Ginzo absently wondered if the pipe could get water damage. It was made not to catch fire when being smoked from, but did that mean the protective coating would keep out all this water? Then again, the end of the pipe he had between his teeth was fine, so maybe it couldn't be damaged?
Those were the only thoughts one Nakamori Ginzo, age 22, allowed himself at the moment, as he stood on the rooftop in the rain. As he had been doing for the last two hours.
Six hours before he had been helping prepare defensive measures against the Kaitou Kid heist that was scheduled for tonight when he got a call and had to leave. What had happened those four hours between his leaving and standing in the rain?
The worst four hours of his life.
And suddenly, the rain stopped. No, that was wrong. He could see it was still falling, but it wasn't hitting him.
"You'll catch a cold, officer, and then I won't get to see your fiery spirit at my next heist." A voice said to the side.
Ginzo lifted up the hood of the rain coat so he could see clearly, looking to the side to see the white phantom standing just far enough away for the rain to make it difficult to make out his face. However, that suit was never something one could mistake.
There he was. The man he'd been working to catch for the past two years...but he couldn't care right now. He couldn't really care about anything. He looked ahead, making no comment.
There was silence for a while longer, that white figure never moving from what Ginzo saw out of the corner of his eye.
"You know, I've always wondered something," Kaitou Kid said in that same cool and easy voice he always had. "Why is it you were always so fiery? More so than any other officer."
Ginzo didn't respond right away. Really, it was an odd thing to ask. He wondered why he did, but then again, what reason did he have to not say. He pulled the pipe out of his mouth, dumping the soaked tobacco onto the roof. Not like it was ever lit. "I got this friend. Knew him since I was a kid. We drifted some after high school, but still..."
"He's an important friend," Kid finished.
Ginzo nodded. "I went to become a cop. And he went to become a magician."
"You don't say?" Kid said in a knowing tone. Ginzo wouldn't doubt if he did. After all...
"He's on the list of possible suspects to be you," Ginzo added. "He became world famous in a few short years."
"Hm, of magicians in your age group who'd be from this area...ah! Kuroba Toichi, am I right?" Kid asked.
Ginzo nodded and smiled slightly. "Weirdest guy I ever knew. Whenever someone wanted something, he'd make it pop out right before their eyes. He'd always smile and he had this....this way about him. No matter who he met, people liked him. He could always find some odd way to make people feel better, to be better. He was...amazing. Really, I never got why he hung out around with me."
"I'd say your passion. It's hard not to like someone whose so passionate. It makes life not seem so boring," Kid commented, looking at Ginzo. "So...he's on the list? Do you want him to be me, or...?"
"I want to prove you're not him. Toichi is great enough to not need any gimmick to gain more attention. He's a great magician," Ginzo said. "And besides, he's even better than you."
Kid chuckled. "That's quite a bit of loyalty for a friend you've drifted from."
"And it's one of the things I hate let happen," Ginzo said grumpily. He'd been so busy with other things, after all. He hadn't been able to really see Toichi since his wedding. Of course he was his best man. Even if it was three year and a half years ago. "And I pay attention still." There was a pause then as Ginzo's face fell as he stared out at the city landscape. "He...even has a son, whose only a few months old. I...had been hoping to strengthen those ties again when I introduced my own kid," he said, voice going soft.
There was another silence, this one stretching for another several minutes before an almost comforting voice spoke. "Complications?"
Ginzo nodded, the same despairing expression coming to his face again. "...they couldn't stop her bleeding. They had to cut out the baby, but Kinko...wasn't strong enough." Ginzo said, his voice emotionless.
"...and the child?"
"A fifty, fifty chance she might live."
"A little girl? What are you going to name her?"
"I don't even know if she'll live, let alone her name. Kinko was going to name her if it was a girl," Ginzo said, still emotionless.
"Hm, I see," Kid murmured. Then in a puff of smoke, a gem appeared in front of Ginzo's face, appearing in mid-air.
Ginzo stared at it in confusion before taking the blue gemmed necklace. "Wha-?"
"Tonight's heist," Kid said in explanation. "The Blue Child. If given as a gift to an expecting parent, it will bring the child good health."
"Magic doesn't exist," Ginzo said, though he held onto the jewel.
"And you say this to a magician?" Kid asked, sounding amused.
"It's not real," Ginzo said flatly.
"That depends on what you define as real." And with another puff of smoke, Kid was in front of him on the ledge in seemingly instant movement, the brim of the hat still shadowing his face despite the close proximnity. "Wouldn't you say Toichi's magic was real, in bringing a smile to everyone's face?" He asked, a deck of cards materializing in his hand as he held it out to Ginzo. "Pick one."
Ginzo pulled out a card, not thinking of not taking it. "That's just amazing, not magic."
The card then first into a bouquet of flowers.
"What would you call magic, if not amazing?"
"What was once impossible," Ginzo replied, staring at the flowers with a dull look. Sunflowers on such a cloudy day?
"And do I not make the impossible, possible?" And then the flowers flew apart as a dove appeared, landing on Ginzo's shoulder.
Ginzo looked at the dove at his shoulder. "....I suppose so."
"Then let me cast my spell," Kaitou Kid said, a smirk forming on his face as he walked along the ledge of the roof. "I will call upon the magic of this world, the spirits of fortune, the lady of luck, the fatheof chance! May the Blue Child bring a happy, healthy life!" He declared, spreading his arms out wide.
Ginzo watched Kid. "...don't I need the gem for that to happen?"
"It's already yours," Kid said over his shoulder.
Ginzo frowned and then noticed the weight on his shoulder was gone and there was a weight around his neck. The dove was gone and the Blue Child was around his neck. It was on a thin chain. "Maybe how it was floating," he muttered.
"Don't look for a trick," Kid advised, shaking a finger from side to side, his back still to Ginzo. "Magic requires belief to work, after all."
Ginzo held up the gem, studying it. Then he smiled slightly. "So....a healthy baby girl?"
"A very healthy baby girl," Kid said. It might have been Ginzo's imagination, but he seemed a bit relieved now.
"...Aoko."
"What about it?"
"No. That'll be her name. Aoko," Ginzo said, letting go of the jewel, letting it thump lightly against his chest.
"A fine name. I'm sure she'll be a willful girl, just like her parents."
"Hopefully she won't get my mouth."
"Oh, so that was you who was always cursing so loudly!" Kid said with a laugh. Quite an infectious one as Ginzo found himself laughing a bit himself.
"Well then, I suppose you have a daughter to check up," Kaitou Kid said, tipping his hat. "I hope to see you on a future heist, officer." Then he pulled off his hat, and suddenly there was a blue fabric shooting around everywhere and flew off and down with the wind and rain, seemingly devoid of any person among them though none had remained on the spot they had appeared.
Ginzo stood there for a few moments before turning and heading back inside. He was certain now that when he asked about his daughter, his Aoko, that there would be good news.