"So you knew all along..." Professor Shibuya muttered, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"I did," Professor Hoga admitted, his tone was filled with bitterness. "I thought it was odd that you were able to get a job in NASA, let alone, happen to be good in your studies when we first met during foundation. After you left to work at NASA as soon as you graduated, as soon as I started out as a lecturer, I heard from my colleagues at Teitan University."

Ranran, Shinichi, and the rest of the children watched, as Professor Hoga lamented, "While I was struggling day in and out juggling university life and trying to keep the roof afloat alongside my parents who were alive back then, you were simply breezily scoring your exam as if life was a game of solitaire." Professor Hoga's bitterness was palpable. "And there you were, jet-setting off to the States while I was stuck here, grinding my way through academic drudgery."

"But that shouldn't excuse what you did!" Takuma told him off.

"Exactly!" Junko added, her tone unyielding. "Jealousy is no excuse for betraying someone's trust."

"At the beginning, I tried to brush that chapter of his life off," Professor Hoga's face contorted with frustration. "I told myself that I would eventually get out of my lecturer job by doing everything by myself. Yet....the more I tried, the more I realized how deep I was sinking into a pit of envy and resentment."

Emiko's eyes widened, taking in the raw emotions pouring out of Professor Hoga.

"I pitched my ideas in multiple tech conferences, hoping for a breakthrough," Professor Hoga continued, his voice growing more desperate. "But the funding never came through. No matter how groundbreaking my research was, it never seemed to catch the right eye. It was always you, Shibuya, with your effortless success."

The bitterness in his voice was like a sharp blade, slicing through the air.

"And then, to add insult to injury, you come back with tales of your exploits at NASA whenever you texted me photos of your adventures, while I'm here, barely scraping by," Professor Hoga's voice cracked, revealing the depth of his pain. "I couldn't bear it. The resentment festered, gnawing at me day after day."

Ranran, Shinichi, and the children listened in sombre silence, the weight of Professor Hoga's words sinking in.

"Around a year ago, the last straw was when I was lecturing nuclear physics lessons, Teitan University decided to have a motivational speech coming from you.

"Seriously?!" Michio interjected, his surprise evident. "You couldn't even escape his success in your own lecture hall?"

"Nope, not at all," Professor Hoga sighed deeply. "There he was, standing in front of my students, captivating them with his stories of NASA and space exploration, while I was relegated to the background like an afterthought."

"I would've loved to hear that speech," Emiko chimed in, her tone dripping with irony.

"Oh, it was a real showstopper, let me tell you," Professor Hoga replied, his voice laced with sarcasm. "He even brought some meteorites from space as props. The students were practically eating out of his hand."

Shinichi couldn't help but smirk. "Well, it sounds like he knows how to make an entrance."

"You do know that the administration is the one who brought me over, right?" Professor Shibuya reminded him.

"I know," Professor Hoga gave a downcast bitter look on the ground, "But what made me agitated around that same day, was that when a party was thrown in your honour, my colleagues were busy whispering as they were drunk over how ironic is that both of us started foundation around the same year, and that we ended up on vastly different paths. It was like some twisted cosmic joke. They talked about how you were the golden boy, the prodigy who soared to the stars while I was stuck in the mundane world of academia."

"Awkward," Takuma commented.

"Takuma!" Junko hissed at him.

"I am around my 80's, an elderly man. I didn't achieve much, so to hear all of this, that was for me the final straw," Professor Hoga continued, his bitterness unabated. "I couldn't take it anymore. That's when I decided to take matters into my own hands. Hearing those words was like a constant reminder of my failures, and my unfulfilled dreams, and to see my nepo-friend achieving things without lifting a finger really did a number on me," Professor Hoga confessed, his voice strained with emotion. "It felt like the universe was mocking me at every turn."

"That's heavy," Mouri Ran murmured, her eyes reflecting a mix of sympathy and understanding.

"Everything became a blur after that," Professor Hoga continued, his tone hollow. "Making a complaint report that Professor Shibuya was allegedly embezzling money from NASA was a good start."

"Then why is it even after he lost his career, you went after him anyway!?" Michio confronted him.

"Last year after he moved back to Japan when he joked about stealing those plans from NASA and hiding into that stuffed eagle when it fell and he was acting super frantic about it, I knew what he told me wasn't a joke." Professor Hoga declared, his voice cold and unyielding. "I have bad unpleasant counters with nepo-children growing up, so the last thing I want to see is him and his damn stuffed eagle!" Professor Hoga's voice grew louder, his frustration boiling over. "You treasured that bird or those stolen plans more than anything, parading it around like it was a relic from the heavens!"

Michio glanced at the stuffed eagle, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. It seemed like there was more to the story than met the eye.

"I couldn't stand it anymore," Professor Hoga's voice trembled with anger. "So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I had to prove that I was just as capable, just as worthy of recognition as you were."

Outside was thick with tension, the air heavy with unspoken regret.

"So, you hired The Snake," Ranran stated, her voice devoid of any sympathy.

Professor Hoga nodded, his gaze fixed on the ground. "Yes, I thought if I could get my hands on those rocket plans, finally make a breakthrough, then maybe... just maybe, I could show everyone that I was more than just a bitter lecturer. That I am better than my nepo-friend."

The admission hung in the air, a painful revelation of the depths one could sink when consumed by envy and resentment.

"Wow, that's some next-level bitterness," Emiko remarked, her tone tinged with disbelief.

"Seriously, therapy might've been a better option," Takuma chimed in, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Therapy?" Professor Hoga scoffed. "Please. That's for weaklings who can't handle reality."

"So after hiring criminals to break into his place and steal those nuclear rocket plans, was your plan to have him die?" Shinichi questioned, his eyes sharp.

"Aside from getting tortured, death is the last thing. Cause him dying is too easy," Professor Hoga admitted without hesitation. "I knew it was a risk, but at that point, I didn't care. All I wanted was to see him fall."

"Man, talk about holding a grudge," Shinichi muttered under his breath.

"It wasn't just about the plans," Professor Hoga continued, his voice growing more intense. "It was about stripping away everything he held dear, just as he had inadvertently done to me. The eagle was symbolic; it represented his success, his achievements, and I wanted to shatter it, just as my dreams had been shattered."

"That's dark, even for a revenge plot," Ran commented, her voice tinged with unease.

"It was a desperate move," Professor Hoga conceded, his tone more subdued. "I thought it would be the final blow, the one that would break him completely. But I never anticipated that you kids would get involved."

"Well, we're not exactly fans of nuclear devastation," Michio deadpanned.

"You don't understand! You don't know what it's like to have your dreams shattered, to feel like you're drowning in mediocrity while others effortlessly soar to success!"

"I am sorry, but simply using this stupid excuse in the name of jealousy, was it worth putting the entire country in jeopardy!?" Shinichi confronted angrily.

"Shinichi....." Ran's words died out as she watched the 6-year-old apprentice confronting Professor Hoga.

"I know that feeling, that awful envy towards someone having the upper advantage due to the fact that person was born into a privileged background," Shinichi recalled that moment he broke into Ranran's house and forced her to quit as 'The Fox' before his head, "It's easy to blame that person, but did it not occur to you for a second that sometimes not necessarily the one who is born with everything in the world is destined for a beautiful future!?"

Professor Hoga was taken aback by Shinichi's passionate outburst, his eyes wide with surprise.

"You whined that since Professor Shibuya was born into a wealthy family, he had everything at his disposal. Then what about you? You borrowed so much money from loansharks to make up those science-related projects that ended in failure, that your debt racked up to about 8.5 million yen. If you claimed that Professor Shibuya's success was based on his privileged background, why is it that after borrowing so much money, there was no progress in sight for you after 8 decades?!"

Shinichi's words hung in the air like a thunderclap. Professor Hoga stared at the ground, unable to meet the gaze of the determined child before him.

"I once met someone who was born into the same kind of privilege as me," Shinichi's eyes saddened at his past regrets, "I turned down a lifetime opportunity to learn the ways of becoming a child Tantei to make my own path. But that person, who had every advantage, squandered it all. I resented every bit of her existence, so like you, I tried to force her to quit this Tantei business. But you know what? I was wrong. Thanks to this privilege she had, she became a Tantei so experience, I overlook the fact that she saved way more people than one would without using connections."

Shinichi's voice resonated bluntly as his gaze fixed on Professor Hoga. "A lot of people I know of rather indulge in luxury, but never once considered improving themselves to help others. And in a worst-case scenario, they laze around and become a huge burden to everyone around them. What Professor Shibuya did to his former workplace may not be justifiable as it is reckless, but....keep in mind that he has been with NASA for several decades with inferior incompetent rocket scientists, and even if he has relied on his privilege to get him there, it didn't mean he could've remain working there that long if he didn't make full good use of his privilege, Professor Hoga. And that itself....where you lose to him in every single aspect!"

"Kudo-"

But Shinichi ignored his mentor as he ranted, "Your project failed not because you are incapable, "I get it you put in everything you had in you to make it to the same level of success as Professor Shibuya, but you can't ignore the fact that not all of the success can never be solely determined by effort, even if one is born with privilege...the truth is, you are not incompetent, but a bitter guy who let this grudge run in your head for so long, you ended up losing sight of what you had from the start!"

Everything eventually fell into a stunned silence, Shinichi's words echoing through the air. Professor Hoga looked as if he had been struck by lightning, his face a mix of shock and realization.

........................................................................................

Once Sergeant Genzo arrived with his men to handcuff Professor Hoga, he towered over Ranran angrily. "This would be the last time I would ever be on board with your dangerous plans ever again!"

"Hey, in the first place, it wasn't my fault that if it wasn't for that meddling girl over there," Ranran casually pointed at Mouri Ran without looking at her, "The casualties could've reduced from 7 of us to two!"

Sergeant Genzo let out an exasperated sigh, clearly frustrated with the chaotic turn of events. "That doesn't excuse the fact that you put yourselves in unnecessary danger. This could've gone horribly wrong."

"But it didn't, right?" Ranran shot back, her tone unapologetic.

"Sir, with all due respect, Ranran did a pretty good job." Shinichi defended his mentor before glaring at Ran, "It was her fault that things got this dangerous!"

"I agree!" Takuma nodded knowingly, before revealing to Genzo, "Sergeant, Mouri Ran wasn't even a member of the association anymore, so when she rushed over to our main HQ to meddle once more, all of us tried to remove her before The Snake's men stormed in and grab all 7 of us! So Ranran can't be fully blamed when this stubborn parasite refuses to leave! Plus, Shinichi cut ties with her as friends for the past 2 months, so I don't see why Ranran should be blamed when in reality, she did everything in her power to protect us all!"

"Takuma is right!" Michio insists, "I don't normally side with anyone on this matter, but Ranran shouldn't be blamed. She did warn everyone not to come to our HQ, and it was only Ran rushing over to the main HQ to try and meddle once more that we were all caught up later on."

The more the rest of the children blamed Mouri Ran, the more ashamed she grew.

Sergeant Genzo listened to the heated exchange, clearly torn between scolding Mouri Ran and acknowledging the valid points towards Kudo Ranran raised by the others. It was evident that the situation was more complex than he initially thought.

Mouri Ran stood there, her face flushed with embarrassment and regret. She realized that her actions had put everyone in danger, and she couldn't help but feel a profound sense of guilt.

"Alright, alright," Sergeant Genzo finally conceded, rubbing his temples. "I ain't mad at Ranran, I just think that next time something like this happens, don't go overboard, alright?"

Ranran smirked triumphantly. "Of course, Sergeant. You can always count on us to keep it interesting."

Shinichi rolled his eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Despite the chaos and danger, they managed to come out on top once again. "Did you catch The Snake?"

"We tried an aerial ambush and the other chopper is still tracking him. But the van went into a tunnel of some sort so.....I think we've lost them." Sergeant Genzo grunted Sergeant Genzo turned back to Ranran. "Now, where are those nuclear rocket plans?"

Professor Shibuya pointed to the crushed microdot."There they are, Sergeant. What The Snake has is worthless. Completely worthless," he added bitterly.

"Just like his friendship with Hoga Eiichiro." Ranran decided.

"Ranran!" Shinichi hissed at his partner-in-crime.

"So phoney, "Takuma shakes his head in disapproval. "Their friendship just crumbled after so many decades plus."

"Agree," Emiko and the others nodded knowingly.

The sergeant glowered at Hoga."Well, a year or so in jail will help to straighten your thinking towards your jealousy with your friend so to speak." Then he turned back to Professor Shibuya," And, of course to Professor Shibuya, you do realize that you'll be sent to jail, too? Stealing things like nuclear rocket plans is no small crime."

Shibuya shrugged calmly, "Don't worry sir. I deserve to be jailed. I...wasn't in a good place when I did that. You can have a complete confession anytime. All I ask is that I can bring my eagle along for company."

Sergeant Genzo's jaw dropped. "You want to take that stuffed eagle to jail?"

Shibuya smiled grimly." Why not? After all, it will be just another jailbird."

As soon as Professor Hoga was placed in the back of the police car before leaving, Emiko asked, "Why is it you never revealed to Professor Hoga all these years that you were born into a wealthy family?"

"I didn't think it was something worth mentioning when I started university." Professor Shibuya spoke in a sad tone, "Growing up, everyone around me accused me of being too smart for my own good thanks to my family, and they thought of me as arrogant. So I didn't really have many friends back then."

"That's awful." Takuma sympathizes.

"So around the time before I was set to pick a university college to choose, I applied for the furthest, which is Teitan University. Because that way, no one knows of my ties with my family."

"And now, it probably wasn't worth it to have a leach friend like Professor Hoga." Ranran rolled her eyes.

"Ranran!"

"True, but...." Professor Shibuya gave a sad smile while flashing his teeth through his wrinkled face, "At least I was treated normally for the first time."

Ranran listened to the whole exchange with a mixture of surprise and amusement.

With the police car door shut as Professor Shibuya was escorted away, Shinichi pulled Ranran to whisper to her, "When we get back to the main HQ, make some phone calls to Reina's uncle about what NASA did to Professor Shibuya."

Surprise, Ranran turned her head to him, "You want to oust those people who did a sloppy investigation towards Professor Shibuya when those fake allegations surface, huh?"

"I don't like it when incompetent people drag down others with lies because one is more talented than them." Shinichi decided as he growled, "Too many children of talent like us are already unreasonably suffering through bullies out of jealousy, I don't want those who dream of becoming a scientist like Professor Shibuya to be forced to quit their dream, all because they are incompetent jealous fools who refuse to acknowledge their faults."

"You have a point," Ranran nodded in agreement, "Given your hardship and experience....they shouldn't suffer the way you did."

Shinichi gave a nod of approval.

As the group were each lost in their own thoughts, Mouri Ran approached Ranran hesitantly. "Ranran, I... I'm sorry," she mumbled, her gaze fixed on the ground.

Ranran looked at her for a moment before rolling her eyes. "I don't know how many more apologies from you are insincere, it would've been better if you didn't waste your breath on me."

Mouri Ran winced at the harsh words but didn't argue.

........................................................................................

With the case closed, the children were planning to head home till one problem surfaced.

"Bad news everyone," Shinichi rushed over to gather the rest of the members, with a very grim look, "Since the animal extradition people are understaffed, we are now in charge of having to capture every single bird that broke out of the aviary here."

"Excuse me!?" Junko who had a fear of birds, was in disbelief as everyone's jaw dropped, "No way!"

Takuma looked equally alarmed. "There are so many of them! How are we supposed to catch them all?"

"Also, why the hell should we?" Ranran scoffed, "It wouldn't do much harm for the birds to hang around this..... whenever luxurious neighbourhood we were kidnapped to at the moment. Where are we anyway?"

Shinichi let out a long sigh, clearly aware of the chaos that was about to unfold. "We're in a posh residential area called Beika Heights. The residents are furious about the birds and they want them gone. It's part of our job to clean up this mess, unfortunately."

"But we were kidnapped all the way here! Against our will!" Ran insists.

"Also, The Snake is the one who brought Professor Shibuya's birds here against our will!" Michio let out a groan, looking at the birds that were now perched on various buildings and trees. "This is going to be a nightmare."

Emiko, on the other hand, seemed somewhat intrigued. "I've never seen this many birds in one place before. It's kind of... impressive. I can use this for my artwork reference."

"You have....what?" Ranran personally counted the number of birds around the area, "1,2, 3....if we add in the 150 plus birds Junko saw the other day, that's not counting the ones we might not even see hiding somewhere."

"I'm with Junko on this," Takuma admitted, "I'm not going anywhere near those birds."

"And I'm not climbing any trees or buildings to get them," Ran added firmly.

"Also, we are child detectives who deliver the truth, not the animal extraction team who go after exotic birds!" Michio insists.

Ranran crossed her arms, looking at Shinichi with a stern expression. "Can't we just call animal control or something?"

Shinichi shook his head. "They're swamped with other cases. We're on our own for this one."

Ran meanwhile let out an exasperated sigh. "Great. So we're stuck here, trying to wrangle 150-plus birds."

As they all looked around at the task ahead, it was clear that this was going to be a long and challenging endeavour. The birds seemed to be enjoying their newfound freedom, fluttering around and perching on anything they could find.

"Why can't the cops do it then?" Ranran confronted.

"The residents here are pretty influential, and they want this done quickly since they are having an upcoming event later tonight. They're putting pressure on the police to not waste any more time," Shinichi explained, his expression reflecting his frustration.

"What event is so important for them to do that? A birthday?" Ran mocked.

Shinichi shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe a fancy gala or something. Either way, we're stuck with this task."

Ranran let out a groan of annoyance. "This is ridiculous. We're child detectives, not professional bird wranglers."

Takuma let out a groan of exasperation. "So we're stuck in this mess because of some rich people who can't handle a few birds?"

"It seems that way," Shinichi chimed in, clearly annoyed by the situation.

"Well, I guess we have no choice then," Emiko said, sounding surprisingly determined. "Let's get to work, team."

Junko shot her a surprised look. "You're actually up for this?"

Emiko shrugged. "It's a challenge, and I'm always up for a challenge."

"But I can't handle birds!" Junko protested, her eyes wide with panic.

"Then feel free to quit the association." Shinichi offered.

"Well, I don't have to do it, since I am no longer a member anymore." Ran scruffed.

"Oh no, you are going to have to do it," Ranran crossed her arms while giving her a sinister grin, "Since you were the one who meddled and almost endangered all of our lives earlier which resulted in the kidnapping, you too had to do it whether you like it or not. Unless you refuse, I will get your parents to extend forced therapy sessions through your parents, or have you rot your life in a mental hospital. So what will it be?"

Ran's face fell at Ranran's determined words. She glanced around at the flapping birds, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

"But... I really don't want to do this," Ran protested weakly.

"You don't have a choice," Shinichi cast an unforgiving look before telling everyone, "Let's get this done and over with. The quicker we do this, the faster all of us head home."

Reluctantly, Ran let out a sigh of resignation, realizing that she was cornered. She had no choice but to comply with Ranran's demand. With a reluctant nod, she joined the efforts to catch the remaining birds.

.....................................................................................

Capturing birds including eagles, flamingos, macaws and many exotic kinds is easier said than done.

As the day wore on, Ran did her best to contribute, though her unease around the birds was evident. She moved cautiously and tried to keep her distance as much as possible. It was clear that this was far from her comfort zone.

Ranran, on the other hand, kept a watchful eye on Ran, ensuring that she didn't slack off or attempt to avoid the task. She was determined to see this through, holding Ran accountable for the chaos she had inadvertently caused earlier.

Meanwhile, Junko is having the worst day of her life.

"Come on, Junko, open your hands a little wider!"

Michio handed over to her a feisty parrot that had been perched on a tree branch. It flapped its colourful wings and squawked loudly, clearly agitated.

Junko's face contorted in fear as she reluctantly tried to follow Michio's instructions. She extended her hands, but the parrot refused to cooperate, biting her fingers in the process.

"Ouch! That hurt!" Junko cried out, tears welling up in her eyes.

Michio winced in sympathy. "Sorry, Junko. These birds can be really feisty."

Takuma, who had been observing the scene after capturing a couple of them, couldn't help but smirk. "Looks like even the birds could sense a bad kid easily."

Junko shot her a glare. "You try dealing with this! Birds hate me!"

But Takuma would not have it easy several minutes later, as he was being chased by a particularly persistent cockatoo. It squawked loudly, flapping its wings and following Takuma wherever he went.

"Get away, you crazy bird!" Takuma shouted, trying to dodge the bird's advances.

The cockatoo seemed to take this as a challenge, only becoming more determined to catch Takuma, as the cops who had been watching from a distance, couldn't help but burst into laughter at the sight.

Emiko, who had managed to calm a group of birds earlier, approached Takuma with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Need some help, Takuma?"

Takuma, still trying to evade the persistent cockatoo, nodded desperately. "Please!"

With a deft motion, Emiko approached the cockatoo and managed to coax it onto her arm. She then gently walked it over to Takuma and handed it over.

"There you go, problem solved," Emiko said with a satisfied smile.

Takuma, still panting, took the cockatoo with a mixture of gratitude and relief. "Thanks, Emiko. You're a lifesaver."

"Go away! You stupid peacock!" Ran was having a bad day too, having a yelling match with a particularly stubborn peacock. It strutted around, its vibrant feathers fanned out in a display of defiance.

Ranran couldn't help but chuckle at the scene. "Looks like you've met your match, Ran."

Ran shot her a glare. "This bird has a personal grudge against me, I swear."

"Kaw!"

"Kyaaaah!!!"

Soon, Ran could be seen running away from the angry peacock.

Shinichi, who had been observing the situation, approached with a wry smile. "Now do you know how it feels to be upstaged with a bird like a peacock, Mouri?"

Ran gave Shinichi a frustrated look from afar as she ran with all her might, but couldn't deny the irony of the situation. She had certainly met her match in the form of a stubborn peacock.

But all of that was nothing, comparing as to what would happen an hour later.

"Ranran!"

Because Ranran made a grab onto the legs of a Harpy Eagle on someone's balcony from a mansion, and the fact that she is lightweight for a 6-year-old, it was easily able to lift her off the ground. The eagle, its powerful wings extended, flapped awkwardly with the unexpected added weight. Ranran's eyes widened in shock as she suddenly found herself airborne.

"Ranran!" Shinichi yelled, his eyes wide with alarm.

The children and the rest of the cops gasped in horror, realizing the gravity of the situation. Ranran was being lifted into the air by the harpy eagle.

"Oh snap! It can fly!" Ranran's words were a mix of astonishment and exhilaration, a surprising twist in an already dramatic situation. She extended her arms, trying to maintain her balance as the eagle flapped its wings with increasing determination.

"Ranran, hold on tight!" Shinichi shouted, his mind racing for a solution.

Everyone watched with bated breath, their hearts pounding in their chests. It was a sight none of them could have anticipated. As everyone was panicking over what to do, it appears not every single child on land was particularly worried about Ranran's welfare.

"Emiko and Takuma, what the hell are you both doing!?" Shinichi yelled at the two using a smartphone to film this moment, the same smartphone that The Snake who kidnapped them hours ago had his men confiscated, only to be left behind when the police raided earlier.

"Filming this, of course, Reina is not going to believe that an eagle can carry Ranran over." Takuma was too fixated on his smartphone.

"I needed some art inspiration, this will do us a favour." Emiko decided.

Boiling in rage that they were favouring content over human life, Shinichi's face contorted in disbelief and frustration before barking out threats, "If either of you don't put those phones down and help, I am going to publish all of this on our association report. And when the teacher read this, you two are in heap loads of trouble!"

Takuma and Emiko quickly put their phones away, realizing the severity of the situation. They rushed to join the others in trying to figure out how to rescue Ranran. As the situation unfolded, the onlookers gasped and murmured in astonishment, their smartphones capturing every moment of the dramatic rescue attempt. It seemed the sight of a young girl being lifted into the air by an eagle was not something they saw every day.

Sergeant Genzo, his face a mix of concern and determination, barked out orders to his officers. "Get a net! We need to catch her!"

The officers rushed to find a net, their movements quick and focused. They knew that time was of the essence.

Ran's heart was in her throat, watched with wide eyes as she wondered how things would turn out.

Sergeant Genzo, his face a mix of concern and determination, barked out orders to his officers. "Get a net! We need to catch her!"

The officers rushed to find a net, their movements quick and focused. They knew that time was of the essence.

Ranran's heart was in her throat, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and trepidation. She clung tightly to the harpy eagle's legs, her knuckles turning white with the force of her grip. The wind whipped around her, and she could feel the power of the bird beneath her.

Shinichi's mind raced, trying to come up with a plan. He scanned the area for anything that could be used to safely bring Ranran down. He spotted a large, sturdy branch lying nearby and quickly grabbed it.

"Everyone, spread out and create a safe landing zone!" he called out to the others. They immediately complied, clearing the area beneath where Ranran was hovering.

As Ranran continued to be lifted higher into the air, she could feel the tension in the harpy eagle's wings. It was clear that the bird was struggling to keep her aloft. She stole a glance at Shinichi, his face a mask of determination and worry. She knew that he was doing everything he could to come up with a solution.

The officers approached cautiously, their net ready to be deployed. They knew they needed to time their actions perfectly to ensure Ranran's safety.

With a final burst of effort, the harpy eagle made a sharp turn, angling towards the safe landing zone created by the others. It descended rapidly, its wings flapping furiously.

Just as Ranran was about to reach the ground, she let go of the eagle's legs and dropped onto the grass below. She rolled to absorb the impact and quickly scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding in her chest.

The officers moved swiftly, using the net to catch the harpy eagle as it landed gracefully beside Ranran. The bird squawked in surprise, but it was unharmed.

Ranran let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She looked up at the officers, her eyes wide with a mixture of relief and gratitude. "I have finally achieved my bucket list of flying on my own," she managed to say, her voice slightly shaky.

The officers let out a collective sigh of relief, relieved that the daring rescue attempt had been successful. They carefully secured the harpy eagle in the net, ensuring it wouldn't escape again.

Takuma approached Ranran with a stern expression, though a glint of admiration shone in his eyes. "Ranran, flying on an eagle is not something most people can claim to have done."

Ranran grinned, a mixture of exhilaration and relief coursing through her. "It was definitely an experience. One I won't be forgetting anytime soon. By the way, did you get it on video?"

Takuma chuckled, still a bit out of breath. "Yes, we got it on video. That was quite the stunt, Ranran. You've certainly set a new bar for unexpected adventures."

Emiko nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I can't wait to use this as inspiration for my art. It's not every day you see someone riding an eagle."

"You mean clung onto the eagle?" Junko corrected her, "Ranran was technically gripping onto its leg."

Shinichi, who had been watching the entire ordeal with a mix of worry and amazement, couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief. "Only you, Ranran, would end up in a situation like this."

Ranran gave her a mischievous grin. "Hey, life would be boring otherwise, right?"

.......................................................................

After the last few birds were finally captured, the group gathered to assess their progress. Ran was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. She knew she had to face the consequences of her actions, and this was just the beginning.

"Well, we did it," Ranran stated her tone firm. "Thanks for your contribution, Ran."

Ran nodded, her expression sombre. "Yeah, you're welcome."

The residents of Beika Heights expressed their gratitude once again, and the children prepared to head back to the main HQ. It had been a long and exhausting day, filled with unexpected twists and turns.

As they walked, Ran approached Ranran with a sincere expression. "I...I'm sorry for what I did earlier. I didn't think things through, and I put everyone in danger."

Ranran looked at her for a moment before replying, "How many times had you actually said this, but never really go through with it."

The long brown-haired girl's face fell at Ranran's response.

"When you were in the association for the past 2 months, which is equivalent to forever in child detective years, you've been an anchor, holding us back with your half-hearted attempts and reckless behaviour. Especially how many you made Shinichi clean up your mess way more than I do." Ranran continued, her voice tinged with frustration. "Do I act reckless as you? Yes, but I don't go about suffocating people unless they deserve it."

"Ranran, don't waste your breath on her like I did." Shinichi had his hand on her shoulder.

"Exactly, like, let's not even. She's basically a human rollercoaster of bad decisions," Takuma chimed in, rolling his eyes dramatically.

Expecting her to deny it, Ran shrugged, reminding Ranran of a lost squirrel in a chaotic forest. "I mean, I can't argue with that. My decision-making skills are like trying to navigate a maze blindfolded while being chased by a horde of angry chickens."

Emiko then had an idea, "Speaking of angry chickens, I should paint that as my next masterpiece before hanging it in the main HQ."

"That ain't appropriate," Junko frowned deeply at the artist's remark.

"Agree." Michio nodded.

"Let's call it a day, good-bye Ran."

Ran nodded, her gaze fixed on the ground as the other children prepared to head home. Before the old Shinichi would say 'good-bye' and then the words that followed would end with 'see you tomorrow'.

This time, there is no 'see you tomorrow'.

After today, they will be back to strangers and acquaintances. No more, no less, not even kindergarten friends to be exact, while Ranran gets to see Shinichi every single day.

The weight of reality settled on Ran's shoulders like a heavy cloak. She watched the others disperse, each heading in their own direction. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that their time together was coming to an end.

And now, she is reminded of that play she, Shinichi and Ranran were in, the irrelevant antagonist extra who had no significance in the grand scheme of things. Just another face in the crowd, easily forgotten.

Ran glanced over at Ranran, who was engaged in an animated conversation with Shinichi. Their bond was evident, their shared experiences forging a connection that Ran couldn't help but envy.

.......................................................................

"And so, that ended my story. I....could only see them in class, and they would barely interact with me. Even if they do....it is mostly class-related matters."

6-year-old Mouri Ran headed to the psychologist after everything had ended, as well as the circle of children who remained at their seats, present to share their own woes of hot temper behaviour that led them to end up here.

She was careful to not leak out every single person's real name obviously out of safety concerns, The last thing Ran needed was for an angry Kudo Shinichi to lash out about the things she had done to them again and again, including not revealing Ranran as 'The Fox'. However, certain names in real life she did not live omitted.

Before, the children who listened to Ran spoke ill towards her, since whenever she brought up Ranran's 'behaviour', they could see that Ranran was reacting justifiably too generously towards her.

It wasn't until Ran toned down her temper, presumably admitting defeat, that the dynamics started to shift. She became more approachable, and the others felt more comfortable interacting with her.

"It sounds like you're feeling really left out and disconnected from your friends," the psychologist said gently.

"Friend actually," Ran corrected her as she nodded, her small face filled with sadness. "I ain't friends with that girl, but Shinichi."

The psychologist nodded, understanding the complexity of the situation. "I mean after everything you describe to have happened, it ain't surprising. Not a single child believed in him when he was framed for a feud he did not instigate, everyone including you and Sonoko. He was pushed to a breaking point by you and Sonoko."

"It was a costly mistake," Ran looked down at her hands, her fingers fidgeting before her tears began to fall. "A very cruel mistake."

The psychologist reached out and gently placed a hand on Ran's shoulder, offering a comforting presence. "It's okay to feel regret, Ran."

"As much as I was lied to which is what led things to where Shinichi and I stand....I don't know why I felt cheated...." Ran sniffled, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "I was a victim of being manipulated by others, and I admit I am at fault for everything that has happened, including what I did to Ranran, but...why does it feel unfair to me?!"

Recognizing the pain and confusion in Ran's words, she answered "In the first place, it's completely normal to feel a mix of emotions in a situation like this, Ran. It ain't as if you had evil thoughts about wanting to do the worst to him. Cause if that were the case, it would've been way different." The psychologist reassured her.

Soon, the smartphone rang in the pocket of the psychologist, urging her to excuse herself before picking up the call, leaving Ran with the other children who began asking questions.

"If you had another chance, would you make things right?"

"Definitely," Ran nodded, her tears gradually subsiding. "I want to apologize to Shinichi and try to rebuild our friendship. But....I don't know how....they keep avoiding me as if I am some sort of plague."

"Then why not you expose to everyone that sociopath, Mamiko, lied to you?" One of the children seated around the circle suggested.

"Eh?"