Chapter 15: The Shinkansen Bombing Incident
The sleek, aerodynamic nose of the Shinkansen sliced through the Japanese countryside, leaving a blur of vibrant green and slate gray in its wake. Inside the brightly lit carriage, the rhythmic hum of the tracks provided a steady backdrop to the chaos unfolding in the aisles.
Kogoro Mouri slumped in his plush seat, a deep scowl etched into his features. He was supposed to be heading to Kyoto to attend a relaxing wedding, but instead, he was stuck chaperoning his daughter, Ran, and the bespectacled little brat who had mysteriously taken up residence in their home.
"Shinkansen! Shinkansen!" Genta's booming voice echoed down the aisle, accompanied by the rapid patter of small feet. The Detective Boys were in full force, practically vibrating with excitement as they dashed between the rows of seats.
"Alright, you three," Natsume called out, her tone a perfect blend of gentle authority and warmth. She leaned out of her seat, catching Genta by the shoulder before he could barrel into a passing snack cart. "We've been moving for over ten minutes now. You can't keep being this noisy. Keep your voices down, or you'll disturb the other passengers. Plus, it isn't safe to play around while the train is moving. Sit down, please."
It had taken a few days of calculated "snack offensives"—strategic deployments of premium pastries and imported candies—but Natsume had successfully won over the self-proclaimed Detective Boys. Her reward for this tactical bribery? An enthusiastic invitation from the children to join them on this trip to Kyoto.
Ran smiled warmly from across the aisle, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Thank you so much for coming along to help look after them, Miss Natsume. I know it's a lot to ask."
Kogoro crossed his arms, leaning his head back against the headrest with a heavy sigh. "Honestly, these little brats are nothing but a headache. It's ridiculous that we have to trouble a young, beautiful girl like Miss Natsume to wrangle them."
Ran shot her father a sharp, warning glare, her brow furrowing. "Dad, keep your voice down! What does it matter? Their parents paid for all the travel expenses anyway."
Natsume waved a hand dismissively, a polite smile gracing her lips. "It's really no trouble at all, Mr. Mouri. Besides, I can use this opportunity to do some sightseeing in Kyoto. I've actually never been there before." She shifted her gaze back to the high school girl. "And please, there's no need for the formalities. Just call me Natsume. Do you mind if I call you Ran?"
Ran's eyes brightened. "Of course not! I'd love that."
Natsume possessed a pragmatic, almost surgical talent for dismantling social barriers. Ran, for all her martial arts prowess, was still a remarkably earnest high school girl. By simply steering the conversation toward popular movies, trending fashion, and a few carefully selected celebrity idols, Natsume effortlessly wove a net of shared interests.
Kogoro cracked one eye open, watching the two girls enthusiastically dissect the latest idol drama. He curled his lip in mild disdain, muttered something under his breath, and smartly chose not to interject.
The conversation flowed smoothly. Despite having officially met only recently, Ran found herself entirely at ease. Natsume was an exceptional listener, always knowing exactly when to nod, when to laugh, and when to offer a sympathetic word. The atmosphere grew even warmer when the topic shifted to neighborhoods.
"Wait, you live in Beika Ward, Block 5?" Ran blinked in surprise, her hands resting on her lap. "I had no idea you lived so close to us, Natsume! It's crazy that we've never bumped into each other on the street. If we had, we could have been friends much sooner."
Natsume offered a soft, knowing smile, though inwardly she felt a twinge of irony. She had deliberately taken detours past the Mouri Detective Agency on multiple occasions, hoping to organically trigger an encounter with the main cast. Yet, the elusive hand of fate had kept them apart until today.
"It is a shame," Natsume agreed smoothly. "I actually knew the Mouri Detective Agency was in the area, but I certainly didn't expect little Conan to be living with you, Ran."
She shifted her gaze, her golden eyes locking onto the oversized glasses of the small boy sitting a few seats away. A playful, dangerous glint flashed in her eyes. "You know, Conan's name is quite fascinating. Edogawa Conan... those just happen to be the names of two incredibly famous mystery novelists. When I first heard it, I honestly thought it was a fake name. Like a little pseudonym this child made up on the spot just to trick me."
Ran tapped her chin, pondering the thought. "Hmm... it's probably just a coincidence. Maybe his parents are huge fans of mystery novels? Since their surname was already Edogawa, they just decided to go with Conan for his first name." She turned her head, smiling down at the boy. "Is that right, Conan?"
Conan stiffened. A cold bead of sweat rolled down the back of his neck the moment the word 'pseudonym' left Natsume's lips. His heart skipped a beat, his mind racing to formulate a defense, but Ran's innocent logic handed him a lifeline.
He forced a bright, childish grin, though his voice cracked slightly. "Y-Yeah! That's exactly right, Ran! My mom and dad both absolutely love mystery novels, especially Sherlock Holmes! So that's why they named me Conan!"
Technically, it wasn't a lie. His father was a world-renowned mystery novelist. Saying his parents liked mysteries was the most honest thing he had said all day.
Natsume caught the subtle drop of Conan's shoulders as he relaxed. Her lips curled into a faint, predatory smirk. She had absolutely no intention of letting the great detective off the hook that easily.
"How wonderful," Natsume purred, leaning forward slightly to continue the topic. "Speaking of which... where exactly are your parents, Conan? How did such a young boy end up staying at your house, Ran?"
The mention of the boy's parents was enough to pull Kogoro out of his resting state. He scoffed loudly, crossing his legs. "Don't even get me started. His parents are supposedly acquaintances of that eccentric Dr. Agasa next door. The old man couldn't handle looking after a kid by himself, so he dumped the boy on Ran. But if you ask me, his parents are completely bizarre. The brat has been living with us for days, and they haven't called to check on him even once! What kind of parents are that carefree with their own flesh and blood?"
Kogoro narrowed his eyes, shooting a highly suspicious glare at the shrinking boy.
"Ah—w-well, that's..." Conan stammered, his mind blanking. He couldn't exactly confess that his parents were currently unaware of his bizarre situation. He desperately needed an exit strategy.
Salvation arrived in the form of three energetic children. Genta, Ayumi, and Mitsuhiko, having grown restless in their seats, marched over to drag their friend into an exploration of the train cars.
Conan seized the opportunity like a drowning man grabbing a life preserver. He hopped out of his seat, waving his hands frantically. "Big Sister Ran, Big Sister Natsume, I'm gonna go play with them now! Bye!"
"Be careful walking through the cars!" Ran called after his rapidly retreating back. "Don't run too fast!"
Natsume covered her mouth, suppressing a soft chuckle as she watched the 'boy' practically sprint down the aisle to escape her interrogation. Children really were fun to tease. A genius detective trapped in a child's body, possessing an adult's intellect but burdened with such glaring, exploitable weaknesses.
She knew she had to savor these moments. She could only rattle him like this in the early stages of the timeline. Later on, once the little detective amassed his army of capable helpers, he wouldn't be nearly as easy to corner.
Inside her mind, a familiar, high-pitched voice chimed in.
[Traveler, you totally did that on purpose just now, didn't you?] Paimon accused, her spectral form floating invisibly in Natsume's consciousness.
Natsume maintained a perfectly serene expression on the outside, replying through their telepathic link. 'Paimon, how could you think so little of me? Of course I didn't do it on purpose...'Paimon's voice instantly softened, dripping with naive guilt at the thought of wronging her companion. [Oh... Traveler, I'm so sorry! I just thought—]'I did it intentionally,' Natsume corrected smoothly, cutting off the apology.
[Traveler!] Paimon shrieked in her mind, thoroughly outraged by the bait-and-switch.
'Sorry, sorry, Paimon,' Natsume mentally apologized, though she was fighting a losing battle against her own amusement.
Her internal laughter died the moment she glanced down the aisle.
The automatic doors at the end of the carriage slid open with a soft hiss. Two men stepped through. They were dressed entirely in stark, heavy black coats and dark fedoras, their grim attire contrasting violently with the bright, casual atmosphere of the vacationers around them.
Natsume's golden eyes narrowed, taking in their features. One was tall and lean with long hair, while the other was built like a brick wall, sporting dark sunglasses. Their clothing and general silhouettes were uncannily similar to Gin and Vodka, the two Black Organization executives she had encountered at the amusement park.
No wonder Conan had mistaken them at first glance. They were dead ringers from a distance. This had to be one of the parties involved in the transaction for the upcoming incident.
If they were here, that meant...
Natsume mentally summoned her system interface. A translucent blue screen materialized before her eyes, and right on cue, a fresh notification pulsed on the glass-like surface.
[Ding!]
[World Mission: The Shinkansen Bombing Incident]
[Details: The Shinkansen heading to Kyoto is carrying a bomb that is primed to detonate. Without intervention, this journey may not reach its destination.
Objective: Locate the bomb on the Shinkansen and prevent it from detonating.]
Natsume's gaze flicked over the glowing text. Her previous hypothesis was spot on. The System's World Missions were directly tied to the major canonical cases that orbited Conan's chaotic existence.
She leaned her cheek against her knuckles, her mind shifting into high gear as she analyzed the specific phrasing of the objective. 'Find the bomb... and prevent it from detonating.'
She recalled the original plotline with crystal clarity. In canon, although Conan eventually managed to locate the explosive, he ran out of time to defuse it. His only recourse had been to kick the bomb out of the moving train, allowing it to explode in the empty countryside.
While that saved the passengers, the bomb still exploded. Based on the System's strict wording, simply throwing it out the window wouldn't satisfy the requirement of preventing the detonation.
Natsume's eyes tracked the two Men in Black as they moved down the aisle. Her gaze locked onto the sleek, black briefcase gripped tightly in the taller man's hand.
They hadn't made their way to the dining car yet. That meant the transaction with their target hadn't taken place. The explosive was still sitting right there, locked inside that very briefcase beside them.
A slow, calculating smile touched the corners of Natsume's lips. The gears in her head clicked into place.
Suddenly, she had an idea.
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