a/n: i've decided to make a multichapter using canon characters. or well, as canon as it gets.
dedication: to life's greatest mysteries.
disclaimer: i own nothing.
summary: In the heat of the crime. – Fudou/Haruna
in flagrante delicto
prologue
'Remember tonight…for it is the beginning of always." – Dante Alighieri
Hearing the slow, steady footsteps of the guard round the corner, the thief realized that his first plan was shot to hell. Carefully removing the chunk of purple rock that lay in the vault, he winced as the ear-splitting alarms went off, startling the guard and rousing the night police.
It was to be expected, of course, the Aliea was a great treasure – the Sun Garden had guarded it jealously. But fame invites money, and money brings the thieves running like moths to a flame.
He happily skipped by the stunned guard – poor fellow was just about to die of shock – and pocketed the gleaming jewel. Many rumors abounded of the infamous gem – how it had appeared in the sky one day, in the form of a blessing from the gods. A signal that the reign of Kageyama-denka was just and supreme.
The thief wondered what the seers would make of this latest development. No doubt, the prophets would be running in the streets tomorrow, foreseeing death and calamity. And of course, it would all be encouraged by the wild-eyed bartenders of Teikoku. He made a note to tip higher next time he went.
Peering around a corner to find yet another empty corridor, the thief went on his merry way, even whistling a jaunty tune as he walked up a flight of stairs. The Sun Garden – in its remote location on Mt. Fuji – was nearly inaccessible at this time of night. The Kurosaki wouldn't be here till morning, at which time the thief would be in a brothel, with a drink in one hand and a whore in the other.
Stepping out onto the roof, he observed the shadows out of the corner of his eye, lying in wait for him. It seems he had underestimated the Sun Garden's security. Ignoring their presence, he continued walking to the edge of the roof, dodging the first thin silver dagger with little effort.
"If you throw another one, I'll drop the Aliea off the edge. It'll shatter into a thousand pieces by the time it reaches the ground."
No one responded to his threat and the thief smiled, not turning back. Confidence was a dangerous thing – it told your enemies that you had a trick up your sleeve.
Lightly tracing patterns into the frost, he waited for the whisper of footsteps, the crunch of boots against the ice. The fools never learned – in order to be silent, you must be silence itself.
Outfitted head to toe in black silk, with a light mask disguising his face and a hood covering his head – the thief was well practiced in the art of blending in the shadows. It was unfortunate, really, that his prodigious career, which boasted of robberies at half the strongholds of the kingdom, had to end like this.
Spinning around, he hopped onto the slippery edge, watching as the men who were tiptoeing forward instantly froze. The wide-eyed look was endearing, he was dealing with people who were still in awe of his abilities – who had no idea what to do once they got him good and cornered. Unfortunately, as amazing as his skills were, he could not fight his way without a single weapon through thirty guards armed to the teeth.
Plan B was long gone; he had no time for plan C. It was time for D; dumb, dangerous, and surely to end in death. But then again, it was always plan D.
He gave them all a razor-toothed smile – "I may be a thief, but I've never been a liar." – and vaulted backwards over the ledge, down into the dark abyss that ended at the foot of the mountain.
Hidden in an alcove near the edge of the roof, another person, similarly outfitted in black watched, fuming, as the thief walked out with the prize. Their mission had been aborted due to his untimely actions – though the person felt a twinge of admiration for her fellow professional as he jumped off the roof.
Smiling at his daredevil stunt, she gave a small salute – a gesture of respect from one thief to another – before melting into the darkness.
tbc
a/n: so? do tell, was it good? amazing? fantabulous?