Disclaimer: I do not own the copyrights to Gundam Wing, Endless Waltz, Lupin the Third, any movies, books, or any songs that are used in this story. All copyrights belong to their respective owners.
Notice to Readers: To understand certain parts of this story, you'll have to read the other stories before this one. It is recommended by not required.
Gundam Wing and Lupin the Third
The Wizards Glass
Chapter 1: The Theft
*
Washington D.C.: The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
It was a bright and sunny day in the city of Washington D.C., the kind of day that had very few clouds in the sky, a light breeze that would slowly move the tree branches, and it wasn't too hot or too cold. It was the kind of day when people would be outside playing Frisbee with their dogs or when young lovers go out for a picnic by a river. Except on that particular day a special event was taking place. At the Museum of Natural History, there were vertical banners hanging between the decorative pillars at the top of the stone stairs. The banners were the color of black like charcoal, but upon them was a great pink sphere that took up half the banner. The pink sphere was being held in a stand like a Gypsy's crystal ball. Above and below it, in a shade of pink that matched the sphere itself, was the announcement.
NEW EXHIBIT
THE WIZARDS GLASS
JULY 26 - 29
Inside the enormous museum the new exhibit was about to be unveiled. There were several museum patrons, the press from several different magazines and newspapers were there. Then there were a few curious people who were passing by on the street and one very curious visitor who was dressed in a red suit jacket. With these different groups there, the crowd was relatively small, then again the first crowd is small until work gets around.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen." The curator said as he stood at a simple wooden podium in front of a red curtain with the few flashes of the press going off at the entrance to the exhibit. "The Smithsonian Institute is proud to announce the completion of a new wing to house its newest exhibit. A new member into the Smithsonian family that would rival that of the Hope Diamond." He went to his left side where there was a golden rope attached to the red curtain behind his podium. He gripped it tightly like a kid in a gym class ready to climb it. "I give you, The Wizards Glass."
The red curtain came down revealing an archway into the new wing. The crowd flooded into the wing, which was about the same size as the exhibit for the Hope Diamond. The way that the wing was set up was that all around the walls were tables, display cases and murals showing stories that surrounded the star of the exhibit. That star was inside a small display case in the very center of the room with enough space between it and the walls for people to gather around it and ogle it like men drooling over a Playboy calendar girl.
There it sat under thick glass and possibly hundreds of security devices that would keep the most prized exhibit safe. All the photographers had gathered around it and snapped off their pictures for their stories at their workplace. As well as a few tourists who just wanted a picture of it for their won sentimental value. It truly was something that rivaled the Hope Diamond. The Wizards Glass, was just like what the picture in those banners on the outside of the museum had depicted. It was like a crystal ball as it sat upon its stand as if it was about to be used by a Gypsy to see the future.
As the photographers were snapping off their pictures some patrons were looking at the murals, reading up upon the history, and finding out what the Wizards Glass was in the first place. In one of the murals it told of what made the Wizards Glass so special on a physical level.
After close examination of the Wizards Glass, several geologists and gem experts had examined it and concluded that it was made out of diamond. A form of diamond that is one of the rarest to find along with other types of diamonds that are colored through natural processes. Using the Diamond measurement of karats it is estimated that the value of the Wizards Glass is ten times more valuable than the Hope Diamond itself.
One of the museum patrons grew a very sheepish smile when he read it. It was the man in the red suit jacket; he cupped his chin as he smiled allowing his thumb to rest in on one of his sideburns as his mind conjured up such wonderful images. This man was a great man in his own right; he was the notorious thief known only as Arséne Lupin the Third. A man who had done so many deeds that it makes such thieves of both fact and fiction look miniscule compared to his feats. This master thief had taken particular interest in the Wizards Glass mostly because of his desire to impress a member of his group. A woman who was a master at seduction, Fujiko Mine, he knew that she loved jewels and this was quite a jewel, it was captivating to look at and it was even more valuable than the Hope Diamond. How could such a master thief wishing to impress the love of his life with a great prize?
As Lupin conjured up ways to steal it and fantasized about what Fujiko would do after his prize had been given to her. He imagined in the back of his mind Fujiko opening up her arms (and preferably her bed) to him. The thought made his head swim with love and lust in the same confused concoction. Then he decided to kill a little more time by reading more about the Wizards Glass.
He moved onto the eccentric history behind this Diamond ball. Apparently this diamond had been passed through several owners over the past 3 centuries. There are no solid records of its origin. It is said that its origins lay somewhere deep in the heart of Africa, either somewhere deep in the Congo or down deep in the Earth of South Africa. It was said that the original stone was roughly the size of a football. After it was discovered it was then fashioned into something marvelous...a perfect sphere. After it was fashioned, a great wizard or witch doctor used it. A man who was said could foretell the future, see lands far away, and even peer into the very souls of others.
That was the story of its origin. The first recorded documented ownership of the Wizards Glass was in the 1700 when a royal family in India owned it as a crown jewel. Then during that time, the Wizards Glass was stolen from the royal family and taken to the west into the deserts of Saudi Arabia where a Prince kept it. He kept it on his shelf never knowing what kind of power or beauty was held within it. Then during the first part of the 20th century when wars broke out in the Near Far East the Wizards Glass was lost. By that time, it had only slipped into matters of legend until the Glass resurfaced again in the possession of a gypsy named Rhea of the Coos. A very old woman who said that she saw the unfolding of the 20th century in it. After she made extremely accurate predictions, she disappeared and so too did her glass. Then during the 1980's an eccentric billionaire was passing by an old antique shop in New York City when he found the Wizards Glass. Amazingly enough he bought it at a price of 200 dollars and kept it for himself but then this billionaire slowly went mad in his apartment in Central Park West. It was recorded that when he was found he was locked in his bathroom with the Wizards Glass in his hands and he was repeating it will not work for me anymore. It will not work for me anymore. So then, the Wizards Glass was auctioned off as soon as the billionaire was committed. It was then sold to a private collector for over 100 million dollars, which he then donated to the Smithsonian.
"Wow." Lupin said as he looked back at the Wizards Glass, "You've been through quite a lot little guy." Then he went back to read the last line
Despite the fact that the Wizards Glass is a pink diamond no one has dared tried to cut it into an acceptable diamond like form. One of the best diamond cutters in the world refused to do it and the donor of the Wizards Glass has requested that it may not be cut at all.
Lupin looked back at the Wizards Glass and smiled, "And no wonder," He thought, "your pretty enough, gorgeous."
* * *
Later that day, Lupin and his friends were in the hotel suite discussing the pamphlet of the Wizards Glass. As he read each part of it, he kept reveling in how valuable and the amount of history that was behind such a simple ball of pink diamond. Even the master seductress of the group was titillated by just the amount of money it was worth as well as the pure beauty of it. There was no doubt in Fujiko's mind that she wanted the Wizard's Glass and it was no mystery that Lupin figured that much out. It made him want to get it, just to win her over.
The Master Gunman, Jigen was never one to hide what was on his mind in these matters, "So this thing is worth over 100 million dollars huh?"
"That's what the display said, Jigen." Lupin said with a great smirk on his face stretching from side burn to sideburn and showing off all his teeth. "I for one can't turn down such a beauty."
Jigen never hid anything on his mind, and neither did the master swordsman Goemon who was sitting on the floor cleaning his sword, "The pamphlet also told about people who disappeared, died or went mad with that thing in their possession."
"That's just superstitious nonsense." Lupin brushed him off
"You said the very same thing when you tried to swipe King Tutankhamen's Death Mask and look where it got you when you were in that mess."
Lupin hated to be reminded of that Egyptian mess when he slipped that thing over his head and how it made him go berserk in the most peculiar ways. Such ways that Lupin didn't even want to think about for they were both traumatic and embarrassing since he had to take back the death mask to its proper place. He never wanted to admit it but somewhere underneath it all, he knew that Jigen was right, but his pride was in the way as a master thief.
"If something like that is worth so much, I say we swipe it." Lupin postulated, "It just wouldn't feel right for my skills unless I did it myself."
"In that case, do it yourself." Jigen said as he sat back in his chain and pulled down the brim of his fedora over his eyes.
"What about you Goemon?" Lupin asked the swordsman
"I'm afraid that I can't help you." He said, "I would be meddling in affairs that are beyond my understanding."
"You men really are big babies." Fujiko brushed them off, "If you don't understand it, you run in fear or kill it. At least Lupin is willing to pursuit it."
"That's right, Fuji-baby." He said as he sneakily tried to place his hand on Fujiko's ass to get a good feel of her, but Fujiko was no fool to Lupin's trickery as she slapped away his hand. Yet, Lupin was not disheartened, for he knew that he would soon be bedding with the master seductress in her pink dress.
* * *
Elsewhere at the D.C. International Airport, a very steamed man in a brown double-breasted suit with a tan trench coat and a brown fedora stepped out into the airport terminal. He carried no baggage with him, only that peeved look on his face as if he was a kettle ready to blow its steam through the whistle. He looked through the airport terminal looking for a newsstand with his round eyes. He went to it and picked one up after paying the person there. He rubbed his wide dimpled chin as his thumb grazed his sideburn. This was the man who was always upon the trail of the master thief, this was the master policeman, Inspector Zenigata of Interpol. One of only a few men on earth who can even come close to the thief Lupin the Third. Though lately, the trail of Lupin the Third had gone somewhat cold and thus Zenigata was left in the dark on his whereabouts. Until his round eyes came across something in the science section:
The Wizards Glass comes to the Smithsonian: The pink diamond sphere that was only subject of legends has now made its official appearance at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. An entirely new wing has been added to the museum to accommodate this new arrival…
Zenigata continued to read on until he found out how much this thing was worth. When his eyes locked onto the dollar signs, his mind made an immediate snap like an automatic reflex to catch a ball coming right at his face.
"AHA!" He shouted out in the middle of the airport terminal, "I got you now, Lupin! I gotta a pretty pair of bracelets in my pocket with your name on them!"
Of course, the zealous inspector failed to see the enormous amount of people who were staring at him as he made his proclamation, but he didn't care. He had been waiting for this moment for weeks and now he was going to nail the son of a bitch.
* * *
The big heist was going to happen later on that night and Lupin already had the scheme planned out. He knew that at night, the whole place was sealed off. The only way into the inner sanctum where the Wizards Glass was held was through an air vent. Even then the air vent was guarded with infrared beams even the floor was like that so that if anyone managed to get through the air vent they couldn't set foot on the floor.
Yet, Lupin was clever about this sort of thing, he had his own special techniques of opening the air vent. He lowered down a very special tool that with the use of magnets unscrewed the bolts. As soon as he got the grid out, he lowered several small devices that diverted the laser beams far enough away to allow him to get through. Yet, he couldn't do this job alone, Fujiko was there and she held the ropes that lowered Lupin down to the Glass case that held the Wizards Glass. As he lowered himself down, he kept in mind of all the sensors that were in the room, sound sensors, temperature sensors, the pressure sensor that the Wizards Glass sat upon, and the scent sensor. The scent sensor was a new type of sensor that could detect the scent of human sweat, no matter who it was. This was the reason that Lupin was dressed in a wetsuit as he was lowered down to the glass, but he made sure that no part of his bare skin was exposed to the open air of the room.
He came within reach of the case that held the Wizards Glass, he knew that there were pressure sensors around the glass that would detect the slightest amount of weight taken away from it. Lupin knew exactly how much glass he would going to cut and how much it would weight. He took out his glasscutter and cut away at the glass, but then he brought out a small cubed weight. He was just about to set it down upon the glass case as he took away the glass that he cut away. Holding his hands away from the glass case as he made sure that he didn't trip any alarms.
Though the headpiece that he was wearing he heard Fujiko grunt, "Could you hurry Lupin, I'm a seductress not a body builder."
"Patience Fuji-cakes." Lupin cooed very quietly
The hole in the glass was large enough to place both his hands through it to reach for the Wizards glass. Before placing his hands head first into the glass, he pulled out another weight that was exactly the same weight as the Wizard's Glass. His hands dove down into the hole and carefully made the next procedure.
He placed his left hand around the Wizard's Glass but didn't place any pressure upon it. He gripped it gently but firmly around its round mass feeling its smooth texture through the thick fabric of his wetsuit. He carefully inched the two of them together across the cushion that sat upon the pressure sensor. Soon, the Glass was free, it was in Lupin's hands as he pulled his prize away from the case.
He then placed the glass into his pocket while he reached for the glass piece that he cut away and reached for the weight upon the glass case. He replaced the two of them and then called very quietly to Fujiko to pull him up.
As he went up to the air vent he couldn't help but whisper, "And away we go."
The grid in the air vent was replaced and the lasers were back where they were, and yet no one even suspected it. But they will tomorrow morning.
* * *
Back at the hotel where Lupin and his gang were staying at, there was Inspector Zenigata who was asking the desk clerk a few questions. He reached into his pocket and laid out four pictures in front of him and asked the very standard question, "Have you seen these people."
"I'm sorry." The desk clerk said, "But I can't reveal that information, we pride ourselves upon customer privacy."
The Inspector reached across the table and yanked over the clerk by his tie, "I don't give a crap about your policy. I'm on the trail of a very sneaky thief and if I don't get some cooperation I'm going to sue your ass for obstructing an officer in the course of his duty."
"I don't make the policy here, sir." The clerk squirmed, "I just work here."
Zenigata allowed the desk clerk go, and as the young man was straightening out his tie and his shirt the inspector sulked.
"And I was so close." He shook his head.
Little did he know that through the automatic doors came two figures that he would have recognized immediately, if only he had turned his head around, and looked to the door. But he was too caught up in feeling bad that he was so close to nailing the thief only to be pissed on by hotel policies.
Lupin and Fujiko walked into the hotel lobby, both arms around each other and laughing away. The two of them were drunk with laughter and fat with glee that such a job that they had done went over so well. One of the few cases where it seemed like it was actually going to succeed and they were going to get their big pay-off. Lupin held the prize that they had stolen in a small waist pack that was slung around his shoulder that bulged as the two of them walked to the elevator. Yet, in their delirious state, the two of them had failed to notice the light tan trench coat that was hunched over the desk clerks counter. Then the elevator doors opened and they pressed the button that went to their respective floor.
As they faced the lobby they didn't pay attention to whom was there, but the Inspector who was there did notice them. He turned so that his back was leaning against the marble and concrete desk and he was just about to give up. He shook his head at such a thought of giving up, especially with a hunch so strong as the one he had. Then he heard the elevator ding, he wanted to look in that direction, but when he looked the adrenaline shot through his whole body like seeing the monster for the first time in the movie. He saw Lupin and Fujiko both laughing together as the elevator doors closed. The inspector dashed to the elevator and pressed the up button repeatedly hoping that it would bring back down the car and with those two in it…nothing.
"Crap!" He cursed as he went back to the clerks' desk
"What room are those two staying in?" He demanded from the clerk
"I can't tell you that." The clerk repeated
The Inspector wasn't going to put up with it any longer, he took out his badge and his gun and flashed them both at the clerks face.
"If you don't cooperate I'm gonna make sure that the next few years of your life will be so miserable that you'll wish that you were working at Burger King."
The desk clerk decided to cooperate, despite the fact that the dead-end job of his at a hotel in D.C. wasn't worth going to jail over. He gave the inspector the information he wanted.
* * *
Back in the room, there was celebration of the greatest kind between four people. Lupin and Fujiko had gotten a good 100-dollar bottle of Champagne to celebrate the great theft of the Wizards Glass.
"Here's to our success." Lupin smiled
"To the Emperor of thieves." Fujiko retorted
"Cheers." Jigen said softly
"Kabai." Goemon said in a flat tone
"What are you guys so glum about?" Lupin asked as he drunk his champagne, "So far, we haven't gotten into anything really odd like with that Death Mask."
"Yet…" Jigen finished
"You really are no fun." Lupin pouted, "I just completed my greatest victory and I thought you'd be happy that we'd be over 100 million dollars richer."
"I just don't trust anything that has bad legends around it."
"Hey, come on." Lupin brushed off Jigen's warnings as he picked up the pink diamond ball, "Look, nothings happening." With that Lupin began to do tricks with the Wizards Glass, he spun it around on his finger like a Harlem Globetrotter, he passed it from one hand to another, then slid it down his arm, and down his other as it softly landed in his hand.
"See?" He asked as he passed the ball around from hand to hand like a circus juggler, yet as he kept doing his juggling tricks he couldn't help but keep his eyes on the ball. In fact his eyes were glued to them, slowly his juggling tricks stopped and he held the Wizards Glass in his hands and stared down into its depths. As he stared, the pink depths of the Wizards Glass consumed him. He couldn't help but stare…deeper…deeper…deeper…down…down…down. He went further into its depths and he came down to his knees not feeling the pain that his legs were in.
As he continued to stare into the Wizards Glass, the sphere began to emit a pink light. A light that drowned out all the other lights in the room, the lights that once made the room look yellowish-white, now was completely pink. It was nightmarish, like being inside Barbie's dream-house, but at the same time if felt good. As the pink light had reached Jigen and Goemon, both of them felt really relaxed, almost at ease. Even Fujiko felt really…groovy.
The pink light had consumed the room and everyone was feeling groovy, the door was kicked open. There standing in the doorway was the man that Lupin always called, "Pops", he stood there looking at all the pink light but dismissed it for sight of the greater detail, Lupin holding onto the Wizard's Glass.
"AHA!" He shouted as he pointed his finger at the thief who was transfixed by his prize, "I got you now!"
When Zenigata said that to Lupin, the thief looked up at him and his eyes seemed…dazed. Almost the same kind of expression as if he was drunk or if he was stoned. He looked to Zenigata with no surprise and not even a warm sarcastic welcome. He just sat there with the Wizards Glass in his hands and that dazed look on his face.
That was only the beginning for the pink light of the Wizard's Glass had consumed them all, including the zealous Zenigata who then felt groovy too by the pink light. In another flash of light, all of them were gone from the room in Washington D.C. All of them, Jigen, Goemon, Fujiko, Zenigata, and Lupin…they all vanished into the light of the Wizard's Glass leaving the room empty and with the door open.
To be continued…