Case File: Pandora & The Universe

Edogawa Conan

It was tense. Shinichi had pulled up a device that Conan belatedly realized made the white noise in the background. Kudo Shinichi was aware this conversation was confidential.

Conan had picked up Mr. Cuddles from where it was lying on the floor beside the wall it smacked into when Conan threw it, and it was now living up to its name by being cuddled by the child on the couch opposite to where Shinichi was sitting.

In Conan’s opinion, they should’ve had this talk while he was still in the hospital, but he could understand the caution of having a child reliving a potentially dangerous memory and result said child to have more psychological damage than what was necessary.

Conan liked to think he didn’t need to be babied, but his behavior around the adults made him rethink this opinion.

“Conan.”

His faux-name snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked over at Shinichi. The teen was waiting for Conan to start. Here comes his dillema. What should he tell him?

Conan settled with, “I’m not normal,” he fiddled with Mr. Cuddle’s round ears, “...they did something to me and I can’t go back to the way I was before.”

He didn’t have to explain who it was that did this to him. Shinichi found him that day, and he knew his old self would connect the right dots. He could trust himself with deducing this without a problem.

His hands squeezed Mr. Cuddle’s head as he continued, “I... I discovered what they were really after and I...” He stopped.

He shouldn’t get his old self involved again. But he knew Shinichi was stubborn in his own right and leaving him wondering about the Organization was just as dangerous.

Shinichi was still silent, indicating that the high school detective wants him to continue, but Conan already made up his mind.

He looked Shinichi in the eyes, “You shouldn’t mess with them, niichan.” He pleaded.

Shinichi’s narrowed eyes told Conan he’d drop that particular subject, but he’d be asking about it again in the future. Conan slumped in defeat. There goes his hope of plain time travel.

He wasn’t like this in the past... This was his alternate self. In place of getting shrunk, this Kudo Shinichi seemed... not him, and Conan noticed he's less attention seeking even at this part of the timeline... less... arrogant. The lack of news reports were proof of this.

“Okay fine,” Shinichi said, though his tone indicated it was anything but, “How did you know Kaitou Kid’s real identity?”

Conan grimaced. He didn’t expect to cry himself to sleep with the computer on while still hugging the picture frame. Though he was still unsure which of them were currently taking the monocle so it was safe to say, “I don’t.”

Shinichi wouldn’t be able to tell if he was lying because he really wasn’t. Conan knew his version of KID and he’s pretty sure it was the young magician boy from the picture, but he really wouldn’t know the identity of this universe’s KID unless he sees him for himself. It was another reminder that his version was really dead...

He could feel Shinichi’s stern stare, and he couldn’t help but be defensive of his action, “How do you know that was my intention anyways?” The question was crap and they both knew it. But the teen's question only focused on one possibility which was unusual.

In his stress, he pressed Mr. Cuddles’ buttoned eyes, “for all you know I was looking at it because you all look just like me and it made me think that maybe...” Gosh, why was his eyes stinging?