Chapter 17: Akako Koizumi, Heir to the Crimson Magic
"Magical girl?"
The newcomer, Akako Koizumi, tilted her head. "A girl who uses magic... is that what you mean?" She surveyed Haibara and Mitsuhiko, a look of haughty amusement on her face. "I suppose being called a 'magical girl' isn't entirely unacceptable for a true heir to the Crimson Magic."
As she spoke, she gracefully raised the long-handled scythe in her hand. Its silver blade glinted coldly in the moonlight.
Akako closed her eyes and began to chant in an ancient, melodic tongue. "In the name of the Crimson Covenant, by the laws of the arcane path... Stand forth in the realm of the void, and unfold a wall of protection!"
As the incantation echoed across the rooftop, the tip of her scythe erupted in a blinding crimson light. The light danced through the air, weaving intricate, glowing runes that pulsed in the night. The runes connected, forming a net of energy that solidified into a translucent red barrier, instantly separating them from Kaito Kid. The barrier shimmered with a mystical power, emanating an oppressive magical aura.
"She... needs to chant?" Mitsuhiko whispered, a look of surprise on his face as he glanced at Haibara. Their own power came from their Soul Gems, a direct result of their contract. This system of formal spells and rituals...
"It's a completely different power system," Haibara analyzed, her eyes scanning the barrier's energy signature. "It feels like... ancient witchcraft."
Mitsuhiko decided to test it. He activated his teleportation, intending to phase through the barrier. As his form began to blur, the red shield rippled violently, as if a stone had been thrown into a pond. The runes flared, emitting a high-pitched hum.
The barrier didn't completely stop him—he managed to pass through, but the interference was significant, causing him to stumble upon landing. The surface of the shield warped for a moment, looking as if it might shatter, but it quickly stabilized.
"Hmm?" Akako's eyes snapped open, a look of genuine surprise on her face as she saw the lingering spatial distortions on her barrier. It hadn't been broken, but the impact was far greater than she had anticipated. This other power... it was strange. It seemed to operate on a level above the rules of her own Crimson Magic.
"You can interfere with my barrier?" For the first time, Akako looked genuinely impressed, and a little unnerved. She raised her scythe again, preparing to chant a more powerful binding spell.
But in that instant, Haibara made her move.
No chanting. No warning. She simply raised a hand, her fingers twitching slightly.
Fzzt! Fzzt! Fzzt!
Three globules of silvery liquid materialized from thin air—inside the crimson barrier. The liquid projectiles shot toward Akako from impossible angles.
Akako's pupils contracted. There was no time to finish her spell. On pure instinct, she threw herself backward. One of the globules grazed her cheek, instantly corroding a few strands of her hair. The other two splattered on the rooftop where she had been standing, sizzling ominously.
Her barrier offered no defense against an attack generated within it. This completely defied her understanding of magic. A cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
"What school of magic do you two belong to?" she demanded. Then her eyes landed on Mitsuhiko. "And little boy, why are you wearing a dress?"
"Uh... it's... it's not a dress!" Mitsuhiko stammered, his face turning beet red. "It's a... a magical combat uniform!"
Akako looked him up and down, a knowing smile playing on her lips. Kids will be kids, she thought. And besides... I'm not entirely sure I could win a real fight against them.
"Oh, a 'magical combat uniform,' is it?" she purred, her eyes lingering on the blue lace, ribbons, and magical hair clips. "I must say, I've never seen a male heir from any orthodox school of magic who fights in a skirt. It is, however, quite cute."
Kaito Kid took the opportunity to stroll over to Akako's side. "I was wondering the same thing, little fella," he said with a grin. "Your magical getup is even more eye-catching than my own costume. But why blue? I thought pink would suit you better."
"I... I... you... you...!" Mitsuhiko was on the verge of tears. "It's part of the contract! I just... look like this when I transform!"
Back inside the agency, the situation was dire. Kogoro was still showing no signs of life, and Ran was sobbing uncontrollably. Conan, his heart pounding, found a corner and called Haibara.
"Haibara! What's the status?"
She quickly explained the stalemate.
"Put me on speaker!" Conan commanded. Haibara did as she was told.
"KID!" Conan's voice, small but firm, echoed from the phone. "That gem is really tied to Uncle Kogoro's life! He's stopped breathing! You have to give it back, now!"
"Ha?" Kid sounded amused. "Are you serious, Great Detective?"
"You steal jewels, Kid, but you never hurt anyone. If you don't return that gem, he's really going to die!"
Kid and Akako exchanged a look. Akako pulled out a crystal ball, chanting softly. "Mirror of crystal, reveal the truth..." Her eyes snapped open, her expression now grim. Her magical intuition told her this gem was something far beyond her own understanding, an artifact from a higher order of magic.
"If they're telling the truth, you should give it back," she advised Kid. "This is an unknown power, far too dangerous to meddle with."
"Fine, fine! It's not the one I'm looking for anyway," Kid said with a theatrical sigh. He tossed the amber gem to Mitsuhiko. "Here you go. It has nothing to do with Pandora."
Mitsuhiko fumbled to catch it, stunned that Kid had given up so easily. "That's... it?"
"Of course," Kid said, adjusting his gloves. "I always return what isn't mine. Besides, my time is precious." He gave a slight bow to the two magical kids. "My apologies for the trouble." Then, to the phone, "Until we meet again, Great Detective. And next time, try to come up with a more believable excuse."
Before they could reply, Kid and Akako vanished in a puff of smoke. Kid's voice drifted back on the wind: "Do give my apologies to Mr. Mouri. It's a shame I had to disturb his... rest."
Mitsuhiko and Haibara rushed back inside and returned the Soul Gem. The moment it was within range, the color returned to Kogoro's face, and he took a gasping breath.
"Dad!" Ran cried, throwing her arms around him.
Kogoro sat up, rubbing his head. "What happened? I feel like I had a really long dream..."
"Kid stole your gem," Conan explained, "but he gave it back when he realized it wasn't what he was looking for."
"Just like that?"
"He has no interest in gems that aren't his target," Haibara said coolly.
Kogoro safely tucked the Soul Gem away. "Hmph! Good for him..."
"Dad, you scared me to death!"
"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Kogoro said with a sheepish grin, not wanting to drag Ran into the world of magic. "I must have been really tired and just fainted. I'm okay now."
Through the window, the magical kids saw two figures soaring across the night sky—Kid on his hang glider, and Akako beside him, standing gracefully on a broomstick.
Later, flying through the night, Kid sounded relaxed. "Well, that was a waste of time. That gem had nothing to do with Pandora."
"Perhaps," Akako replied thoughtfully. "But tonight we witnessed a new kind of magic. The power those two children wield... it's completely different from my own."
"What do you think they are?"
"I'm not sure," she said, "but it seems their power comes from those gems."
Their figures dwindled into the darkness.
A few days later, Haibara distributed several magically modified cell phones. "I've added special signal boosters to these. They should work even inside a Witch's Labyrinth."
Conan took his and paused. "Can I have one more? For Ran."
"Already got one for you," Haibara said, tossing it to him.
That evening, Conan gave the phone to Ran. "Ran-neechan, the Professor invented this new phone with a super-strong signal. If you're ever in an emergency, especially if you suddenly can't contact anyone, you have to promise you'll use this to call me!"
"Why would I suddenly lose signal?" she asked, amused. "Aren't you being a little paranoid, Conan-kun?"
"You know, sometimes there's... electromagnetic interference!" he fibbed. "Just promise you'll keep it with you!"
"Alright, alright," she said, tucking the phone into her bag. She ruffled his hair, a sweet smile on her face. "You've all been acting so strange lately... but thank you for worrying about me, Conan-kun. I'll be sure to carry it."