The Missing Bullet

[Hattori Heiji]

Hattori Heiji, the great detective of the west. Felt rather awkward as he waited outside the school grounds of Teitan elementary for his best friend. Not that anyone walking by knew that, for most it probably looked like a big brother waiting for their little sibling. After all he wasn't old enough to be someone's father, surely.

Heiji let out a long sigh and glanced inside the grounds to see if he could find that familiar face or head of hair in the short crowd. Maybe even one of the kids from the Shounen Tantei. Surely if he could spot one of them Kudo would be nearby. Just before he went to check his watch he spotted what he was looking for.

"Oi! K-k-Conan-kun!" Heiji called out. Standing away from the gate and waving his arm in order to catch the shrunken detective's attention. "Oi!"

[Edogawa Conan]

Conan sighed in relief as the elementary school day came to an end. Little elementary schoolers bustled by him as they excitedly cleaned up the classroom for a lesson well learnt. Maybe the Shounen Tanteidan were trying to talk to him as well, but he paid them almost no mind --he was mentally tried from having to keep up the facade of actually being interested in the classroom's current lesson. Today the class was learning about multiplication tables and first grade level kanji.

How riveting.

He eventually relented and made idle chitchat with the Shounen Tanteidan as they all gathered their belongings and left to go out in the school yard. When he got back home, he was going to read a nice, long book. Yeah, that sounded really nice. It was the best cure he could think of for his dulled brain.

But then suddenly he heard a familiar voice call out, and Conan whipped his head around to find the source. And sure enough, just beyond the gate was a certain Hattori Heiji, calling his name and waving his arm in what was probably an attempt to catch his attention.

"Oi, oi," he called out, excusing himself away from the Shounen Tanteidan ("Heiji-niichan's here to pick me up; sorry guys, no soccer playing today," while ignoring the amused glance Haibara sent him) to greet the Osakan. "Hattori, what are you doing here?"

[Hattori Heiji]

Heiji continued to smile until Kudo got close enough. Then the Osaka detective knelt down to get to the other's level. He was still grinning and he went out to ruffle the short detective's hair. Had to keep up the act of big brother after all. Even if it lasted for a moment.

"Well ya know me. I was in the area and thought I would come an get ya." Heiji said cheerfully, but after that his attitude changed drastically. "An' I found out ya have been keeping secrets from me."

Heiji then stood to his full height and gave Kudo a small look of disappointment as he crossed his arms.

"I thought we were friends! An' how am I suppose ta help ya if you don't tell me things?" He sighed, but his mean look didn't let up. "Who is Okiya?"

[Edogawa Conan]

Conan growled but didn't move to swat Hattori's hand away. He hated when Hattori treated him like an actual child; he was positive the Osakan wouldn't dare do what he usually did if Conan still had his original body. But they had to keep up the jovial appearance in public, after all -- no need in making a fuss and having someone come over to see what the problem was.

Though Hattori would deserve it.

He raised an eyebrow when Hattori's tone of voice suddenly changed, and the other one was raised alongside it as he mentioned him keeping secrets. The faux child blinked as Hattori stood up straighter and crossed his arms, but he didn't even realize what he was talking about until he heard the name 'Okiya'. His neck ached as he craned his head to look upwards; Hattori was tall, damn it. It wasn't fair.

"... Oh." Conan looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear them before lightly tugging on Hattori's sweater, heading towards the direction of the Detective Agency. "Um... Okiya-san is a friend. You don't have to worry about him, I promise. Let's talk more at home." He'd been living there for so long that it practically had become home to him. It was almost unnerving to think about.

[Hattori Heiji]

Heiji let out a long sigh. He figured he wouldn't get a straight answer out of Kudo in public and nodded but didn't move from his spot when the shrunken detective started to move, which Heiji figured might be the way back to the agency on foot.

"Ya better tell me everything." he said before walking over to a motorcycle parked nearby. He grabbed one of the helmets that sat on the seat of it and tossed it over to Kudo. "No need ta walk. I got a ride."

As Heiji grabbed the second helmet for himself he put it on and snapped the strap below his chin. Then carefully sitting down he kicked the stand up and turned on the bike. He still couldn't believe Yukiko was letting him borrow such a bike. He wondered if Kudo would catch on that it was his mother's bike that he was about to get on. After all it was a lot different then Heiji's bike.

"Oi! Come on." He called over the roar of the engine and through the helmet. He wondered if Kudo also realized that Heiji didn't really believe him about Okiya being a friend. Not when all the evidence against him. Not even Kudo's word could sway Heiji for now.

[Edogawa Conan]

Conan was a bit confused when Hattori didn't follow him, and blinked when he said that walking was unnecessary. He didn't plan on telling Hattori everything about Okiya-san, of course, but... just enough to satisfy his curiosity. There was a reason he was keeping information about Okiya-san to himself, after all. It'd be best for as little people to get involved with him as possible -- just to keep them all safe. At least he wasn't kidding when he said that Okiya-san was a friend and that there was nothing to worry about him.

He fumbled with the helmet as Hattori tossed it over to him and hesitantly climbed onto the back of the motorcycle. "Wait a minute, this isn't yours," he muttered, looking down and inspecting it closer. It looked really familiar... "Is this mom's?!" He nearly shouted in horror.

There was a thought floating around in his head that he should get off the bike and just walk home anyway -- it wasn't far, and being near anything of his mom's was the last thing he wanted right now. They hadn't been on very good terms since their argument (putting it lightly), and maybe it was a little petty but Conan didn't want to think of her at all anytime soon. He had his reasons for keeping things to himself, damn it -- telling too many people would jeopardize the plans! And now Hattori of all people wanted in on them.

Where the hell were these people coming from?

[Hattori Heiji]

Heiji smiled, although it was hidden perfectly well due to his helmet. It was enjoyable seeing Kudo taken aback over something like a motorcycle. Then again was it really surprising that Yukiko would lend Heiji her bike? Surely the runt behind him could deduce that Heiji had heard about Okiya from somewhere. Anyways Heiji pretended not to hear Kudo's outburst and carefully started the motorcycle forward. He wanted to startle Kudo a little bit with a small bunny start but not one that would knock the poor guy off.

After he made sure that Kudo wouldn't fall off completely Heiji headed off towards the agency. Easily maneuvering through the Tokyo traffic. Although he was sure he took a wrong turn somewhere that took them a little bit longer to get back but before he knew it they were in front of the agency. Parking the bike he kicked the stand down but sat still on it. His foot keeping balance in order to keep it upright.

"Here we are! Safe and sound!" Heiji cheered as he removed his helmet and looked back to the detective with a somewhat cheek smirk.

[Edogawa Conan]

Conan pouted (though he would never admit it, least of all to Hattori) and adjusted his grip so that he was holding tighter onto the Osakan's jacket. As annoyed as he was at him, he didn't really want to fall off of a speeding motorcycle. If that would hurt for Kudo Shinichi, it would wreck hell on Edogawa Conan. But he could tell that Hattori was obviously and plainly just ignoring him, and so the faux child frowned at that implication. Clearly the other detective had been talking to his mother -- there was no way for him to know about Okiya-san otherwise.

He growled and pressed his face further into Hattori's back. If the helmet made the Osakan feel discomfort, then good. He deserved it. Conan did not want to go through any of this right now.

Conan almost didn't even notice when they had taken a few wrong turns, only sitting back up when they had arrived. He countered Hattori's cheer with an annoyed half-lidded gaze before jumping off from his seat on the motorcycle to the ground below. Small shoulders shrugged in an extension of his silent answer as he moved to the detective agency's staircase. "Fine. Let's go in and talk more inside."

A bulky man seeming to be waiting nervously in front of the agency's door fell into his view, and instantly his child personality slammed into effect. "Hi, oji-san! Are you waiting for Kogoro-ojisan? He might be out on a case right now if he hasn't answered the door, but if you come back tomorrow he should be able to take you in!"

[Hattori Heiji]

Heiji finally dismounted the bike, tucking the helmet beneath his arm, and putting the keys into his jean pockets. He cringed slightly when he heard Kudo go into 'Conan' mode but when his eyes traced up the familiar steps of the agency and saw a man there. He was suspicious looking to say in the least. Long coat. Sunglasses although he was in the shade and a beard too. His mind quickly went into protective mode and got between Kudo and the man. Although he put a smile on his face as he greeted the man.

"Oi, Oji-san. If ya want you can tell me about yer case. I'm somewhat a detective myself ya know?"

As Heiji neared the door he went to open it and invite the man in. Even though it wasn't his place it didn't mean Heiji couldn't invite him in right? Right? Especially if he had a case to look into. Just the thought of a case got Heiji's blood pumping. Who know maybe with Kudo they could figure it out before anyone else got home.

As the door creaked open though, Heiji couldn't help but feel his instincts go on high alert. Something bad was going to happen. The hair on his neck started to rise with anticipation of what it could be and then when it came; it wasn't what Heiji expected it to be.

He was pushing the door opening to the agency, making sure Kudo and the man were still separated by his own body. Then suddenly there was a sharp jolt on his lower back that caused him to cry out in pain as all his muscles seized up. His knees buckled but somehow he managed to stay on his feet. Thinking quickly even with all the pain he was feeling Heiji did his best to shut the door. But as he jerked his arm towards him, as his hand was now firmly clenched around the handle, he managed to lose what precious balance he had and felt himself fall side ways. And hit his head right on the small end table that sat there. Heiji Hattori of Osaka, the great Detective of the West had his world full of color, light, and shapes leave him quickly and leave him alone in the dark recesses of unconsciousness.

[Edogawa Conan]

Conan didn't have a good feeling about the man. He knew better than anyone not to judge a person based on their appearance, and he wasn't as good as quickly evaluating a person just by looking at them as Haibara, but there was something off about this man that gave him an uncomfortable feeling in his belly. Maybe it was the fact that he didn't respond to either of the two detectives after they had spoken to him, where any normal client would respond easily.

He blinked as Hattori moved between himself and the man -- he didn't want to feel the need to be protected, but he knew that if they were caught off guard, the Osakan would be able to fend for himself. Conan, in his current state, wouldn't last.

"Hattori," Conan muttered, reaching to grab the dark skinned detective's jacket as he opened the door. He didn't want to let this man inside of Occhan wasn't there -- surely they could discuss the case outside, right? Even if it wasn't as comfortable.

His eyes widened as Hattori suddenly cried out in pain. "Oi!" He reached his arms up to try and support the Osakan as he spun, and his eyes caught the item the suspicious man was holding -- a taser? -- before Hattori fell like a sack of potatoes, hitting his head on the table as he went. "Hey!" He knelt down to shake Hattori briefly before large hands fell on either side of him and hoisted him up in the air. "Put me down!"

A damp cloth found its way over his nose and mouth and he struggled to hold his breath, trying not to breathe what he knew to be chloroform in. But his vision started to waver and his eyes began to droop, and the last thing he was aware of was that he was being carried through the door and out of the agency.. and then he blacked out.