Drawbacks of a mind that remembers

Chrome and Aku

"All right, kids! Remember to finish pages 87-90 for homework!"

"Yes!"

Their replies were a mixture of grumbles and agreements, but it was nothing new to Kobayashi-sensei. The woman smiled and packed her things.

The detective boys huddled around Conan's desk, chattering excitedly about the professor's invitation.

"I wonder what the professor made this time?" Ayumi wondered aloud.

"Probably some whack invention again," Conan muttered under his breath, unenthusiastic, then flinched when Haibara smacked him on the shoulder.

"It's a surprise," she answered with a twinkle in her eyes. Conan somehow managed not to roll his eyes. Over the last three years, the strawberry blonde's affection for the three real children grew, as well as her protectiveness over them.

The kids cheered and were quick to hurry out of class. Conan and Haibara shook their heads, used to their boundless energy.

They were about to leave the school premises when suddenly, from the corner of his eyes, Conan saw a familiar blond at the gate. Her amethyst eyes crinkled in a pleasant smile as she beckoned him over. "Aku," she mouthed.

Conan resisted the urge to rub his eyes, knowing the visage would disappear. The "Aku" in him could almost cry when he saw Elena. He remembered looking into her dead eyes at the mansion. Without him realising, his brown hair turned dark blue as he stepped towards her (not before telling Haibara to take the rest back first. Haibara was taken aback slightly when she spotted his dark blue strands of hair).

"Elena..."

"Hello Aku, though I did hope to see the fully-grown you instead of a pint-sized one. You're adorable!"

Conan blinked the visage away, and he saw Chrome standing there, her expression unchanged. That's a first, he thought. He narrowed his eyes.

"Why are you here?"

Chrome scratched her chin nervously. "I'm here to talk to you, though. I'm sorry about what happened yesterday-it really wasn't our intention to trigger a bad memory. I was wondering if you could talk me through it?"

Conan could feel Aku's emotions at the back of his head. The want to run away from her, back into Ran's warm embrace, is strong. He could guess why Chrome was here. The reason was probably the same as why Cozart came first.

Reintroduction into the family.

Did he really need that? Not really. They were all people he failed to save in the past. He remembered the Shimon had to run, and the Vongola had to fight. The fight was not simple, nor was it pretty. His job was simply espionage with his brother into the Corvino territory, but his family-

He walked past the purple head. "Why don't you ask Kuroba Kaito?"

"Because he isn't you. He can't give me the answers only you can give. So please, Conan-kun, help me understand." Chrome reasoned, each word louder than before as he walked farther away.

Conan sighed. Back then, even Elena was not informed of Giotto's decision to send him and his brother to the Corvino. He stopped, tilted his head back, and lifted an eyebrow, noting that Chrome had not moved.

"You're not coming?"

~~

Aku and Altair travelled across the bloodied fields. Never had they seen such a sight except in a war-yes, a war had stained this field in red. And that was all they saw for the past few minutes. They see bodies of their comrades, bodies of their enemies, and bodies of their family members. In the middle of the sea of blood, they saw the two bosses of the families. Their eyes were dull and unblinking. Aku's heart clenched at the sight.