[ Discontinued ] Crossroad 『Detective Conan』

Chapter 4 - A strange thing...

   -Right here ! There's someone... It's a child!
   -Do you think she's connected to this case?
   Voices. Voices were audible. Kyoka didn't quite understand. Not what these people said, but what they said. A child. Who was this child?
   - She is injured and unconscious. Noted the first voice.
   The schoolgirl forced herself to open her eyes. The light of day dazzling her, she took her time. But once done, she could see two people. Two policemen, including a woman with short hair.
   -How are you, little girl? Asked the woman seeing that Kyoka had her eyes open.
   Little girl ?
   Slowly, the girl sat up. Leaning on her hands, she noticed that her jacket was too long. Her hands were hidden in her sleeves and the jacket slipped on her shoulders.
   -Eh... ?... !!
   Suddenly, she sat up and turned her head towards her house. Destroyed. She was completely destroyed. The injured girl could not realize that.
   -The habitants of this house... they...? She tried to ask, standing up.
   The policewoman looked at her before answering.
   -According to witnesses, the explosion took place while they were inside... There is little chance that they escaped...
   Kyoka took a step back, then two before falling to her knees. She started crying profusely, unable to stop.

   The police had taken Kyoka back to the police department for questioning. Or at least try. She haven't answered any questions, her gaze staring into space. She was tired, with no desire to do anything. She had lost track of time and wasn't even hungry.
   The policewoman who had accompanied her was somewhat embarrassed. She didn't even know the identity of the little girl in front of her, although she had understood that she had some connection with the habitants of the house having exploded. It was definitely going to be some time before she could answer the questions.

   -Sato-san, you still haven't got anything? Asked a dark haired man.
   -Takagi-kun... No, none. Could you bring her a glass of water? She hasn't drank yet.
   -Yes !
   He walked away before returning after a few minutes with what had been requested. The so-called Sato took the glass of water before handing it to the schoolgirl. It was a few seconds before she finally reacted.
   -Thank you... She said weakly grabbing the object.
   She contemplated at this time for a long time her hands hidden in her sleeves. She didn't know why her clothes became too big, nor why everyone called her a child. She didn't even understand why her feet weren't touching the ground, when the seat wasn't high.
   Kyoka stared at the water for a long time, looking more and more frightened, remembering what happened before she woke up. These two men, this product that the one with the long hair made her take... But the memory of her house exploding and of the corpse of this man from the FBI took over.
   She shook her head away from these images and tried to drink, although it was difficult. Her throat was lumpy and at the slightest sip, nausea.

   Sato was a bit distant, chatting with a man with dark curly hair. The young girl began to observe them when she realized that the two policemen were talking about her.
   -She must be six or seven years old. She barely said anything, but she's connected to the explosion at the house...
   Hearing this, Kyoka looked away. She had tears in her eyes.
   -... We can't keep her all night here... Continued the policewoman.
   The man with her looked at the girl staring at the ground. He approached her.
   - Say little one, is your house that explosed? he asked.
   The girl raised her head, looking at the man. Then she looked away while nodding yes. He then walked away, returning to the policewoman. He spoke to her for a bit before returning to Kyoka.
   -Come with me.
The high school girl looked at the policeman, not knowing why he wanted her to follow him. Sato, seeing this misunderstanding, approached to explain.
   -Matsuda-kun will take you home for the night and try to interrogate you. It'll be easier and we can't keep you here all night.
   -Ok...
   She got down from the chair on which she had been for several hours and nearly fell because of her oversized pants. She was walking on it. Without paying more attention to it, she followed the so-called Matsuda. Matsuda Jinpei.

   It was already dark. Kyoka was surprised at this. She had lost all sense of time.
   -Your name ? asked the policeman.
   -Eh ?
   -What's your first name ?
   She hesitated. Could she really say her first name? If these men had managed to find her just by seeing her, they might know her first name. It wasn't even safe, given that they had gotten her address. They were supposed to have killed her and yet she was still alive...
   -T... Tomura Yoko? she improvised.
   It was the first name she had in mind. She didn't know whether or not it passed or not.

   The two people entered an untidy apartment. Kyoka watched everything she saw.
   -Make yourself at home. Launched the policeman.
   -... OK...
   After a moment of hesitation, she finally took off her shoes. She took a pair of slippers and, after a few seconds of hesitation, entered the apartment.
   -I let you take in my clothes if you want to change.
   Jinpei lay down on the couch yawning.
   -O... okay... Uh... Where do I sleep tonight? she asked after some hesitation.
   -Take my bed...
   He told her where his room was before. So she went there, opened the door and closed it. She swept the untidy room too. She allowed herself to open the cupboard, unsure of herself. And after another moment of hesitation, she picked up a t-shirt. She took off her dusty clothes and dressed in the garment she imprinted. It was too big for her, like her own clothes.
   -... And if...
   She was seized with a doubt. It was unimaginable but on the one hand it made sense.
   - I... I shrunk... Or... Or rather rejuvenated?
   The girl shook her head. She didn't want to believe it, but since everyone defined her as child, it was possible.
   -...
   She stared at her hands before closing them. She didn't know what to think. She was lost.