Red roses bloom black
Circle the pale of the eye
Come the moon's zenith
I will arrive to take it

A week ago, the hall had been bustling and full of life. Ceiling-to-floor hangings had decorated the walls, affixed firmly with tarnished gold rods. Display cases of weapons and jewellery were dotted about the room, offering up their contents for study on worn felt cushioning. An entire wall at the far end, offset beautifully by the large window set into it, was taken up by a painted mural set with precious stones. This exhibition was well-advertised, free, and would only be around for a fortnight, and so the patrons of the Beika Museum of History flocked to see it.

Now, the hangings had been removed, the cases had been cleared away, and the public banned from the premises. The jewelled mural was left alone. Alone, that is, but for the Kaitou KID taskforce and teen detective Saguru Hakuba. He stood by the mural, ignoring the presence of the taskforce, and delved into his own thoughts during the time left before the heist.

Hakuba was feeling hopeful.

He would be the first to admit that this was an unusual sensation for him to feel at a Kaitou KID heist. Anticipatory, yes. Frustrated, yes. Blinded with unyielding and fiery rage...! Ohhh, yes.

But not hopeful.

Perhaps it was the heist note. Delivered a full week before the heist was due to begin, it had shocked him with its simplicity. The most difficult note KID had ever sent had taken him a day and a night to unravel, leaving Nakamori and the Kaitou KID taskforce very little time to prepare for the heist itself. He had missed a day of school and worked through the night grappling with this cryptic glimpse into the thief's mind... only to skip school once again to prepare for and stagger through the duration of the heist. Kuroba had dropped off two days worth of notes with a smug grin and dark smudges under his eyes, and it was a testament to Hakuba's exhaustion that he didn't throttle him right there and then.

This heist note, however, had taken him less than an hour to decode.

The mural sat before him, old and rather dull. The subject it depicted was simple - a pale round circle lined with small black melanite garnets, with a fist-sized garnet of the same colour set into the middle. The effect was rather like a massive eye staring out at the viewer, although there was speculation among experts that it was meant to depict the moon instead. Keeping both interpretations in mind, the mural had been dubbed The Lunar Gaze. Really, with a name like that, there was nothing else the note could have been referring to.

Hakuba wondered if KID was slipping. Class assessments had been looming on the horizon for a while now, and he had overheard Aoko teasing Kuroba for being placed in mandatory tutoring sessions. Kuroba's grades always seemed to fall whenever a new heist was announced... funny, that. Hakuba made a mental note to offer Kuroba free tutoring sessions in English at the earliest opportunity - with any luck, his reaction would be satisfying enough to soothe the burn of Kuroba ranking above him in last month's Art assessment.

Providing he was able to escape tonight.

Hakuba allowed his gaze to wander the hall. The preparations had slowed, with most of the taskforce settled in their places around the room. Nakamori and a few other officers still roamed, checking for last minute traps, smoke bombs, someone out of place, and it was on these people Hakuba allowed his eyes to settle.

A week had been more than enough time to prepare for the heist. Hakuba had been privately giddy at the opportunities the room afforded, Nakamori more loudly so. The mural would need the care of special tools to give up its jewels undamaged, and it was on this that Hakuba banked his own tricks. The area around the mural had been rigged with the same fast-acting gas KID had used time and time again to knock them out (thank you, Hakuba Laboratories, for not only successfully obtaining a sample of the knockout gas, but using it to create some for their own use.) If nothing else, Kaitou KID would regret not patenting the gas when he had the chance. The taskforce had been provided with gas masks affixed to their helmets, and Hakuba's own mask required fingerprint ID to work. Never let it be said he didn't learn from past mistakes.

Even if KID had the foresight to bring his own mask, the time it would take to remove the stone undamaged coupled with the gas should give the taskforce enough time to chase him from the mural. And to make it more difficult for the thief, he had copied a previous strategy and lowered the temperature of the room enough to slow KID's movements. Hey, it had worked before, why not again?

Hakuba allowed a smile to curl his lips. Fingerless gloves were unsuitable (heh) to pair with a suit, but they fit his requirements.

No members of the public and no other obstacles made KID a sitting duck the moment he entered the room. Poor ventilation meant that KID would likely avoid using smoke or knockout gas in fear of causing any lasting damage. The vents were too narrow for KID to fit through, a size far smaller than Nakamori was willing to believe. No civilians for him to disguise as. No Jirokichi to pull out all the stops for. And to top it all off, Hakuba was confident that the big window framing the mural itself would be too tempting to pass up. Crashing through the window at the height of the full moon, glowing silver as he descended upon the mural... there was no way KID would pass up the opportunity to enter the hall like that. Through the window, and into a cloud of knockout gas.

Ohhh yeah. Hakuba was definitely feeling hopeful.

Conan was feeling pissed.

Twice now, he had tried to sneak away from Ran only to be grabbed again. Her anxiety made sense - they were in the middle of a massive crowd awaiting the heist, a quarter of an hour to 1am, surrounded by overexcited people. It would be all too easy for a small child to be trampled.

But that didn't mean he had to like it. Now Ran's hand held him shackled to her side in a warm and inescapable grip.

Beside Ran, Sonoko hopped from one foot to the other, working off some nervous energy. According to Ran, she had tried to look into accessing the museum, but had been denied at every turn. Even mentioning Conan as the KID Killer had been ineffective. Apparently, some other detective had shown up and claimed that fewer people meant fewer disguise choices for KID, and that had been that. Which was refreshingly smart and all, but also meant that Conan had no way to confront the thief. He would have argued the point that he was too small for KID to disguise as, except that the time KID had pretended to be Genta really made that claim redundant, didn't it? Not to mention that no one would listen to a child like him anyway.

Conan looked up at the moon and thought about the note. The Lunar Gaze was really a fitting title for a heist target, given Kaitou KID's overall aesthetic.

"Red roses bloom black" was a clear reference to the black garnets used in the mural, given that garnets were typically thought to be red. "Circle the pale of the eye" was another hint to the target in the question, as was the inclusion of "moon's zenith" - an eye and a full moon, trust KID to work both interpretations in there. Even the format of the note was a hint, using a Haiku stanza to hint at a target that was ancient and traditional, while including an extra line as a form of defacement, just as he intended to deface the mural by removing the jewel.

Conan had laughed when he worked that one out.

That asshole thief had left the time of his appearance vague, with "the moon's zenith" acting as a double clue. Conan had calculated the moon's full height above the museum to occur at approximately 12am-1am that night, as had many other people, given the crowds. But the deadline for the full moon was approaching and there was still no sign of the the thief. Weren't gentlemen meant to be punctual?

Conan hissed through his teeth as a shoe caught him a glancing blow to the calf. He pressed closer against Ran. This made it the third time someone had stepped on him already, and the real excitement hadn't even begun. With his luck, some idiot would kick him in the head upon KID's appearance and make the whole night a complete wash. Good luck to Conan getting out through the crowd, let alone KID...

Wait a minute. How was KID going to get out?

Conan whipped out his mobile and looked up the weather for the area. He gazed at the museum. Crowds plus mellow weather meant that KID would doubtless try his hand at escaping via glider. After all, didn't he always go to his audience when they couldn't come to him? And the roof would frame him nicely against the moon before he made his escape. Conan allowed himself a smug grin.

Gotcha.

Kaitou KID was feeling tired.

Class assessments had been kicking his ass to the point where he was just about ready to quit school and take up the mantle full-time. Just devote himself to avenging his father and getting yelled at by Nakamori... wearing an uncomfortable suit everyday... leaving all his friends behind... getting shot at by snipers every other heist...

Okay, never mind.

KID grunted, trying to find a more comfortable position without making too much noise. He was crammed into a vent in the next room over, using a scope to see through the tiny holes in the walls that counted for the hall's air filtration system. Poor ventilation meant that smoke and gas bombs were out, as was entering via vent. But at least confetti was still an option. Kid wiggled the scope around, trying to see the rest of the room. It wasn't as if he had anything big planned for tonight anyway. Sure, there were a few traps set up on the higher floors to discourage anyone from following him up to the roof, but they were hardly spectacular. And without a crowd or that chibi-tantei there to watch him, what was the point of going all out?

All the same, he wished he'd had more time to prepare. The Lunar Gaze was only around for two weeks, but he'd spent the last week revising for tests and trying to reach his essay quotas, and the next week would only be more of the same. If he didn't do the heist now, he would definitely miss his chance. Not to mention that his last heist had been a month ago - a heinous slip for someone who usually scheduled them once a fortnight. If he had gone any longer without one, his lovely critics would have gone searching for reasons why. He could do without them tumbling onto the fact that it was school assessment season and giving Hakuba's theory against him more credence.

Just get through this, KID begged himself. Just get through this night and you can sleep for the whole weekend. Screw the revision.

He eeled out of the vent and swung himself out of a nearby window. A ten-man barricade at every door. No other way to enter the room except by window. No big tricks needed. Just get the jewel and go sleep for, like, a week.

KID sighed. At least he had brought his special tools.

Showtime.

Ten minutes later, Hakuba exited the hall at a power-walk, the fastest mode of travel he allowed himself in an area no doubt strewn with KID-traps. In his head, he tried not to bemoan what had gone wrong. He knew what had gone wrong, he just rued the fact that there had been no way to stop it.

In stark contrast to the detective, Nakamori raced from the hall and continued onward, steadily accelerating. He passed Hakuba with speed enough to make his smart trench coat flutter against his calves. It fluttered again as the taskforce followed in close pursuit.

An echoing call of Nakamori's, 'DAMN HIM!' was the last farewell Hakuba recieved before he was left alone. He sighed and pulled a string of confetti from his collar.

The heist had been... underwhelming, to say the least. KID had crashed through the window, as expected, and went straight for the jewel, also as expected. His landing had been less of an elegant, otherworldly touchdown and more of an uncoordinated stumble, but exhaustion was hardly a surprise from someone currently failing their way through classes, as Kuroba was. Hakuba dreaded to think of the studying. The gas went off, and everybody's masks worked beautifully... including KID's. Turned out he had indeed thought to bring his own. But at least the cold had slowed him down. The signal was given, the taskforce lunged... and KID simply tore the jewel from the mural and went bouncing away.

Note to self, Hakuba thought wryly, include "sheer desperation" as a factor in the pre-heist calculations next time.

It seemed that KID's care for priceless objects was inconsequential against the force of his very healthy survival instinct. Hakuba really didn't know why he was surprised - hadn't the thief toppled a massive Christmas tree into a building once? He supposed he should just be thankful that this heist hadn't included any cases of extreme property damage and mild terrorism.

Several high-pitched screams and a distant splat halted Hakuba in his tracks. Traps, then; looked like he had been correct to proceed carefully. No doubt KID was on his way to the roof to make his grand escape. Even if he sprinted, the detective wouldn't catch up in time.

But he would be pretty bad at his job if he always gave up early. Hakuba proceeded with great caution, examining the floor and surrounding area with care. Maybe if he made it to the roof, he would at least get to watch him fly away.

Conan sighed and kicked his feet, scuffing the toes of his sneakers. He was aware that he was muttering and pouting, looking more like his apparent age than he ever had. But excuse him, at least he had a good reason to.

That damn thief isn't going to show!

Conan kicked viciously at a piece of gravel. It hit a wall, rebounded off a vent, and then skated off the edge of the roof into oblivion. Probably into the crowd below. Whoops.

Then again, this was the same crowd that had kept him from making his way to the roof in time. Maybe he wasn't all that sorry.

Getting away from Ran had been every bit the challenge he'd thought it would be. She had caught him trying to sneak away again before he'd decided to stand still and bide his time. His opportunity had come when they bought some street food from a cart - the moment Ran let go of him to take her food, he sprinted off. He would catch hell for it later, but at least he was too small for her to punch now. He hadn't even cared then, the chance to confront the thief had been too great a temptation to pass up. He had snuck under the police cordon and used the staff entrance to climb to the very top, breaking every lock in his way with a kick from his enhanced sneakers.

'But that damn thief hasn't showed up yet. Could I have made a mistake?' he said aloud. 'There's no way he would leave from any other place but the roof... unless something went wrong and he had to bounce early.' Conan felt his heart sink. Could that be it?

He sighed and turned to the access hatch. Ran would definitely be worrying about him down there, but he didn't want to leave early and let all his efforts go to waste. Maybe if he took the main staircase down through the building he could bump into the thief along the way.

Worth a shot.

KID's breakneck sprint had morphed into a gentle trot. His path had taken him through the museum and and now he was climbing the main stairwell. He had long since left the taskforce behind, and even Nakamori had fallen victim to his traps. He had discovered the breathing apparatus' affixed to the taskforce's helmets, so every gas bomb he had rigged the building with were absolutely useless. The rope traps, netting, and various other pranks he had in his arsenal, however, were not. KID sniggered.

He had the jewel, a chunky melanite garnet that was currently weighing down his inside breast pocket and ruining the lining of his suit. He hoped he didn't get shot at again this heist - the gem was positioned perfectly to protect his heart, but was too soft to stand up against the force of a bullet. But at least it would save him having to destroy the gem himself if it turned out to be Pandora.

KID yawned. He could feel himself slowing down. He sped up and tried to shake off the fatigue. His vision was blurring, tears gathering in his eyes with every yawn he tried to hold off. This was ridiculous, he was never going to pull a heist under these conditions again. Screw Hakuba, he could have all the evidence he wanted if that meant KID got a hiatus.

KID shook his head. Shut up. That wasn't going to happen. Fortunately, he had his prize now, and had a two-week break before he even had to think about touching another jewel again. Unfortunately, he wasn't looking where he was going.

His foot landed on something taut and thin, and he pitched over, his shoulder hitting the banister. There was a telltale slither against his ankle before a tangle of ropes swung out of the stairwell and landed about his neck and shoulders. The rope around his ankle lifted and KID clawed for balance before the combined weight of the ropes and his mantle tipped him headfirst over the banister.

The fall was just long enough for KID to rue the irony of him getting caught in his own rope trap.

The ropes ran out of slack and KID came to an abrupt and painful halt, swinging in the stairwell six floors off the ground. The ropes had looped tight around his neck, his hands trapped against his chest by a tangled harness. His leg was bent at an odd angle behind him, ankle caught in what felt like a loose loop. That wasn't right, the rope traps were meant to catch the victim in a harness and suspend them by the ankle. Somehow, the weight difference between him and the average taskforce member, with their heavy uniforms and muscled bodies, had effected the distribution of the ropes and pulled the harness out of place.

KID gurgled. Looked like the brunt of his weight was being held by ropes around his upper body. Including those around his neck.

Okay. Don't panic. No need to be scared. The taskforce were all indisposed and there was no one else in the building. All he had to do was get his neck and arms out of the harness without strangling himself. Great.

KID wriggled, trying to twist his hands out of harness. He swung in mid-air and closed his eyes as motion sickness made a brief appearance. The ropes around his throat felt like they were growing tighter. He could feel his heartbeat pounding in his neck. He got one hand out and gave a strangled hiss at the sensation of rope burn. He reached up and pulled at the ropes around his neck.

They went tight, and the slack he had created transferred to his legs instead. His ankle was freed, the ropes around his abdomen fell loose, and his neck took the full brunt of his body's weight.

KID panicked. He clawed at the ropes with both hands, his gloved fingers slipping off the tight fibres, unable to find a proper grip. His legs kicked in mid-air, fruitlessly searching for a foothold. He could feel involuntary tears tracking down his cheeks as the ropes brutally tightened. Where was the taskforce? Surely they would have made their way out of the traps by now, or even Hakuba, or -

The lights in the stairwell were blurring. No air was making its way into his lungs now. He could feel a terrible pressure in his chest, something clawing and writhing inside him. His cheeks felt hot, his heartbeat pounding in his ears, blood in his temples. He was fumbling for his card gun with one hand now, gloved fingers trembling, slipping off the button of his coat. The ropes were still looped loosely around his chest, keeping him from opening his jacket and reaching inside -

Hakuba, Hakuba will save me, or even Nakamori, someone please -

KID shuddered. His hand slithered from his jacket to hang limp at his side, the other dropping from his neck to do the same. He was so tired, it hurt, his chest was burning -

In his mind, the face of Hakuba morphed into a mess of shapes and colours, flashing spots and bursts of white... and there was Aoko and she was laughing and they were chasing each other through the grass, long stalks and wildflowers tickling his calves, and he heard a shout behind him and there was his mum, crouching and smiling, and beside her his father...

His father, smiling and crouching down and holding his arms open wide, drenched in sunlight, open and warm... warm...

The only sound in the stairwell now was the creaking of taut rope.

Hakuba panted as he reached the sixth-floor landing. He paused and patted at his forehead, trying to swipe away the sweat before it made his fringe wet. Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he saw a child - that Edogawa kid - enter the landing from the other end and pause at the sight of him.

He thought about calling the child out for entering an active crime scene without permission before giving it up as a lost cause. 'Did you see him?' he said instead, walking forward.

Edogawa advanced too. 'No, I figured he was on his way up.'

'Looks like he's given both of us the slip,' Hakuba sighed.

The child opened his mouth to respond before freezing in place, staring over Hakuba's shoulder with a look of utter horror.

Hakuba had seen that look before. He turned around and immediately wished he hadn't.

It's a trick.

'... Go,' Hakuba croaked.

'Wh...at?'

It has to be.

'Go get help.'

It's not.

'How... how did he do -'

Hakuba whirled around. 'GO GET HELP!' he shouted. The child turned and sprinted from sight.

He went to turn around again, but his body wouldn't move. He could hear the creak of the ropes as KID swayed in place, blue eyes blank and empty.

No. Not KID. The body.

Images flashed through his mind. KID hanging from the ropes. KID taunting Nakamori. Kuroba teasing Hakuba, telling him he would never catch KID. Kuroba showing up to his house with lesson notes and a cheeky grin, Kuroba being chased around the classroom by Aoko, the three of them eating lunch together under a tree in the school courtyard...

Hakuba shuddered and sucked in a gasp. He'd never thought the Kaitou KID would end his career like this.

A.N:

Hey guys! I haven't been on here for a while, so this was more of a writing exercise to see if I still had the knack. I've also been putting off writing it until I felt emotionally strong enough to actually go through with murdering my favourite character :0
But I mean really though. With all the traps and tricks that KID puts himself through, I'm surprised that he hasn't died from something utterly mundane already. Forget snipers, it'll be a faulty rope trap or a failing hang glider that eventually does him in...

Pls consider leaving a review :)))