Amaranthine
am‧a‧ran‧thine (noun)
1. an imaginary flower that never fades
2. A deep reddish purple to dark or grayish, purplish red
3. Eternally beautiful and unfading; everlasting
am‧a‧ran‧thine (adjative):
1. Ceaseless; never ending; immortal
It had been a beautiful night. The snow had stopped falling just in time, leaving pure white crystal flakes piled high all over. The perfect stage for a winter heist of a shining flawless diamond. Nakamori had screamed beautifully, Hakuba's growl chasing him as he took flight, his laughter echoing behind him. It had been such a beautiful night.
Hakuba reached the roof in time to see the white clad figure take to the air. In a fit of temper he kicked at a snow drift, the flakes flying into the air, just as gunshots rang out. Spinning around, he stared in horror at the crumpled wings. The bullets had sliced cleanly, destroying not only PVC 'bones' but the silk webbing of the thief's hang glider.
"KAITO!" he screamed, almost throwing himself off the roof in an effort to catch the thief that was too far away. Held back by Nakamori and Morimoto, he could only stare, as horrified as the other two as the thief twisted in the air, before crashing into a snowbank.
The trio stared for a long silent moment before taking off, slipping and sliding across the frozen roof as they raced for the door and down the steps. Officer Morimoto almost took a header down the third floor as he slipped, but Hakuba grabbed him, pulling the officer back before racing around him.
The three burst out of the side exit from the stairwell, sliding easily across the frozen sidewalk and they angled themselves towards the snow bank that was starting to become crimson slush. "Kaito!" Hakuba yelled, sliding on his knees next to the thief. "Help me roll him over!" he cried and two task force members carefully grabbed the broken and shattered wings, rolling the thief onto his back. One of the officers blanched at the blood and Hakuba gave him a look that clearly said he wasn't allowed to throw up on the thief.
Searching, Hakuba finally found the button that released the metal belt attaching the thief's waist to the hang glider. He then pulled out his pocket knife and slid the straps, freeing the teen from the contraption completely. He pushed open the jacket and slid off the tie, not bothering to undo it before tossing it aside.
"Ambulance is on it's way," Nakamori called, closing his cellphone before moving to help the other officers lift kid, moving him out of the snow and away from the hang glider, they laid him on Hakuba's large coat, using the detective's scarf to wipe blood from his face, checking for injuries. His coat was slid off and Nakamori started tearing it into strips as Hakuba ripped open the pale blue shirt.
A laugh, thick with liquid bubbled out of the thief, blood staining his lips. "Geeze, don't I get dinner first." he said, blinking up at Hakuba through foggy eyes. Hakuba fought the instinct to slap the other teen, pushing open the ruined shirt, revealing several bruises, cuts and two bullet wounds, one through Kid's stomach, the other through his right chest.
"Tell the ambulance to hurry a fuck of a lot faster!" Hakuba cursed, grabbing one of the strips and stuffing it into the wound in the teen's stomach, ordering an officer to use another to put pressure before focusing on the wound that blood bubbled out of. Blood was not supposed to bubble.
"Hurts," Kid mused, wincing as the officer put pressure on his stomach. The thief shifted, avoiding the hands trying to hold him still. He gave a cough, more blood staining his lips, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out the diamond, holding it up towards the sky, blinking.
Hakuba glanced up, wanting to know what kind of idiot stared at a shiny gem as he bled to death only to have his mouth drop open.
As the Volley Comet passed over head, thrilling millions of astrological fans around the Japan and the world...the diamond clutched in Kaito's hand started to glow, the clear gem brilliantly housing a beautiful inner stone that shifted and melted as the moonlight passed through it.
There was a weak, gurgling laugh, melting away into sobs as Kaito stared at Pandora. As the glow grew brighter and brighter, Hakuba turned away, shielding his eyes. There was a loud shattering sound and a shard of razor sharp diamond hit Hakuba's face, slicing his cheek, leaving a wet trail behind.
He jerked his head around, staring at the upraised arm, covered in blood, diamond bits and some weird, clear fluid that looked like sugar syrup.
The hand tensed before relaxing, falling limply to the ground.
"Kaito? KAITO!" Hakuba yelled, staring at the glassy eyes. He started slapping the teen's face. "Wake up! KAITO!"
It had been a beautiful night, the night Kaitou Kid AKA Kaito Kuroba died, on that cold, dirty street.
It was a miscible day, the day he was returned to the Earth.
Hakuba stood with the other police that had spent their lives chasing the phantom thief, Kaito Kid. The truth had finally been revealed, secrets told. Kaito's mother, not longer bound by the secrecy of the family job, had told Nakamori and Hakuba what she knew of Kaito and Toichi's secret lives. In turn, they told the oldest and most trusted members of the force.
No one could even come close to understanding what the men had gone through in their lives, keeping the secret and avoiding capture. What they knew of the end reasons was sketchy, built from Kuroba-san's story, Kaito's journals, and notes left from Toichi.
The task force had a new mission now, one far more deadlier and dangerous then a laughing thief. But they were determined, that the two 'Moonlit Magician's' did not die for nothing. The stone had been destroyed, but there were other dangers, then just an gem that rumored to give immortality.
Killers were roaming their streets, and they had vowed to protect the innocent lives who lived amongst them.
The rosary beads in Hakuba's hand bit into his flesh as he clutched them tightly, walking up the aisle to the small table holding the incense bowl. He breathed in deeply the familiar scent as he knelt on the cushion, staring down at the incense, tears wanting to fall, despite how hard he forced them back. He clutched the beads tighter, bowing low, shoulders trembling before raising up and seizing a careful pinch of the incense.
He brought it to his forehead, closing his eyes. Until we meet again, Kaito. He opened his eyes and gently sprinkled the incense on the already burning dust, bowing again before the bowl before standing. His head remained bowed as he walked up the aisle again.
Aoko reached out to touch his arm and he dodged her with a side step, moving on. He continued walking, straight out of the temple, not stopping until he reached the koi pond, collapsing, crying into his hands that still clutched the rosary.
Immortality is something men have dreamed of since time began and death took it's first victim. We fear death because it is unknown, an end to everything. To lose a friend, a family member, a lover, the pain can reach such unbearable perportions that we wish to never endure it again. That we never give that same pain to our friends, family and lovers.
But immortality is a blessed curse. Watching the world change, everything you once know no longer existing as new things take their places.
It was once said, "Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon", a statement which stands true. Immortality is endless days that look alike, marked only by the loss of something you love.
Hakuba stood at the large floor to ceiling windows that made up the right side of his library. Behind him a computer recorded his words as he spoke, writing his memoirs with careful, neat typing that the Brit himself did not possess.
He raised the glass of brandy to his lips, watching as gardeners worked on the rose garden below him, cleaning out the dead buds to make way for fresh ones. Like gods, clearing the old to make way for the new.
He turned away from the window and took a seat at the large oak desk, watching the metronome on it slowly ticking back and forth, marking off each second of life. He drained the brandy and opened the top desk drawer, first pulling out a pipe and tobacco, filling and lighting it before pulling out a gold framed photograph, staring down at the smiling face in it.
"Someday, I'll find my way back to you." he said after a moment, setting the frame on his desk, enjoying his smoke as he fell into long old memories of a smiling boy and a laughing thief, both of whom made his life hell...
Both of whom made his life worth living.
Fin