Whenever 6-year-old Mouri Ran cleans up Tantei Association office, it usually is a form of coping mechanism for her.

After the intense confrontation between her, Moriko and Reina, she found herself back at the Tantei Association office feeling overwhelmed and emotionally drained. The weight of today's events still lingered in her mind. Ran sighed, feeling a mix of frustration, hurt, and confusion. She knew she needed a way to cope with all these emotions, and cleaning had always been her go-to method.

After all, this always seem to work for her after her parents had separated.

The office was cluttered with case files, detective gadgets, and various knick-knacks scattered around. For Ran, cleaning up the mess was like sorting out her thoughts and feelings. As she picked up a file and placed it neatly in the cabinet, she felt a sense of control and order, even if it was just in the physical space.

It is the only control she has within Tantei Association that her enemy, Kudo Ranran, doesn't. She may have been the founder of this place, but she ain't the tidiest in organizing if one were to compare side by side. Although Ranran isn't messy like Shinichi is with his bedroom, she definitely doesn't have Ran's attention to detail when it comes to keeping things organized.

Ran's mind kept replaying the harsh words exchanged between her and Ranran during their confrontation. It hurt to hear Shinichi speaking ill of her behind her back, making her feel like she was just a burden and an annoyance. Ran knew she could be headstrong and stubborn at times, but she never expected her ex-childhood friend to treat her this way.

With each item she tidied up, Ran felt a bit of the emotional weight lift off her shoulders. It was as if the act of cleaning was a way for her to regain some control over her feelings. She was taking charge of the chaos around her, just as she wanted to take charge of her emotions.

As she carefully dusted off the shelves and arranged the detective gadgets, she thought about what Reina and Moriko had said earlier. She was annoyed, it's natural for them to say this because they are Ranran's friends.

Yet....apart from this, for some reason...Mouri Ran can't help but think they may be onto something.

Maybe there was some truth to Ranran's actions. Something Ran isn't seeing.

"Ran-san, do you need to stop cleaning and take a break?" 10-year-old Fuyuko Junko who is wiping her spectacles remains on her seat, typing down the entire report of their case files on the tablet.

"Ah no, it's alright," Ran reassured her before continuing to do her job.

"Let her be, she had it hard thanks to Ranran's script writing for the play by making Mouri's character ignorant and an idiot," The ever-observant 9-year-old Miyama Emiko was once more busy sketching the scenery of the street view outside their Tantei Association office on the sketchbook without looking at Junko.

"Seriously, I can't understand what was going through Ranran's mind when she did this to Mouri!" Junko then glared at Ranran's close friend, 6-year-old Hikari Takuma, the head of the American Football Club of Teitan Elementary School/ member of Tantei Association, who is lazily laying down, using the meeting table as a bed. "I know that Ranran and her had bad blood, but did Ranran have to take things too far!?"

"In the first place, it was her best friend Sonoko's fault for butchering the character of Snow Queen that was meant for Ranran, it was clearly obvious she had the intention to make Ranran look rather pathetic. Let alone, get the entire school to hate her." Takuma rolled his eyes casually at the glaring secretary, "Also, who was the one at fault for breaking into Ranran and Shinichi's house when all of this was going on? Otherwise, Ranran wouldn't have been able to take away Sonoko's scriptwriting privileges in the drama club despite not being a member. Sonoko and Mouri both asked for it when they decided to mess with Ranran."

Junko huffed in frustration, not satisfied with Takuma's response. "That may be true, but it doesn't excuse Ranran for going so far with her revenge. Making Mouri's character look bad was one thing, but she didn't have to humiliate her in front of the whole school."

"Well, would it be any different if it was Ranran instead?" Takuma replied with a shrug. "Ranran is protecting herself, deal with it."

"That's not an excuse for Ranran to stoop to her level!" Junko retorted, ensuring there is no one outside the hallway of their association before leaning to them quietly, revealing, "The truth is...do you guys know Kibouji (希望寺) temple?"

"You mean the same place where Ran said she and Sonoko went?" Emiko put away her pencil to rub her chin thoughtfully, "Something about praying that we will no longer come across any dead bodies or dangerous cases or something before we headed up to the mountains?"

"Ah yeah, I remembered that. Said that she wrote some Ema and hung it on a tree, praying that no crime will take place, but it barely worked since 3 people died at the comedian's place." Takuma turned his head at Junko, still laying on the table, "What does this have anything to do with her behaviour towards Ranran?"

"Well...someone destroyed the Ema they hung."

"Eh?!" Takuma exclaimed, sitting up now with genuine surprise. "How!?"

"Something about using a permanent marker pen then crossing it repeatedly till it was unreadable."

"What did that idiot heiress wish for?" Takuma asked.

"Well, she wrote something like: Shinichi wakes up to realize Ranran is manipulative, and leaves her for Mouri," Junko recalled.

Takuma burst out laughing at Sonoko's wish. "Seriously? That's what she wished for? Man, Sonoko can be so dramatic sometimes! This is Kami-sama seeing through her ugly self that this won't work."

Even Emiko struggled to cover her smile upon hearing that.

"Ah, but oddly...." Junko remembered, "Only Sonoko's one had that done, Ran's Ema, however....she had it worst.'"

"In what way?" Emiko demanded.

Junko continued, looking sombre. "Ran's Ema wasn't broken nor crossed out. But someone wrote something behind, and it was addressed to her. The note said something like, 'Don't try to play the hypocritical saint, when you are the true devil yourself'. And it was oddly in English."

Takuma's laughter faded, and his expression turned serious as he processed the information. "Wait, someone wrote that to Ran? And in English? That's messed up."

"Yeah, and it's not just that. When Ran and Sonoko, this was around 5 days after we returned home from that murdered comedian's mansion, went to the temple and found out about it. They asked whether there were any sightings since the temple has no CCTV installed in that area. The only sighting was a little girl in a black hoodie, and that is about it." Junko added, her voice tinged with concern. "I don't know who did it, but it's obvious that someone has a grudge against her."

"Damn, that's messed up," Takuma muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "But who could it be? And why English? It's weird."

"Anyway, long story short, Mouri thinks your friend Ranran did it." Junko continued, looking sombre. "Because she is born in the U.K. and lived there for almost 4-5 years, she should be well-versed in English enough to do so. Also, she detests those two."

"I've known Ranran for a long time, and while she can be harsh and manipulative, I find it hard to believe she would do something like this." Takuma sighed, "In the first place, she doesn't even know about that temple existence at all, let alone, would know Ran and Sonoko making such wishes."

"Also, I may not have known Ranran long enough, but judging her cunning side, the last thing she would do is simply write in English. Cause it would be a no-brainer if she didn't want Mouri and Suzuki to find out. Just because she is the only member in the entire association to be well-verse, it's just a plain stupid move." Emiko crossed her arms in response.

As the three of them pondered over the mysterious incident, Ran continued to clean, feeling a bit distracted by the conversation. She couldn't help but wonder who could have done such a thing, and why they would target her with such a message. The thought of someone bearing a grudge against her left a knot in her stomach.

"That reminds me...." Takuma's head counted everyone in the room before wondering, "I know Shinichi and Ranran ain't around since he had to take her to the hospital for a medical check-up, but where is Michio by the way?"

"Well...about that," Junko sighed at the mention of her crush, "He is....hiding away."

"Eh!? Hiding?" Ran stopped what she was doing before turning her back to face Junko, "From what?"

"Some stalker."

"Stalker?!" Ran and Emiko both exclaimed in surprise.

Even Takuma was surprised at that. "What stalker? Is it one of Michio's fangirls?"

10-year-old Majima Michio may not have the looks like Shinichi, but he was a bit on the good-looking side. Since he was a kind and thoughtful boy, and at times mature for his age, a lot of girls besides Junko had a crush on him.

"This time it ain't," Junko saved the file before logging out, "It is some dude."

"Woah, a man?!" Emiko and the other's jaws dropped in that revelation.

"Yeah, some creepy guy who's been following him around for a while now," Junko explained, looking worried. "Michio told me he's been feeling really uncomfortable and unsafe, so he's been avoiding going out in public as much as possible."

"Could it be one of Mamiko's mother's boyfriends?" Emiko suggested.

Mamiko's mother works a dominatrix the last time everyone remembered, she was so influential that she had powerful influential men under her fingertips. The reason the members knew this was merely thanks to Ranran and Shinichi, who had been keeping tabs on Mamiko on an unrelated investigation.

When Ranran leaked it anonymously to the press after Mamiko's manipulation towards Shinichi and the others was revealed, 6-year-old Ishibashi Mamiko and her half-brother Fuse Amaya were ostracized in the worst way possible. Since then, Mamiko's anger towards Ranran and Shinichi had increased drastically.

So it wouldn't really be surprising for Mamiko to have one of her mom's boyfriends stalk one of their members, to say the least.

"Did you get a good look at what he looks like? I mean you definitely accompanied him a lot after hearing that, right?" Ran probed.

"I mean...he is bald, limps from one side, the clothes are although not I would say meant for a homeless person, it looks.... dishevelled. And he wore glasses and had white hair a bit here and there. Like an elderly person." The secretary recalled.

"I wouldn't be too sure if that happens to be one of Mamiko's mother's boyfriends," Emiko frowned, "After Mamiko's family skeletons were out, I dug around, and usually the men Mamiko's mom goes for are never bald-headed men. She had preferences apparently."

"Anyway, old men or not, he is stalking Michio regardless," Ran said, her concern evident. "Did either of you call the police to let them know?"

"That is the second problem we had to bring this up," Junko replied. "We did inform Sergeant Genzo about it, but...."

"But what?" Takuma asked, eager to hear the rest of the story.

Junko hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Sergeant Genzo said they couldn't do much unless there was concrete evidence of a crime being committed. Since Michio hadn't been physically harmed and the stalker hadn't directly threatened him, they couldn't take any action."

"That's ridiculous!" Ran exclaimed, feeling frustrated at the lack of action from the police. "Waiting for something bad to happen before they do anything is not acceptable."

"Why are you not accompanying him then? I thought you stick to him like glue if things like that happen. Especially when you deal with his fangirls." Emiko pointed out.

"Michio told me not to, say he should try to get footage evidence of him stalking about." Junko heave at that thought. "Anyway, I texted to Ranran and Shinichi about it, they say they will do something about it after Shinichi is done with Ranran's medical check-up." Junko sighs.

"That's good," Emiko said, trying to offer some reassurance. "I'm sure Ranran and Shinichi will figure something out. They're pretty good at handling these kinds of situations."

"Yeah, I hope so," Junko replied, looking a bit more hopeful. "I just want Michio to be safe and for this creepy stalker to leave him alone."

"I'm sure they will," Takuma chimed in, trying to lighten the mood. "After all, they're like a detective duo, right? Solving mysteries and catching criminals is what they do best."

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

Meanwhile, Shinichi and the doctor were alone in the doctor's office, while Ranran headed to the washroom. "Sensei, how is Ranran's head injury?"

The doctor, a middle-aged man with a calm demeanour, nodded in understanding. "I've thoroughly examined Ranran's head injury, and I can assure you that there doesn't appear to be any serious damage. The impact from the intruder and the bomb blast that happened several days ago may have been concerning, but she seems to have been lucky in avoiding any major injuries."

Shinichi let out a sigh of relief, feeling grateful for the doctor's reassurance. "That's good to hear."

"Though I had some questions regarding this part," He switched on the X-ray before pointing at one part of the brain, "This part....had she injured her head before elsewhere?"

Shinichi furrowed his brows as he studied the X-ray, trying to recall if he knew of any previous head injuries that Ranran might have had. "I don't know if this is related, but when her Okaasan was giving birth to Ranran at that time, the nurse carelessly dropped Ranran while trying to deliver her, so her head hit hard on the floor," He replied thoughtfully.

"Ah, that explains a lot." The doctor nodded, taking note of the information.

"But doctor, why do you ask? Is it serious?"

"Ah, it ain't. But...."He paused, "That part is her emotional part."

Shinichi's eyes widened at the doctor's revelation. "Emotional part? What do you mean?"

The doctor leaned back in his chair, folding his hands together. "The part of the brain that I pointed out on the X-ray is called the amygdala. It's responsible for processing and regulating emotions, particularly fear and aggression. And the majority from the looks of it...this part looks pretty much dead."

".....what happens if that part is dead?" Shinichi found himself asking.

"Well, she would feel no fear anymore."

"A life of no fear, huh....?" Shinichi's mind raced as he processed the information, mulling over this before stating, "That wouldn't be too bad from my understanding. Sherlock Holmes barely panics."

"You know, dear is a natural response that helps protect us from harm. Without fear, one might act recklessly or impulsively, putting themselves and others at risk." The doctor nodded, understanding Shinichi's perspective.

"What do you mean?"

"If you have watched TV, some serial killers, or killers, or robbers, or criminals of all kinds....most of them, especially the high profile ones....they ended up doing that because of the lack of that fear. A lot of people think of it that this as a 'blessing', to no longer feel, for example, it makes one confident towards themselves. But it is pretty dangerous, without that 'fear'.....especially if one is under stressful turmoil...one has to find a way to cope. Even if it may sound illegal." the doctor explained.

Shinichi's eyes widened further as he absorbed the implications of the doctor's words.

"Her medical report seems to suggest she had been stressed out, did she encounter anything to her dislike recently?"

Shinichi hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much he should disclose about the recent events involving Ranran. However, he knew that the doctor needed all the information to assess her condition properly.

"Yes, there have been some... conflicts recently," Shinichi admitted carefully. "There is a member in our association who is giving us a hard time, and we are struggling to figure out a way to remove her, which is why Ranran is....probably feeling that way."

"Then I would suggest if that child is giving her problems, remove her," The doctor nodded, taking note of the information. "There are times if one is too stressful, the worst thing is that one might ruthlessly 'take matters into their own hands'.....if you know what I mean."

Shinichi understood the gravity of the doctor's advice. The combination of Ranran's past head injury and the current stress she was experiencing could potentially lead to dangerous behaviours, especially towards the ignorant Mouri Ran. And he had first-hand experience with Ranran's cold ruthless demeanour before, and it took one break in to learn this.

As much as he dislike Mouri Ran, Shinichi did not want her to aggravate Ranran's past childhood injury. He knew he had to take the doctor's words seriously and figure something to remove her from the association for good.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, sensei," Shinichi said earnestly. "I'll do everything I can to resolve the issue and make sure Ranran is safe and supported."

The doctor nodded approvingly. "That's good to hear, Kudo-kun. Just keep an eye on her and make sure she knows she has your support."

"I will," Shinichi replied firmly. "I won't let anything happen to her."

With that, they concluded their conversation, and Shinichi returned to the waiting area where Ranran was patiently sitting. She smiled as she saw him approaching.

"Everything okay, Shinichi?" Ranran asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Shinichi replied with a reassuring smile, not wanting to worry her about the details of their conversation just yet.

As they left the hospital together, Shinichi couldn't shake the sense of responsibility he felt towards Ranran. This was all his fault, he knew it.

Mouri Ran couldn't let Shinichi go, thanks to Mamiko's manipulation though he ain't sure what it is, it made Ran remain in Tantei Association even though he and Ranran told her to leave.

The truth is, Shinichi managed to obtain one damning piece of evidence recently, enough to remove Mouri Ran from the association for good. But the nature of the evidence was circumstantial, meaning it won't be enough to remove Ran officially under school grounds. And he knew Ran long enough to know she is very much innocent.

But their estrangement had never been all so evident to him, and the fact she kept on harassing Ranran really ticked him off.

"You know...I felt like you have been on the edge since you rescued me from that burning building thanks to Peggy, the comedian's killer." Ranran couldn't help but note.

"Have I been that obvious?" he asked, trying to maintain a calm facade.

Ranran gave him a knowing look, her blue eyes keen and perceptive. "You accompanied me to every single medical check-up, although my arm has recovered, after that intruder incident not long ago, you kept asking questions from the doctors."

Shinichi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess I have been on edge lately," he admitted. "There's.....It's just...I feel utterly useless."

"In what way?"

"For not being able to remove Mouri Ran. I can't shake the feeling that....by not being able to remove her, she ended up keep endangering you so many times...I let you down."

"Shinichi, you haven't let me down. She made her own dumb choices to remain at the association, not you." Ranran stopped walking and turned to face Shinichi.

"But I could have done more," Shinichi said, his voice filled with frustration. "I could have found a way to remove her from the Tantei Association for good, so you wouldn't have to deal with her anymore. It's my responsibility as the co-founder, and I feel like I've failed."

"You're not responsible for her actions, Shinichi. She literally made her own bed." Ranran said firmly. "I can handle myself, and I won't let her get to me. You've done everything you can, and I appreciate that. You've kept the Tantei Association together, and you've always been there for me when I needed you. That means a lot."

Shinichi's shoulders slumped slightly, feeling the weight of his emotions. "I just hate seeing you get hurt because of her. I can't stand by and do nothing."

"You tried everything you could, not like you didn't lift a finger." Shinichi glanced at Ranran, surprised by her observation. "If you didn't, it would've been way different."

Ranran's words resonated with him, and he felt a sense of comfort in her understanding and support. She had always been perceptive and had a way of seeing through his walls, even when he tried to hide his feelings.

All of a sudden, Shinichi suddenly stop as he recognizes something, "Hey, ain't that Michio?"

As Shinichi pointed out, Ranran turned her gaze towards a familiar figure in the distance. It was indeed Majima Michio, the 10-year-old member of their Tantei Association, walking with his head down, looking visibly distressed.

Concern was etched on Ranran's face as she recognized their colleague troubled demeanour.

"Michio!" she called out, quickening her pace to catch up with him.

Shinichi followed closely behind, and before they could reach him, Shinichi suddenly pulled her aside to hide in the corner. "Shinichi, what the heck?"

"Look at the guy behind Michio, Ranran."

Ranran squinted her eyes and focused on the figure behind Michio. Her expression turned serious as she recognized the man. It was the same bald man with dishevelled clothes and white hair that Junko had described as Michio's stalker.

"What's that guy doing here?" Ranran whispered, her voice tense.

"I don't know, but it can't be a coincidence that he's following Michio," Shinichi replied, his detective instincts kicking in. "We need to be careful."

They continued to watch from their hiding spot as Michio walked with increasing unease, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to check if the stalker was still following him. It was clear that the young boy was feeling threatened and scared.

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

Majima Michio knew he was being followed.

The mysterious figure behind him darted from one doorway to the next. It was a man with oddly-stooped shoulders who seemed to walk with a limp.

Michio was curious.

As far as he had known so far, Tantei association wasn't working on a single case, so why would anyone tail him?

He quickened his pace along the street toward the school, it was after school, as school ended an hour ago. Michio just happen to leave the school temporarily to purchase some sweets before heading back, where the other members are likely to be hanging out in the main HQ of Tantei Association. 

Suddenly, his phone rang, and it was from Ranran.

"Michio, hide in the corner now."

"Eh!?"

"Just do it, we're coming to you," Ranran said firmly.

Michio didn't waste any time and immediately followed Ranran's instructions, ducking into a nearby corner of a laneway, and then waiting.

"Ranran, is everything alright?" Shinichi asked, worried about the urgency in her voice.

"While he does so, we pounce on the stalker, Shinichi," Ranran explained, her voice tense.

Shinichi nodded, understanding Ranran's plan. They had to catch this stalker and find out what his intentions were. As they approached the corner where Michio was hiding, they kept an eye out for the suspicious figure tailing him.

Once they were close enough, Ranran and Shinichi positioned themselves strategically, so they could corner the stalker without giving him a chance to escape. Ranran gave a signal to Michio, indicating that they were ready to make their move.

When Michio reached a laneway, he ducked around the corner and waited.

Moments later he heard the scrape of a boot on the pavement and the man grew confused. 

As the stalker turned the corner, he was met with Ranran and Shinichi pouncing on the surprised man. Caught off guard, the stalker stumbled back, trying to free himself from their grip. But Ranran and Shinichi had anticipated his attempt to escape and managed to restrain him effectively, the stalker's haggard face that was flushed with terror.

"Who are you?" Ranran demanded. "Why are you following Michio!?"

"Kudo Shinichi," When the old man spoke, his voice trembled as he gasped. "I am told that by following this boy, I will find a Kudo Shinichi."

Ranran and Shinichi exchanged glances, both puzzled by the man's words. "What do you mean you'll find me by following Michio?" Shinichi pressed, tightening his grip on the man's arm.

The old man's eyes darted nervously between Ranran and Shinichi, seemingly unsure of what to say. His appearance was dishevelled, and he looked like he had been through a rough time.

"I...I was told to locate Tantei Association," the man stammered, his voice shaking. "Through Professor Agasa....."

After communicating back at forth, it turns out this elderly man was an associate of Professor Agasa, Shinichi's neighbour.

Apparently, he has been dealing with a dilemma of his own recently, and since this particular case the said man wouldn't be taken seriously by the police officials, Professor Agasa suggested he head to Teitan Elementary school to locate the members of Tantei Association, mainly a little boy by the name of Kudo Shinichi.

Unfortunately by the time he headed there, due to the fact that he isn't related to any of the children in Teitan Elementary School, and adding in the recent events of 'The Last Laugh', the guards in the school refuse to share which class Shinichi belonged to.

It didn't help that he didn't try to search on the Internet for the main location of the Tantei Association HQ, Ranran after all specifically request not to put it up on their website to prevent their enemies from locating them and doing malicious stuff to them. Ultimately, the elderly man had no choice but to ask the kids who were leaving the school how to locate their main HQ.

Then they mention following Majima Michio, which later leads to the misunderstanding of the stalking incident.

As the elderly man finished explaining his side of the story, Ranran and Shinichi exchanged glances, finally understanding the sequence of events that had led to the misunderstanding.

"So, you were only trying to find me to seek help with your dilemma?" Shinichi asked, trying to confirm the man's intentions.

"Yes, that's correct," the man replied with a nod. "I apologize for the confusion and any distress I may have caused your friend, Michio."

"It's alright," Michio spoke up, feeling a little embarrassed. "I'm glad we got everything sorted out."

Ranran took a moment to process the information, feeling relieved that the man didn't have any malicious intent towards Michio or anyone else in the Tantei Association. However, she couldn't help but wonder about the nature of the elderly man's dilemma.

"Can you tell us more about what's been troubling you?" Ranran asked, her expression showing genuine concern.

The man hesitated for a moment, then sighed and began to speak, "It's about something that was taken away from me."

As the man spoke, his eyes seemed to dart back and forth. "May I know...what was taken away from you?" Shinichi pressed.

After much deliberation and hesitation, he merely muttered, "An eagle."

Shinichi and Ranran exchanged puzzled glances, and so did Michio. An eagle? That was an unexpected answer, and it left them both curious about the significance of this creature in the man's life.

Now, an eagle itself aint a bird you can just openly keep as a pet. There are too many rules and regulations you are required to follow before you can legally keep one. Japan is no different either. "May I know the breed?" Michio asked.

"A bald-headed eagle."

"Wait, do those kinds of birds exist in Japan?" Ranran found herself wondering.

Ranran's question was valid; bald eagles are not native to Japan. They are primarily found in North America, particularly in the United States and Canada. The fact that the elderly man mentioned having a bald-headed eagle in Japan raised some suspicion.

"Wait, do you really own an eagle?" Shinichi asked, his eyes locked on the old man's face.

"Yes," the stranger confirmed."An American bald eagle."

Shinichi furrowed his brows, trying to make sense of the situation. Perhaps this man before him must have imported the bird here since he did recall his parents telling him that their friends within the entertainment circle had done so through legal channels.

Michio who is digesting of this just shrugged. "Well, maybe it just flew away? Birds are like that."

And it was obvious to the 10-year-old Michio that since birds have wings, they can fly whenever they want to go. But the old man glared at him. "It couldn't have," he said tersely "It's dead."

At this point, Majima was beginning to think that this man was crazy. Like, what idiot would wanna keep a dead eagle as a pet? Is he what? What was that word Ranran used before? Necrophilia? Yeah! That is the word. He must be one, Michio told himself.

And second of all, what insane person would wanna steal the dead corpse of a bird? Does this world even make any sense here?

But then Ranran's words changed his perception, "Ah, is it a taxidermized bird?"

"Yes! It is a beautifully preserved stuffed eagle." The old man finally nodded to her.

"A taxidermize....what?!" Shinichi and Michio grew confused at the word 'taxidermized'.

Ranran chuckled at their perplexed expressions. "Taxidermy is a process where the skin of an animal is preserved and mounted to make it look lifelike," she explained. "In this case, the man's eagle was stuffed and preserved to keep it as a display."

Michio's eyes widened in understanding, "Oh, I see! So it's like a statue of an eagle made from a real one?"

"Exactly," Ranran confirmed. "It's a common practice used to preserve animals for display purposes in museums or private collections."

Shinichi nodded, absorbing the information. "I get it now. So, you had a taxidermized eagle, and someone stole it from you?"

"Yes," the man replied with a hint of sadness in his eyes. "It was a cherished possession of mine that was sold to me when I was in Alaska, and it held a lot of sentimental value. I can't believe someone would take it away from me like that."

"Just out of curiosity, how much was that bird when you purchased it?" Ranran inquired.

The elderly man looked a bit hesitant before answering, "It was quite expensive. I paid around 500,000 yen for it."

Both Shinichi and Michio's eyes widened in surprise at the hefty price tag. "Wow, that's a lot of money," Michio exclaimed.

"Neh Ranran," Shinichi took his partner-in-crime aside to ask, "Why is it so expensive? This...preserved stuff bird?"

"It ain't easy to make some decomposing corpse of some animal to make it beautiful and timeless, Shinichi," Ranran leaned in to whisper to Shinichi, "You are talking about preserving the animal's skin, feathers, and features while making it look lifelike. Also, the rarity of the bird and the effort that goes into obtaining and preserving it can contribute to its high price. Additionally, if it's a rare species like the American bald eagle, it could be even more valuable due to legal restrictions and conservation efforts."

"Damn, with such tedious effort, I might as well go buy a toy figurine of an Eagle and display it!" Shinichi was shocked as he muttered.

"But who'd want to steal a dead eagle?" Michio wondered aloud.

"That's what I want you all to find out," The old man told him. "You and the others. I've been reading all about your cases. First, there was the 'King of Rubies' case, then the Extinction Heist case when that criminal mastermind smuggled out a white tiger was foiled by the whole lot of you, but then I read somewhere one of you rode on to school-"

"First of all sir, that 'someone' did it behind my back, alright? "Shinichi corrected him on that part before glaring silently at his mentor, who could be bothered by his anger when she did that.

"Anyway, as I noticed the whole lot of you are quite experienced detectives, for that note, I want you to find my eagle."

Michio felt disappointed. The last thing he wanted to do was look for a dead bird. It sounded so boring. Majima liked exciting cases that involved a lot of running around, not chasing around after a stuffed eagle. Sure, he knows this is expensive, but still...

The old man must have read Michio's mind because he then clung to his arm. "Please, you must help me," he begged him.

Majima studied the gaunt face, lined with worry and relented before gazing at Ranran and Shinichi, wondering if they should accept it.

Much to the eldest member's surprise, Ranran immediately said, "Our headquarters is just up ahead," she said. "Let's go there and talk."

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

When they entered, Junko was already there, clipping crime stories from the morning newspapers with Ran, who not long ago was done with the cleanup. They looked up in surprise when they saw Michio's visitor.

"Who's this, guys?" Takuma asked, his curiosity piqued as Ranran and Shinichi headed to their seats.

Even more when Junko recognizes him to say, "Hey, are you not Michio's stalker?!"

The elderly man looked taken aback by Junko's direct accusation. "I-I'm not a stalker!" he protested. "I'm just here to seek help from the Tantei Association."

Ranran stepped in to defuse the situation. "Junko, he's not a stalker. He came looking for us because he needs our assistance with a case."

Emiko, who had been observing the situation silently, raised an eyebrow. "A case? What kind of case?"

"It's about a stolen eagle," the man replied. "A taxidermized American bald eagle that held great sentimental value to me. It was taken from my home, and I need your help to find it."

The central desk that everyone shared was an old wooden table, at which Michio invited the old man to pull up a chair.

"This is Fuyuko Junko," Michio introduced her to him, "I think you probably met her before."

Junko blushed and gave the old man a little wave.

Michio sat opposite their new client, noting how his shoulders seemed more stooped even when he was seated. His skin was very pale, almost translucent, and networks of little veins crisscrossed his cheeks.

His eyes had a watery glimmer. The top of his head was completely bald. It looked like a big egg poking up from a fringe of wispy grey hair.

No wonder he liked bald eagles, he is one himself. Michio thought.

Michio's thought made him suppress a chuckle, knowing it wouldn't be appropriate to laugh at their client's appearance. He kept his expression neutral and respectful, waiting for the man to continue with his story.

The old man introduced himself "My name is Jirou," he began, "But you can call me Professor Shibuya Jirou. I know about all of you through one of my associates, Professor Agasa."

"And may I ask, Professor Shibuya, what field do you specialize in?" Ranran asked as everyone took their seats to jot down what their client is about to announce.

"I am actually an ornithologist."

"An ornithologist?" Takuma and the others turned to Ranran, hoping that she know what he meant by his occupation.

"It's a scientist that studies the way bird lives," Ranran explained.

"That's right," Professor Shibuya confirmed. "I have dedicated my life to the study of birds which is why I worked in ornithology, the branch of zoology that specialized in birds. When I was in Alaska some years ago, I purchased this stuffed American bald eagle and brought it back with me since. It was the highlight of my collection I keep in my home."

Professor Shibuya reached into his coat pocket, pulled out a colour photo of the bird and placed it on the table.

"But it's got feathers all over its head," said Michio, glancing furtively at the professor's scalp. "It's not technically bald at all! Why the name I wonder?''

"The white feathers on its head make it look bald when it's in flight, that is the reason for its name," The elderly professor smiled faintly running a hand over his own bald head.

Emiko leaned forward, drumming his fingers on the table. "Professor, when you said your eagle was stolen, did someone actually break into your home and take it?"

Jirou averted his gaze."I suppose so."

Ran looked up from where she'd been making notes in her notebook, "Were any windows broken?" she wanted to know "Did you see any signs of forced entry?"

Professor Jirou gave an odd, vague shrug."I can't remember."

"Well, when did you notice the eagle was missing?" Mouri Ran pressed for more information.

"Last week," the old man replied.

"Last week!?" Shinichi felt as though something was rather off with that answer, "Did you contact the cops to look into this?"

"No, of course not!" Professor Jirou looked alarmed."When I was about to, my colleagues were against it, saying that by the time they look into it, the thieves could've sold it in the black market. After all, a stuffed eagle itself is nothing but a mockery to them if I report it."

"But you have to report stolen things to the police, even though it may not be taken seriously," Takuma insisted.

"I too can't for another reason," The old man shook his head vigorously "Cause they might end up either confiscating them or disturbing them." he snapped. "I don't want police running all over my house. They might disturb my birds!"

Ranran made a note, feeling rather suspicious of this man's odd behaviour for all the right reasons. "I am sorry, your birds?"

"Yes, you heard me correctly: I have many birds in my residence." 

The mention of many birds in Professor Shibuya's residence piqued everyone's curiosity.