Bloody Rose

Battle of the Minds

Chapter Twenty-four:

Battle of the Minds Pt 1.

CONAN POV

"What! You are going to be gone for another four days?!" Kaito yelled into the phone as he listened to Ai explain the situation, "Alright, alright. Sorry for yelling. Yeah, I hear you. Alright. Shin-chan just got back a few minutes ago anyways. Yeah I will tell him. He brought Hattori with him and said they needed to talk to us, so...Yeah hang on."

Kaito turned to Conan who was watching the teen with something akin to humor about their ongoing conversation.

"She wants to talk to you, Shin-chan", he said as he handed the phone over to the teen turned child.

"Yes Ai? I know. Yeah, I have a problem though and I would like their help. I know he is. I will be careful. Yes, I realize that. I won't be Shinichi so it's not a problem and Hakuba won't be visible so also not a problem. Kaito can talk for him. Hattori is going to be there also. Yeah, I hear you. Alright, bye Ai."

"So?" asked Hattori.

Conan looked back and saw they were all watching him, waiting for his answer.

"She said it was fine, but none of us are to take any more of the drug unless absolutely necessary. She also explicitly wanted me to remind Kaito to take it easy."

"She told me that like fifty times already!" the thief pouted as he dropping in the chair next to Hakuba who just nodded in agreement with Ai's wise words.

"But she did give the okay for you all to come with me right?"

"Come with you where exactly, Hattori-Kun?" asked Hakuba.

**** Note*For time reasons, anything Hakuba says out loud will be repeated by Kaito. For reading purposes, I will not be writing that repeat each time.

"Ah, well I received a letter in the mail over the weekend stating that the host would like to have a battle of minds and that he had sent out invitations to several different people around Japan. He says that each person may bring up to four guests with them to be a part of their team. So when Kudo-kun said that he was currently housing Hakuba and Kaitou Kid, well...I sort of jumped at the chance."

"You don't mind me being Kaitou Kid?" Kuroba asked in surprise.

"Nah, if Kudo is cool with you, then I don't really care. It's not like I have ever really faced off with you much in the past anyways."

"True Tantei-han", Kid nodded.

"You seem tired, did you sleep last night?" asked Shinich to Kaito.

"Ah, well Hakuba and I had a rather...intriguing day yesterday, but yeah we slept fine."

"Hmm, good" Shinichi said, but he wondered what the teen meant by intriguing. He decided perhaps he didn't want to know as he headed down the hall to pack some clothes.

"We may be gone the entire four days or past, so make sure you pack enough of clothes and supplies."

"Right Meitantei", Kaito yelled as he started upstairs with Hakuba, chatting away.

Hattori watched them go before glancing at Kudo.

"He seems different than what I was expecting."

"Yes and No. I think he displays an equal amount of Kid with whatever his normal personality usually consists of. He is rather interesting, isn't he?"

"Yeah", Heiji agreed, "Man I am so psyched for this battle! I wonder what the challenge is going to be."

"Don't know, but you have three of the best minds I know working with you. So you should be able to handle it, I should hope."