A/N: Well, here we are, another new fic; this time it's a gift fic for my little sister, the PockyPirate. It was a stupidly long one-shot, so I split it into three. If you're wondering where it came from; and so am I; the original concept was: 'The only thing she'd like better than Ouran… is Ouran with a SWORD'. So. Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own. There.

The Magpie Lament

Chapter One: The Magpie

There was commotion in the streets that day. This was not unusual, for it was the day of the week when the vendors would risk the hot sun and the sand and the flies to open their stalls to sell whatever feeble produce the surrounding desert could provide, or what the traders and merchants had bought with them from other cities. Commotion was a natural result of the people that bustled back and forth, hoods drawn up against the sun, trying to get their wares and get out of the sun again. The only reason anyone gave the passing party any attention was to part out of the way; otherwise, they could have been part of the scenery. Enforcers were constantly ferrying petty thieves towards the courts on market days, when the pickings were so ready. This criminal, though, seemed to be protesting even more then usual.

"I'm telling you, I had nothing to do with it!"

The enforcer smirked. "I'm sure. Look, it was a man with red hair and I don't see many people fitting that description round here!"

"Oh, so you automatically assume-"

"Red hair! There ain't any mistaking it and there's only one guy in this city with that kinda marking, so I'd stop struggling before I feel less like being nice to you!"

One or two people in the crowd were watching as the man- his hair undeniably red- protested against the ropes the man was attempting to drag him along with. Most of them were simply bored. One had more of a reason, and, moral fibre asserting itself, stepped forward, in the path of the enforcer.

"Excuse me. What has this man done?"

"I don't have time to answer your questions, sir. Sooner he's off the streets the better."

"I believe it is the citizen's right to know, so I suggest you answer promptly."

The enforcer scowled. More people were watching now, and mumbling to themselves. This person wasn't particularly tall, cloaked like everyone else, with dust mask up because there was a breeze blowing that day. Even so, he seemed to have an air of importance, and he certainly seemed well-learnt.

"He robbed that big manor house, didn't he?" The enforcer answered. "Crept in there in there yesterday. Owner came home just in time to see this guy hopping over the fence after a sack full of stolen goods! Took us all night to find him, stupid criminal."

"This man?" An eyebrow was raised. "That's impossible."

"Why?"

"He was with me." There was no uncertainty in the voice. "From dawn until well after night fall. He has been assisting with digging a well into my land, and then had a late supper. I can show you the paperwork if you wish, I came out to see about paying him."

And the papers were produced, all official, no doubting them; and unable to do much else, the redhead was untied.

"Hey, no hard feelings." He taunted the enforcer. "Just do a better job next time! You'll be arresting a cat next if it happens to be ginger…" He seemed relieved, but the enforcer simply grunted something at him about not causing any more trouble and went to resume the search for the criminal. The previously accused ran after his saviour.

"Thanks." He said, simply, with a smile. "This hair colour's a burden, sometimes…"

"I just hope you haven't been in trouble, Kaoru." He turned to look at his worker, and brown eyes were visible. "There have been a spate of burglaries recently, all with a red-haired perpetrator, and I can't help but wonder…"

"How could it be me?" Kaoru protested, getting rather frustrated. "I was working at your place all day, and hard work it was too! Even you haven't figured out how a man can be in two places at once yet, Haruhi! Let me know if you ever do, I could always use more time- I can hardly afford to live…"

Her eyes were still narrowed in suspicion. "You'll get your fair wage and nothing else. I still think you're up to something…You're behaving oddly, and if it doesn't stop I will get to the bottom of it. Here, anyway, you ungrateful fool."

Kaoru took the coins without hesitation, eyes wandering over gold. "Hey! This is a bit short, isn't it?"

She was already walking away. "Consider that compensation for making me draw attention to myself." She replied, with a hint of a laugh, and was absorbed into the crowd. Kaoru watched for a moment, and smiled. Then he turned, and quickly ducked behind one of the stalls. He flipped a coin to the owner, grabbing some fruit, and strolled along. He was a free man now, and only criminals ran. However, as he found himself wandering dark alleys that gradually got narrower as the houses got closer together, he walked quicker, and only when he was sure no-one was looking, slipped into the ramshackle old building that was so close to falling down you'd have to be mad to set foot inside it. Which was why he had it to himself.

Almost, anyway.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

Thanks to the trouble in the market, Haruhi was a few minutes late to the sandstone building that was her workplace that morning. She stepped in tentatively, pulling down her dust mask and lowering the hood of the cotton cloak before beginning to fumble with the tie that kept it together at the neck.

"Sorry I'm late, sir." She said, taking it off and hanging it next to her bosses'. "I had to bail out another innocent one of those idiot over-enthusiastic enforcers arrested. The guy didn't even realise who I was!"

"Hmm. And would this 'innocent' be Kaoru Hitachiin again?"

Haruhi turned slowly, and faced her boss, who sat behind his desk. Hers sat in another corner of the room; and they were the only occupants. Today, the holding cell was empty. Which probably wasn't a good thing, at least not as far as Kyouya was concerned. He was young to be heading a town's law enforcers, as far as Commandants went, but this did not seem to be detrimental at all. At least, if it was, he'd be unimaginably good at his job when he was into middle-age. Haruhi could never quite decide if she was pleased to be working as his second-in-command or not. He was very good, trusted her opinion, but was that little bit too perceptive. She had only just got this job over the other candidates by the skin of her teeth; her lack of strength compensated in agility and mental ability.

The only flaw was, she hadn't been totally honest. There were no women allowed in the enforcers. And Haruhi had really wanted to be an enforcer. So she simply 'became' a man. Or rather, disguised herself as one. Then there was the matter of 'editing' her papers to have her as a registered male citizen rather then a female one. The editor happened to be a man she had met on first coming to town, who had been found sitting innocently next to the empty glass that a few seconds before had been full of Haruhi's drink. Kaoru swore to this day that he didn't do it, but he fixed her papers for her and even helped with the disguise. He hadn't batted an eye at doing this slightly illegal process, but Haruhi didn't think he was a thief. She was sure of it, in fact; and consoled herself that she had more then made up for these alterations of her past with her work.

Of course, Kyouya was not so convinced of Kaoru's innocence.

"It's physically impossible that it was him. He's had an alibi every time, Kyouya- and I took the day off to watch him work yesterday- there's no tricks." Haruhi said, firmly. "There's just no way he robbed the manor."

"Exactly." Kyouya frowned. "The mere fact he's had such a sound alibi every time makes it suspicious…It seems he's hiding something."

"Maybe so." Haruhi acknowledged. There was no denying it, she was sure there was more to Kaoru then he perhaps let on. For example, his mood swings. Some times, he could be quietly companionable and friendly, witty, but also quite shy; but other days he seemed to come into his own, unable to hold the witticisms back, falling into sarcasm and cheek, a wilder side that seemingly came out at random. She supposed he was just in a different mood, but she couldn't help but have grown a little fond of that unpredictability. Unpredictability that she had to admit loaned suspicion. "Still, if he's up to something, it's nothing illegal. He's not responsible for these burglaries unless he's got more then a dozen witnesses bribed to his side. One or two are the victims, for heaven's sake."

Kyouya nodded. They'd been through this a dozen times, and without need for modesty, he and Haruhi were the best. If there was a trick, chances were one of them would have seen through it by now. There had to be something else, a different angle. "Even so, the evidence is against him. All the reports, where we have eye-witnesses, say a red-haired man; and guess who the only red head in town is?"

"The only red-head we know of." Haruhi corrected.

"The only one we know of." Kyouya conceded. "But we can't search every building in town. Our thief would be alerted long before we got to him." He steeped his hands and leant on the desk. "We need to catch this guy soon, Haruhi. If he's targeting Tamaki's place now this could be very bad for us."

Haruhi nodded again, sitting down at her own desk, and looking again at the initial statement Tamaki had given them. "He says the items he got were of little value… you're expecting him to go back?"

"Correct." Kyouya nodded this time. "I doubt I need remind you that some twenty-five percent of this town's economy is reliant on his investment or land; and that's discounting the generous donations he feels the need to make. Tamaki can be rather fickle when he's wound up. Falling out of his favour would not be good for us."

"He's an old friend of yours, though, isn't he? I thought you served with him…"

Kyouya sighed as if being reminded of the two horrible years every young man was obliged to spend ridding the desert of monsters and creatures of night was simply exasperating. Or perhaps it was being reminded of his past with the town's largest benefactor. "I did serve with him, yes, but that's irrelevant at the moment. Just trust me when I say it's best not to let him get too deep into his own idiotic theories." He suddenly straightened up a little. "What about you, Haruhi? You're only a year younger then me, our services must have crossed over. What was your regiment?"

The skin on the back of Haruhi's neck crawled uncomfortably. Her boss had the most unfortunate habit of springing this sort of questioning on her whenever she did something that was in her right but that he didn't approve of. She didn't know whether it was paranoia or if he really did suspect, but either way, she hastened to answer. "I was special ops, sir." She answered, reverting back to formality that rarely stood up in private. "Contracted out to the Silent Guild, Absonse Division. Spent most of my time crawling in and out of sink holes looking for old mines left from the war or moles. Those things got vicious in mating season." She forced a laugh. The information had been printed on her application form, of course, under 'previous employment', and the necessary discharge papers provided. The short anecdote had come from the same place as the papers, and she could only hope Kyouya chose not to question her further.

He didn't.

It was worse.

"Hmm," He mused, smirk broadening. "How odd. You never mentioned you served on the very same division as Kaoru Hitachiin. You always said you met him when you arrived in town."

Haruhi blinked at him, for a moment taken aback. The truth was she hadn't set foot on desert sand, had arrived in by bus two years ago now, and hadn't thought to question the details she had been supplied with, not wanting to complicate things. And now, she had to fabricate a past for herself and fast- things couldn't be more awkward. "Ah, you may well be right. But in the Silent Division, you keep yourself to yourself. When you're in those holes there's only you; it doesn't matter who's on the other end of the rope. They didn't let friendships develop, didn't want us to be too trusting, I suppose."

For one of her lies, it was actually fairly convincing. Kyouya's face, as usual, gave nothing away; and Haruhi was left again to wonder if he knew. However, he moved away from the subject.

"I see." He stood suddenly. "Well, I may just have a few questions for Mr Hitachiin."

Haruhi felt her temper flare up. "With respect, Kyouya, does that mean you're suspecting me, too?"

"Before that, however," Kyouya continued as though the interruption had not happened. "I think we'd best go back to the manor house and ask our more-money-than-sense victim to be more specific in his description."

It was a brief respite. Haruhi knew, unless they could crack this one soon, Kaoru would be back in custody and, if he was sent down, she would be too. After all, if he had perpetrated the crime, he could not have been- as she had insisted- digging a well in her back garden.

There was simply no way he could be in two places at once.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

Having watched Haruhi be absorbed into the crowd, probably heading towards her days work; of which, though she did not know it, he caused a great deal of, the freed red-head had headed home. He casually ate an apple as he went, the only signs of irritation that he bit slightly harder then necessary before lifting the flap and heading into a derelict building which was almost empty.

"Kaoru!" He snapped, throwing the remainder of his fruit out of the door before letting it flap shut. "Are you trying to hang me?!"

Another youth had appeared, identical in every way to the first, though looking slightly apprehensive. "Why? What happened, Hikaru?"

"I got arrested for the manor job! And all we got anyway were a few lousy trinkets!" Hikaru rolled his eyes as Kaoru's widened.

"What? That's impossible, I'm much more light footed then you. Who saw me?"

"Does it matter? Thing is, they're onto us. Or rather, on to you. They still can't prove us guilty." A smile crept onto his face. "After all, as I said to Haruhi, there's no way Kaoru Hitachiin could be in two places at once. And he was at Haruhi's all day yesterday digging a well for pittance."

"She didn't pay you?"

"She did. Minus bail. Because apparently she can't afford to draw attention to herself in public."

Kaoru shook his head. "I always said she was a strange girl. And she hasn't rumbled you?"

"Not yet. But you better 'bump into' her tomorrow and throw her off."

"Alright. Maybe I'll remind her what we know, too. Just in case."

"Just in case." Hikaru agreed, tipping the gold onto the table.

He didn't tell his brother that he'd actually paid for his food that day. That was a bad habit, and something Kaoru was far too fond of doing.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

"There must be something else. Think!"

"Kyouya, there's nothing else! Please calm down!"

Haruhi was hovering uncomfortably on the edge of this exchange. Kyouya would never have employed such a snappy tone with the run-of-the-mill crime victim. Not without saying 'Sir' at the end, anyway. She knew that Tamaki was the closest thing to a friend Kyouya let himself have, they went back, and the familiarity made them all a little less professional. Haruhi herself didn't quite know how to behave. She had met Tamaki a few times herself, in various town events and he always seemed nice enough. It helped that he was the son of the mayor, too; though the mayor governed several places and very rarely came this far out into the desert. She'd assumed at first Tamaki was there to report back, as it were, but it seemed that was not the case; for it was clear Tamaki loved this sand-swept excuse for a home. He'd bought money to the place, and made the land workable; and Kyouya had taken over from a tired out, resigned Commandant and made the place safe and habitable. That's how the stories went, anyway. Local legends would claim that between them the two pulled the town back from the brink of dying out.

However, it seemed one tiny nest of crime remained. And it served to irritate Kyouya immensely.

"Tamaki." He tried, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I don't think you quite understand. We can't bring this scum to justice unless you give us more information!"

"I've nothing more to tell you." Tamaki looked almost amused. "Kyouya, stop pacing and sit down; if you don't lighten up you'll go bald- and that would be a tragedy for us all!"

"This isn't a social visit." Kyouya growled, but sank into a chair beside Haruhi anyway. "I have a job to do, and right now, it's being very difficult."

"I've given you all the description I can." Tamaki maintained, easily. "I was returning home from visiting in the next town, and I was thinking of the very nice cakes I'd been able to sample, when I suddenly noticed a flash of red in the corner of my vision. I immediately turned to the window and saw a red-haired man disappearing over the fence with a sack of my treasured possessions! I must admit, I was shocked! Of course, I immediately gave chase, but the fence defeated me, and I thought my time would be better spent looking for clues! I found out what was missing, though I'd obviously interrupted as they had only taken trinkets of little value." He suddenly looked mournful. "Except, they did get that pencil you gave me in the desert, Kyouya. I'm sorry! I knew I should have put it in the safe! But I like to see it out, and use it, and remember the true depth of-"

"Shut up." Kyouya commanded. "It was just so you'd stop whining about not being able to write home."

"But, Kyouya, it was the first thing you ever gave me! The first sign of our true and deep bond of friendship! I treasured it!"

"Tamaki...!"

"I understand now, Kyouya! You're so anxious to catch these thieves so you can retrieve the symbol of our friendship! But never fear! Our bond is stronger then a mere thief can snatch away…"

Tamaki continued to rant, and Haruhi couldn't help but snicker behind her hand. Kyouya's face was a picture. Even over all the noise, Haruhi could hear his patience snap.

"Tamaki! Be quiet! I wish to catch these criminals so that they can be dealt with accordingly! There have been a spate of robberies and I intend to put a stop to them before this town is back to the dust-filled hell hole it was when we got here!"

"You sound like you'll be enforcing the death penalty." Tamaki remarked, and the hint of a grin played on his face. "It's just one thief- and a jolly clever one, I'd say, as he managed to get in here and out again!"

"When you're quite finished admiring the people that liberated you of your possessions," Kyouya interjected coldly, "Perhaps we could discuss what happens next."

"Next?" Tamaki was habitually oblivious. Haruhi, knowing Kyouya had no patience for explaining himself, hurriedly stepped in.

"Well, we're assuming that they're going to come back." She said, and Tamaki immediately gave her his full attention. "You said it yourself, you interrupted. We still haven't got any leads-"

"Not anymore." Kyouya put in, referring to Haruhi's earlier dismissal of their only suspect. Haruhi continued over the top of him without a hesitation.

"So we're expecting them to come back and try to get something of more value."

"Ah, I see…" Tamaki answered, looking slightly troubled. "Well, what are we to do…?"

"We wait for him." Kyouya answered, sounding rather smug. "And we catch him."

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

"Hikaru…" Kaoru spoke tentatively, and Hikaru turned from what he was doing. He had noticed, of course, that his brother had been acting strangely ever since he had returned home, and had assumed Kaoru was just feeling guilty for nearly getting them caught. Nearly, but not quite. That's why this set-up was so sweet. Being identical let them share an identity, to live under one name, and to be seen as one man. One man who was always accounted for far from whatever robbery was taking place. They took it in turns, of course, to provide the alibi or to do the job; took it in turns to be seen or not to be seen under any circumstances. Kaoru, the more patient and light-footed of the brothers, had been the obvious choice for the manor job- Hikaru was a far more in-and-out sort of guy and would have fallen straight into any of the fancy traps. Kaoru had got in alright, but the owner had returned early. He'd gotten out alright, too, but without anything of real value; and Hikaru had been pulled in for the entire affair. Thank goodness Haruhi was convinced of their innocence, perhaps because it helped her deal with her own guilt of fraud. Still, it got them off the hook for another day, and Kaoru needn't have spoken in such a way.

"Yeah?" Hikaru answered.

"About the manor job…" Kaoru continued. "I got in there, just about, and there's a ton of great stuff…"

"That's why you're going back, isn't it?" Hikaru shrugged. "Though, better leave it a bit; till they relax. Besides, Haruhi reckons 'Kaoru' is acting funny, and she's our best alibi. You need to throw her off."

"Um, actually, that's the thing…" Kaoru answered, delicately. "You don't understand. The set up in there is unlike anything I've seen- the guy has electric, I reckon, some kind of a generator in the basement. He's rolling in it!"

"And so will we, when we empty the place." Hikaru grinned cockily. "You can handle the stuff, surely?"

"No, not really… I set off most of them." Kaoru confessed. "I'm lucky to have got out, and that no-one heard the alarms. But I knew you want to go back. So… I called in a favour."

Hikaru blinked, and then glowered at him. "What?!"

"I can't help it, Kyouya's bound to increase it even more, and the only way I'm getting back in there is with a bit of expert assistance!" Kaoru hastened to move the conversation on. "Anyway, if I'm with Haruhi, you're going to have to go with them to stake it out."

"No way."

"Hikaru…"

"Look, I'll go with Haruhi, then."

"But-"

"Calm down. I can act like you. No problem. Everyone else believes it, don't they? She's just a little more perceptive then most. All I'll do is argue with him, anyway. So you go. Makes more sense, you'll be the one to go in there anyway. No sweat."

"Okay." Kaoru gave a gentle smile. "Don't forget she's suspicious of us, Hikaru. Best behaviour. No overly-cocky remarks."

Hikaru gave a jaunty wink. "I can be a gentleman. She'll be too bowled over by our charms to notice much."

Kaoru rolled his eyes. "Oh, joy. And the rest of the world will think we're flirting with a man."

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

Bellowing beyond the door.

"Open up, old man!"

"We want them, now!"

"We want them out of here!"

"Or dead!"

A placid voice amidst the shouting.

"My, I don't think I'll be opening up to that…"

"We'll break down the door, then!"

"We should never have let them in to begin with!"

"Last chance, old man!"

"No! They're just children!"

"Then we're coming in!"

"Run boys! Run! Go on! Run!"

Banging, and the crash as the door fell.

"Run! Run, far away!"

The noise of chaos fading away.

"Run…!"

Hikaru awoke, and ran a shaking hand over his wet face. He hated those dreams, that released a weakness long since locked away. He growled with annoyance and dragged his mind away from the past, and towards the future. Tomorrow, for instance. Tomorrow, they would come; and personal feelings aside, they could soon be rich. And tomorrow, he had a day off, spent in the best of company. A day spent with the first person he'd grown to like since the man in his nightmares.

Naturally, though, it was just business. Everything in his life was business.

He took his hand away, and in the first blue lights of the sun examined a small mark at the base of his thumb. At first glance, it appeared to be a mere birthmark, or a mole. Closer inspection may have brought attention to the fact it's shape resembled a bird, but only if you knew what it was could you have identified it's form. The mark of a true thief, the signature of an unwritten contract. A declaration of honour amongst thieves. The Mark of the Magpie.

Hikaru and his brother were proud bearers of this mark. But they weren't the best, not really. The best thieves were widely accepted not to be known- indeed, Hikaru reasoned, the matter of the Hitachiin brothers not being counted with them with this clever little scam and their history was merely because they had to stay totally secret. Yet, second or third to those high class mysteries were the legends; some of whom arrived at the city's back roads as dawn tinged the sky pink and orange. Another blisteringly hot day in the desert was to come, and the man the twins struck out to meet probably wouldn't like it.

But he had come. Because he had been called.

The mark was a binding agreement to the Code of the Magpie. This was an ingenious system used by thieves the world over for sophisticated communication, based on the calls of the only creatures who could travel unnoticed anywhere, who's sounds would not be counted as odd or unexpected at any of the far corners of the world. The birds of the air provided words enough, beginning with the distinctive caw of the magpie. When Kaoru had 'called in a favour', he had climbed to a tall sand dune not far from town, and the birdsong echoed from his mouth to miles around, across the sand sea. First, the magpie's croak, to initiate the message. Next, the mountain rook, to identify himself; and the song of the desert wren to flag his location. Simply, and finally, the distinctive cry of the cockerel that ruled the dawn. A clear message, a clear request for help, and he had come.

In order to be assigned a call sign, all candidates simply had to break into that week's selected building and leave a calling card. That calling card would then be taken by a local member, who would hide a wooden magpie in some unobtainable spot. If the contestant could steal it away, without any sign of anything ever happening, they were given the mark, elevating them above petty thieves, and they would be given a signature call of their own; usually based on their home town.

Thieves were usually clever, but no-one claimed they were creative.

This initiation rite was not as easy as it sounded. In fact, it was almost impossible. In order to find the listed building and even to declare your interest required some prior knowledge of the Code of the Magpie, and to even notice, let alone translate it took some talent. The magpie itself was no larger then a gold piece. Hikaru and Kaoru had almost been disqualified, as they took it together and team work was frowned upon; but the very man who was with them now had decided differently. He himself had placed the magpie for them, at the top of a Church steeple, wedged in a minute gap between a gargoyle's head and the alcove it was in. It was impossible to see the magpie unless you were directly above it, there wasn't room to fit your hand in after it, and the gargoyle was exposed to the elements and to plain view. He had been sure they wouldn't get it. Unfortunately, once they had located it, they scaled the steeple on the inside, cut a tiny hole out into the back of the alcove, and retrieved it, replacing the cut off. So high that nobody would notice, and with no damage to the gargoyle or stonework, and all undetected, unaided, without ropes. They were given their marks, and now, he was here.

He didn't come for just anyone. He was legendary not just by thieves but also within the citizens of the country. He'd grown accustomed to letting himself go slightly, leaving some minor traces, to give the papers something to write about. They'd named the elusive master thief unimaginatively after the place his first known crime had been. They called him the Bento Bandit.

His name, however, was Daiki; and this was how Kaoru addressed him.

"Hey, Daiki! Thanks for coming out."

He shrugged. "I was in the area. You have a job for us?"

"Something like that." Kaoru answered, sheepishly, and glanced at the small entourage behind Daiki. "You taken up team work now?"

Daiki scowled. "Not really…" He answered, vaguely. "Besides, you always work with him! Oiy, Hikaru, stop skulking around in the background and come greet us, dammit! I didn't come all this way to save your sorry backsides to be ignored!"

Hikaru took a grudging step forward, but raised an eyebrow. "Skulking around in the background is something you know all about, isn't it?"

"She was my sister, dammit, I wasn't leaving you alone with her!"

"Awww, the great thief has a soft spot."

"I do not!"

"It can't be helped if your sister happened to be hot. I just wanted a bit of fun."

"Well, you shouldn't!"

"Ahhh," a second of the guys piped up, rather wistfully. "Don't take it too hard. He beat me within an inch of my life when I asked her out."

"Akira, shut your stupid fat mouth!"

Kaoru was beginning to wonder if this had been a good idea. He tugged Hikaru out of the way and spoke loudly over the bickering.

"Well, you'll be glad to know that I'm doing this job. You know the routine."

"I don't." Another of the group said, rather vaguely. "Unless you mean that dance routine that's all the rage in Aera?"

Kaoru looked at him.

"No." He agreed. "I didn't suppose so."

"…Daiki." Kaoru said, eventually. "Just who are these guys?"

Daiki shrugged again. "When the Hitachiins need help, it's a big job. They're the add-ons."

Hikaru watched as the vague sounding one explained to a very tall, pale and uninterested looking man how the sand had once been rocks.

"He fel

"And if we don't want to split the money with these… add-ons?" He asked, twitching slightly.

"Hey, we're essential!" Akira protested. He didn't look terribly impressive, his sandy-brown coloured head only just reaching Hikaru's chest. "He's rubbish without us!"

"Well…" Kaoru glanced round. "I tell you what, we'll consider. Explain."

"You ought to tell us what the job is, first." Daiki folded his arms, but sighed and launched into an explanation. "Akira's has this amazing ability to wriggle in and out of just about anything, probably because there's not much of him to get through-"

"Hey!" Akira protested loudly.

"Plus he gets surprisingly vicious at nighttimes. His call sign's a robin because he's shockingly violent, considering." Daiki continued. "The pale one is Jake." Here, he gestured at the lost looking tall man, who had hair as long, black and straight as the fangs of a black widow spider, who had the appearance of a foreigner. "He doesn't talk much, but he's still a magpie; they call him the Blackbird. What he can't break or fix isn't worth breaking. Or fixing. Then over there there's Takei, the Cockatoo; and the kid is Yamasaki. " Here a wild-haired youth nodded.

"And what are those two here for?"

"I don't know." Daiki answered, simply. "They just sort of followed us."

"…They're all idiots!" Hikaru whispered venomously.

"Um, I don't think their services will be required." Kaoru translated.

"What do you know, you depraved smartarse?!" Daiki demanded. "I don't even know who we 'require' yet, since you haven't told me what we're supposed to be doing here! Now remove your head from your backside and talk!"

"Well, you know the manor house on the hill…"

"The richest one in the whole desert?"

"Yes; well-"

"The one that's owned by a total idiot?"

"That's the one. Anyway-"

"So stupid that the Commandant made him have the best security installed?"

"Exactly. So-"

"There's meant to be sixteen traps per metre in there." Takei commented absently.

"Not quite that much, but-"

"That's an average, of course." Takei added.

"I've heard he has his own power generator in there." Akira smiled.

"He does, it's in the basement. But-"

"I'd love to have a go at a place like that." Daiki interrupted. "I will, one day…"

"How does tomorrow suit you?" Hikaru asked wearily.

Daiki blinked at him. "…Are you crazy?! You might get in but you wouldn't get out, and I have things to do before risking a prison retirement! Sixteen traps per metre! Think, dammit!"

"It's not sixteen traps per metre!" Kaoru protested. "They're increasing the security! It could be up to twenty by now!"

Daiki cursed violently. "You two are insane." He said, but then grinned. "Then again, I could never resist a challenge…"

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When Haruhi exited her house that morning, she was surprised to see a red mop of hair just showing over the walls that marked the boundaries of her land. It could hardly be called a garden, stones and sand and the occasional scrubby bits of plant, but she covered the few metres to the outer boundaries anyway; and stood over him.

"Kaoru." She called, and he didn't answer. She frowned because she was going to be late to work, and was sorely tempted to leave him lying there like a vagrant, but the frown broke into a smile. He looked very peaceful, sleeping there in the sun. For a moment, she contemplated his calm form.

Then she kicked him.

Hikaru, for it was him of course, did not really appreciate this method of awakening. He and Kaoru had been up ridiculously early to go and meet Daiki, and there hadn't been much point in going home if he wanted to meet Haruhi before she went to work. It would seem he had dropped off, right there on the ground. This was not a preferable place to sleep, and stiff as he was, Haruhi scuffed boots impacting in his hip was not appreciated.

"Ouch! I see you're as gentle as ever…" He grumbled.

Haruhi raised her eyebrows. "What kind of reception did you expect? I haven't any more work for you, and you're making me late to mine."

"I only came to say good morning." He protested, clambering to his feet. "Can I walk you to work?"

She made no specific reply, but merely started on her way. He took that as permission and kept pace with her.

"Why don't you get a real job?" She rebuked, lightly. "You can't keep doing odd bits your whole life."

"Ahh, Haruhi, unemployment is freedom. I can go wherever I want and do whatever I want…" He caught a sharp look, etched with light disapproval. "Within reason." He added hastily, and she gave a brief laugh. It wasn't much more then a 'Ha', but he took it as a good sign. "Look, I'll prove it to you. I'll come meet you after work."

The eyebrows were raised again. "Why?"

"…Truth is, I'm awfully lonely."

"If only you had some work mates, then."

"Haruhi…"

She graced him with a rare smile, holding her hands up in defeat. "Okay, sure. I'll see you later."

Her acceptance was a sure sign of something more, had Hikaru realised it. He however, only walked a little further on with her, until they reached the pathway up to the manor, where she- and Kaoru- would be working that day. She would endeavour to improve the security, he would seek to spot ways to bypass it, and Hikaru would- hopefully- be providing a decent alibi a long way from the scene, so if anyone happened to find Kaoru they'd be safe. Better yet, if he could get an alibi near by, they might just have an excuse to fall back on in the case of capture. Just maybe.

He wondered if the owner needed any gardening done. With that thought, he followed Haruhi along the path towards the front door.

"What are you doing?" She asked, tone laced with suspicion. He gave her his best grin.

"Getting a job."

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A/N: Dun dun duuuuuuuun! Well, will the twins succeed in robbing the manor once again? Will Tamaki reclaim his pencil? Will Hikaru get the job? Who knows…