He hadn't seen any of his friends nor enemies since he had retired as KID...

I didn't even speak with Meitantei... but I doubt he would have let me say any word before kicking one of those hellish balls at me.

Kaito's smile faltered. Aoko hadn't contacted him since he had opened up to her. He hadn't see Hakuba Saguru either... Maybe he went back to Britain, Kaito thought he had seen an article like this.
By now, he honestly started to feel lonely. The magician who had been surrounded by friends the entire time was no more. Maybe...
Pausing, Kaito's hand hovered above a box of cereal.

Maybe Chat Noir.... But we honestly never had really much to do...

Sighing, the magician tossed the box into his bag. He had to stop thinking about this and plan ahead for the upcoming show.