Chapter 5: Is Mitsuhiko Dead?
Late Night. Dr. Agasa's House.
A gentle rain tapped against the windowpane, a soft, rhythmic drumming in the quiet house.
Ai Haibara tossed and turned in her bed, her forehead slick with a cold sweat. In her dreams, her sister Akemi's smile was painfully clear.
"You've grown up so much, Shiho."
The dream-Akemi gently stroked Haibara's hair.
"Sis... you have no idea how much I miss you."
Haibara reached out, trying desperately to touch her sister's face, but her hand passed right through. Akemi's form began to blur, fading like smoke.
"Don't go! Sis, please!"
Haibara jolted awake, her face wet with tears. She sat on the edge of her bed, staring out at the moonlight filtering through the rain-streaked window.
Bringing my sister back...
The thought was becoming clearer, more solid, in her mind. The power of magic... that blue gem...
Teitan Elementary. After School.
Warm sunlight streamed through the hallway windows, casting long, shifting shadows. The air smelled faintly of chalk dust.
Haibara stood at the doorway of the third-grade classroom, her eyes fixed on Mitsuhiko as he packed his schoolbag.
"Mitsuhiko," she said, her voice even. "Could you come by Dr. Agasa's house after school? I want to take a look at that gem of yours."
He looked up, his eyes instantly brightening. "Of course!"
Genta and Ayumi gathered around, their curiosity piqued. "Can we come too?"
Haibara shook her head. "Sorry, but I just need Mitsuhiko's help today. It's about what happened when he saved me."
Conan, who had been listening, glanced at Haibara, a slight frown creasing his brow. It wasn't like her to proactively invite someone over, especially not alone.
"Haibara, what are you planning?" he asked quietly.
"Just some scientific research," she replied, her voice soft. "I want to understand the gem's composition."
Conan still felt a prickle of unease, but he had promised to go to the mall with Ran and didn't press the issue. "Call me if anything happens."
Perched on a tree branch just outside the window, Kyubey watched them, its tail swaying lazily. Its crimson eyes held a look of calm, unblinking patience.
[Non-Human Beings Chat Group]
SpongeBob SquarePants: Oh! Haibara wants to see Mitsuhiko alone! Is it a date?! IS IT?!
Tom Cat: [Cat_Tilting_Head_in_Confusion.jpeg], [Cat_Shaking_Head_No.jpeg]
Dr. Agasa's House. The Laboratory.
Under the sterile white lights of the lab, Haibara, wearing a pair of latex gloves, adjusted the focus on a high-powered microscope.
"Ai-kun, I'm heading out to buy some parts. I should be back soon. Do you need anything?" Dr. Agasa asked as he pulled on his coat.
"No, thank you, Professor. I'm just borrowing the lab for some analysis."
"Alright then. Call me if you need anything!" he said with a cheerful wave, and left. The click of the front door echoed in the now-empty house.
With her back to Mitsuhiko, Haibara continued to fiddle with the microscope. "Can you take off the Soul Gem for me? If it's really some kind of energy aggregate, I want to study its structure."
Mitsuhiko touched the blue gem on his chest. "Okay!"
He handed her the egg-shaped jewel. It shimmered beautifully under the lab lights. Haibara placed it on a slide and began working with a series of complex instruments.
"Wow, Haibara, you're amazing," Mitsuhiko said in awe, watching her expertly operate the equipment. "You know so much about all this stuff. You're like a... a real scientist!" He added, "You and Conan both know so much..."
As he spoke, Haibara noticed his nervous tells. His fingers fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. His eyes would dart from the machines she was using to her hands, then quickly look away.
Her own movements faltered for a fraction of a second. Of course she knew this. She was once one of the Organization's top scientists. But that was a truth she could never tell this innocent boy. She refused to drag another child into her dangerous world.
"Don't be silly," she said, her tone softening. "Knowing how to use a few machines isn't that impressive. The courage you showed that day... not just anyone has that." She turned to look at him. "Thank you. I'm so glad you were there."
A faint blush colored Mitsuhiko's cheeks. "I-It was nothing!"
Following Haibara's instructions, Mitsuhiko demonstrated his magical abilities for testing: teleportation, dissolution into light particles, and the creation of an energy shield. Each display left Haibara more astonished than the last.
"This completely violates the laws of Conan-logic..."
The research continued for over an hour, and Mitsuhiko started to get restless. "Haibara, can I use the restroom?"
She nodded, her eyes still glued to the microscope's eyepiece.
He left the lab and walked down the long, empty hallway. The sound of his footsteps echoed off the walls. He was about halfway to the bathroom when the world suddenly tilted and spun around him.
Then, everything went black.
THUD.
Mitsuhiko's body collapsed onto the hardwood floor.
At that exact moment, Conan, feeling that something was off, had cut his trip with Ran short and rushed to the professor's house. He pushed open the front door.
"Hey, Haibara! Ran had to go home early, so I came to see how your experiment is going—"
His words caught in his throat. The sight before him sent a chill down his spine.
Mitsuhiko was lying face-down on the floor, completely motionless.
"MITSUHIKO!"
Conan sprinted to his side and turned him over. The horrifying truth hit him like a physical blow.
No breath.
No pulse.
His pupils were dilated and fixed.
These were the signs of a corpse.
"HAIBARA, GET OUT HERE!" Conan's terrified shout reverberated through the house.
Haibara came running from the lab. When she saw Mitsuhiko, all the color drained from her face.
"Mitsuhiko! What's wrong?!" She dropped to her knees beside him, checking his vital signs. The more she checked, the more horrified she became. This is impossible! A person can't just... die like this in a matter of seconds! Unless...
"KYUBEY!" she suddenly screamed, her head snapping up. "KYUBEY, GET OUT HERE! I KNOW YOU'RE LISTENING!"
In the chat group, the two non-human spectators were in a full-blown panic.
[Non-Human Beings Chat Group]
SpongeBob SquarePants: AAAAAAHH! MITSUHIKO JUST COLLAPSED! IS HE DEAD?! THIS IS TERRIBLE!!!
Tom Cat: [Cat_Screaming.jpeg], [Cat_Tearing_at_Fur.jpeg], [Help.jpeg]
Just then, Dr. Agasa returned, holding a bag full of electronic parts. "I'm back! Oh, Conan, you're here too? What's going on?"
His smile froze as he saw the scene on the floor. The shopping bag slipped from his grasp, its contents clattering and scattering across the floor.
"Mi... Mitsuhiko!" The professor scrambled to his side, fumbling to check his condition. "This can't be! He was fine when I left! Ai-kun, call an ambulance!"
From a dark corner, a small white figure emerged.
"Nothing is wrong," Kyubey said calmly, its voice betraying no emotion whatsoever. "His body is simply too far from his Soul Gem."
Haibara whipped her head around. "What do you mean?"
Kyubey licked its paw, then stretched out languidly. "The Soul Gem is the vessel for his soul. The body is merely a tool, a puppet controlled by magic. If it moves more than 100 meters away, the connection is severed."
"What did you say?"
"Bring the Soul Gem back. The problem is simple."
Haibara immediately sprinted back into the lab and snatched the blue gem from the microscope slide. The moment the Soul Gem came within range of Mitsuhiko's body, a miracle occurred.
His lifeless form twitched. He gasped, taking in a massive breath like a drowning victim being pulled from the water.
"Wh-What happened?" he asked, looking around in confusion at the three terrified faces surrounding him.
The professor stared, his finger trembling. "But... that's impossible... he was just..."
Haibara threw her arms around Mitsuhiko, tears finally breaking free. For a terrifying moment, she thought the boy who had saved her life had died because of her. "Thank goodness... you're okay..."
[Non-Human Beings Chat Group]
SpongeBob SquarePants: He's alive! He's alive! It's a miracle!
Tom Cat: [Cat_Sighing_in_Relief.jpeg], [Cat_Pats_Chest.jpeg]
Conan stood up, his small form radiating anger as he glared at Kyubey. "Explain. Everything. Now."
Kyubey swished its tail and tilted its head, its expression unchanging, as if stating a simple fact. "As I said, the Soul Gem is the soul's vessel. A magical girl's body is just a shell constructed from magic. The true life is inside the gem."
It began to pace slowly. "This is why magical girls can sustain fatal injuries and recover instantly. As long as the Soul Gem is intact, the body can be repaired with magic. From an evolutionary standpoint, it is a far more efficient form of existence."
The meaning of Kyubey's words slowly dawned on Mitsuhiko, and his face turned deathly pale.
"So... I'm not human anymore?" he whispered. "I'm just a... a walking corpse?"
Seeing the look of horror on his face, Haibara knew she had to do something. She took his hand, her grip firm. "No, you're not. You're Mitsuhiko, no matter what form you're in. You saved my life. That's more important than anything."
His shoulders trembled. "But... I'm a monster..."
Haibara looked him directly in the eyes. "A monster wouldn't be horrified by what it is. You are still Mitsuhiko, with feelings and a soul."
Conan's cold gaze returned to Kyubey. "You never told him any of this, did you?"
"He didn't ask."
"You deliberately concealed the truth of the contract! You tricked him into signing it!"
"The physical body is merely a container, and a fragile one at that," Kyubey retorted. "The Soul Gem is a superior form of existence. We simply helped him upgrade."
Its gaze shifted to Haibara. "Ai Haibara. Now you understand. This is the kind of magic that can allow you to see your sister again. Magic that can transcend the boundary between life and death."
Kyubey's voice was quiet, hypnotic. "Your sister can come back. All it takes is one simple contract."
Conan immediately stepped in front of Haibara. "Don't listen to it! You can't trust it! Besides... bringing back the dead... that's impossible!" His voice cracked. "Akemi Miyano... I watched her die with my own eyes..."
Kyubey was unmoved. "I never lie, little detective. The very nature of magic is to defy logic. It may be impossible for others, but Ai Haibara has the potential. Her karmic destiny... is more than sufficient. For her, resurrecting a single person is entirely possible."
Haibara's eyes widened. Bringing my sister back... Is it really possible?
A strange, heavy silence fell over the room, broken only by the ticking of a clock on the wall, each tick a hammer blow against their nerves.
Mitsuhiko stared at the Soul Gem in his hands, its blue light reflecting on his pale face. Dr. Agasa placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, though his own was still shaking.
"What is it you really want?!" Conan demanded furiously.
Kyubey didn't answer. It gave Haibara one last look before turning and padding toward the shadows in the corner.
"The question isn't what I want," its voice faded as it walked. "It's what you want."
Conan lunged after it, but by the time he reached the corner, Kyubey was gone. There was nothing there but a single, stray strand of white fur drifting in the air.