They were about to make a great achievement—the police thought excitedly. As long as they caught the thief who stole Mount Fuji, they would earn their glory.
"Move in! We must arrest Kid!"
Soaked in seawater, Conan cursed under his breath. Damn it, Kaitou Kid's speed was too fast. If not, he would've caught him himself. Now he could only hope the police wouldn't screw up.
"Go! Surround the pirate ship. Don't give Kaitou Kid any chance to dive into the sea!"
"Yes!"
Just like a replay of pirate raids from centuries ago, several patrol boats encircled the pirate ship completely. Police officers stood on their decks, ready to board at any moment.
"Kaitou, surrender now! You have no way to escape!" shouted a voice through a loudspeaker.
"The thief is courting death himself, daring to appear on the endless sea. Now he has no road on land, no door to the sky. Hahaha! Trapped like a turtle in a jar, easy to catch! Kaitou Kid, even if you've committed many impossible crimes, this ends here. With us police around, there's no room for you to run wild."
Facing the police's confident tone, Kaitou Kid only smiled faintly.
There was a strange sound. Conan had already been hauled onto a boat and now sat wrapped in a blanket, but his sharp ears caught it.
The police began boarding the pirate ship. Just as they were about to surround Kid, a flock of pigeons burst out from the cabin and surrounded the officers first.
Yes, pigeons. The sound Conan heard was pigeons—but not just a few.
"What the hell is that?!" On the horizon, a dark mass gathered, like the typhoon turning back toward them.
Pigeons. A huge flock of pigeons flying over the sea, all swarming toward the pirate ship. Batman had his bat army. Kaitou Kid had his pigeon army.
The sky darkened under their wings. The chaotic flapping completely threw the police into disarray.
No one could move freely among so many pigeons. The officers waved their arms, but they couldn't drive the birds away.
Conan crouched low, staring hard at the pirate ship, waiting to see if it would vanish—just like Mount Fuji. But this time Kid didn't plan to do that.
"Thank you all for watching my show. Your enthusiasm moves me. But all good things must end. It's time to say goodbye!"
Whoosh—
Conan heard a sharp, unusual sound, like some kind of launcher.
Shielding his face from the pigeons, he looked up. A red-glowing object floated bright against the sky. He didn't know exactly what Kid planned, but it was definitely his escape.
"Uncle, Kid's about to run!"
But the adults around him were too busy fending off the pigeons to function. Besides, they still thought it impossible for Kaitou Kid to escape, not here in the middle of the sea inside their blockade.
Only Conan grew more uneasy. His instincts screamed at him: if they didn't act now, Kid would be gone.
Wuuuuu—
Another strange sound, louder this time. Conan searched the sky and saw it—an airplane appeared above.
Linked with the earlier red-glowing signal balloon Kaitou Kid had released, everything connected. He was going to escape from the sky.
"Then everyone, farewell!" Kid looked at the approaching plane in the sky, blew a whistle, and summoned all the pigeons back to the pirate ship.
The air cleared, but the adults would rather close their eyes than believe what they were seeing.
Kaitou Kid had escaped. He had flown out of the blockade, sailing his pirate ship into the bright blue sky.
"Holy shit!" No word fit the inspector's heart better right now. Maybe "damn" too.
Either way, it was insane. The pirate ship was actually flying. First, it surfaced like a submarine. Now it soared like an airship into the heavens.
Was he crazy, or had the world gone mad?
Sunlight, rainbow, white pigeons, and a flying pirate ship—this was a picture only the most imaginative painter could dream up. Yet it was happening right before their eyes. This reality, more creative than any painting, was an unforgettable moment. The most dazzling puzzle piece in life, the most exaggerated experience of a career.
Noah's Ark?! Some thought of the Bible's tale of the ship that saved life. The legend said God intended to punish mankind but warned a man named Noah, who built a great ark and brought pairs of animals aboard as seeds for survival. The ark was salvation in the flood, and the dove that returned with an olive branch showed where land was.
So a dove with an olive branch symbolized peace.
Now, though there was no olive branch, there were doves, a ship, and even a flood. It was hard not to make the connection.
The Skyhook plan—Kid had learned this extravagant escape method from Batman. But Kid had upgraded it, using the largest transport plane to lift an entire pirate ship.
Everyone knew the ship was being hauled up by a passing giant plane, yet seeing it happen before their eyes left them stunned. No one had thought Kid would escape like this. The police, certain of victory, now held nothing but air. They just stared blankly at the clearing sky, not knowing what to do.
Even Conan couldn't help being shocked. The others even more so.
"So cool, Kaitou Prince!" Sonoko's eyes turned into stars. She was utterly enchanted by Kid's dazzling show.
Using a plane to hook onto the signal balloon and lift the whole ship—only he could think of that. Conan silently admitted respect. Still, tossing the treasure hunters into the sea was dangerous. The ship was already at a certain height. If they fell, they'd be badly hurt.
Kaitou Kid, next time we cross paths, I'll definitely catch you. Conan made up his mind. At least now he knew Kid wasn't some evil villain but a thief with a conscience. Of course, his evaluation of Kid had to rise again. Kid's skills and resources were no joke. But why would someone like him steal? Just for fun?
"You're safe, that's what matters!"
"Ms. Ada, sorry we made you worry."
"No need to apologize to me. But this little guy seems to really care about you two, risking everything to find you." Ada found Conan more and more interesting.
Conan muttered inwardly, 'Not good, need an excuse.' He quickly said, "Because I'm a Kamen Rider, a partner of justice. I must protect my sisters."
Ran, moved, hugged Conan tightly. "Thank you, Conan."
Conan could now enjoy her embrace fully. His face flushed red, and he couldn't hide his silly, pervy expression. "It's nothing, Ran-neesan." In truth, he was savoring the soft warmth against his back—it felt amazing.
"Ran, this brat is a total lech!" Sonoko exposed Conan without hesitation.
Conan's blush deepened. "I-I'm not! Really, I'm not!"
Ada noticed too. Conan was definitely strange. Could it be kids on Earth all matured this early?