The rating is for sporadic violence and slight language (just to be safe)
I have to say that, if you are just seeing this, you would HAVE to read part 1.
It will be really hard, if not impossible, to understand the story.
That being said, I still do not own Magic Kaito/Detective Conan.
Yes, I mention the "Golden Eye" and, I believe, it was used in Magic Kaito before, but it's the perfect gem
for the story and it is real. You can look it up if you want to.
Chapter 1: An Old Friend
There was screaming behind me and I could hear the sounds of the police vehicles taking off in the wrong direction. Sure the American police were now heading in the wrong way, but Nakamori was still close by. I leaned against the wall and tapped my foot impatiently with a grin on my face.
"Any day now!"
"You make this look so easy." The figure in black landed next to me, rubbing their hands together where they'd burnt them climbing down the rope too fast.
"It is easy. A little more practice and maybe you'll be able to keep up with me." I laughed at the expression I got.
"This will not be the norm from now on. You asked for my help this once and I made the exception. I will not be a criminal."
"Is that all you think of me?" I asked as I ran forward. Standing still right now was a bad idea, even if we were hidden on the other side of the security wall. "How are the shades?"
"They're still too dark. I don't know if it's possible to make dark glasses that don't actually darken your view."
"Have you worked out that reflective material yet then?"
"No" he sighed, running alongside me. "I'm almost done. It wouldn't be such a bad accessory to your monocle either." The reflective material still had to be dark and it was slowing down the processes.
"The bright lights hide my eyes enough." I wouldn't be messing with the monocle anyway, it was dad's design and I was sure he'd perfected it before trying it out.
We purposely ran towards the building on the edge of the property, where the Inspector and his men were waiting. The whole of the property was surrounded by an electric fence and the only other way I could have escaped was with the gilder, off the building we were now leaving behind. The American police had followed my dummy doing just that. Nakamori was getting smarter.
"Here," I handed the white top hat over as I ran. He took it and handed me the black one.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Hakuba asked as his blond hair no longer stood out against the deep colors of his outfit.
The mask was gone in favor of a pair of tinkered with sunglasses. I'd gotten the idea from Kudo, since he seemed to keep his identity safe behind lenses. No, it wasn't easy to see features behind them, and the glasses hadn't told me who Kudo was. It was the fact that he couldn't act his age - supposed age - when faced with a case, that gave him away. The fact that I could believe in the impossible solidified everything.
"No I'm not" I said, stripping off the cape and switching it with his black one as well. Time was short or I would have just brought another outfit. "You really should have kept your hair dyed. It stands out too much."
"I didn't know you'd be using me as bait. As terrible as the idea sounded to you before, I had little reason to think the idea would come to you now."
"I need to get Nakamori-keibu out of the way."
"I know."
With our capes and hats switched, Hakuba now looked more like Kid then I did. I'd built in another glider into his black cape too, so either of us could use it now.
"Be careful Hakuba and make sure you don't say anything."
"I won't," he assured me. "I can't do Kid's voice when I'm not Kid. You're the one who has that unnatural talent."
"It not unnatural, it's perfected" I shot back. "Nakamori-keibu is fast, so don't underestimate him."
Hakuba leveled his eyes at me.
"I think I've been around enough of your heists to get the picture. It'll be easy enough to slip away and come back as myself. No one would be surprised to see me there."
"That is the plan. Just make sure that he doesn't end up following me."
I dashed away from Hakuba. The outpost, which was the only way in or out of the compound, was a few meters away. With a jump and a few twists, I was running along the roof and ducking down, so as not to be seen. I wanted to make it obvious to anyone watching from elsewhere that I was the real Kid.
Meanwhile Hakuba caught their attention below.
"Inspector!" One of his men shouted to get his attention.
I tried to glance over the roof, the black hat and cape hid my body but if anything glinted off the monocle it would give me away.
Hakuba had taken off the glasses, since I never wore them, and I saw him wave over his shoulder as he ran past the guards. The detective was fast and that fact was the sole reason that I was using him. The Inspector and his men chased after him but Hakuba's initial speed had taken him far out of their reach. They'd never be able to catch up.
"Perfect."
I looked over to make sure there was no one left at the guard post before dropping down onto the sidewalk. Here was where things got hard.
Snake was out there and he'd brought at least ten of his men with him.
I'd seen them while I was scoping out the area earlier that day, and had taken the initiative to acquire the detective's help. While he safely got Nakamori out of the way, I could focus on the on the assassins.
I walked calmly down the street and flipped the Chalk Emerald around in my hands with easy confidence so that Snake would be able to see it. The ring was bigger than I thought it would be and the diamonds around it made it gaudy. It was amazing that Japan was able to host such an item from the United State's Smithsonian Museum.
I walked around a few corners, keeping sight of the men. I wasn't going to attempt to bring them down today, but flying off where they could see me would be deadly. Now that they knew they didn't have to chase Hakuba, it was my time to disappear.
Easier said than done.
Damn that bastard! He led me on!
Two of his goons walked out in front of me. They'd made no previous movement and I hadn't seen them through solid brick. Both gunmen had me in their sights and I heard Snake come out from the front door of the building I was passing. I couldn't see him but his coldblooded laugh was enough identification.
He'd purposely showed me which building his men were on so that I'd be forced into his path.
I had to admit, Snake was getting smarter too.
"Give it here."
I smiled broadly.
"It's not Pandora." I'd checked while I had been waiting for the detective. The green gem was pretty but worthless for all I cared.
"Let me be the judge of that." Snake walked up behind me and put a gun to my back. "Give it here."
"So I hand it over to you and you get to shoot me in the back, anyway? That's hardly a fair trade." I took the ring and threw it up into the air. People were so easy to predict. Snake and his two goons looked up to watch the gem arch, ready to catch it.
It took their attention completely off of me. I released one of my smoke bombs and the pink swallowed all the surrounding light.
I heard a gunshot from nearby but I wasn't standing there anymore, so whoever fired would have missed.
I took the mechanism I had latched onto my wrist and hit a button to retract the wire that came out of it. The ring was tied to the other end and flew into to open palm seconds later.
It was a neat little gadget that I'd gotten the idea for a while back. It could only hold about five pounds but there were plenty of things under that weight limit.
Once the gem was back in my possession, I ran though one of the connecting alleyways. I could hear footsteps but they were too far behind me and they soon stopped. As I passed the buildings, I changed my clothes. A cap, a dark coat, dark pants, and for fun, a necklace of plain silver.
It took me fifteen minutes to meet Hakuba at the intersection I promised. The detective was unwavering in that his one condition for helping me with my plan was that the gem would be returned after I had looked at it.
Hakuba stood out in his dark overcoat and lighter features. I walked up next to him and handed him a small bag.
"I see you got away," I joked.
"I see you did as well." Hakuba look me over. "Good."
"What's that supposed to mean? I can handle myself just fine. You're the greenhorn."
"Yes, well" He started walking away. "We should get going then. I don't want to be seen talking to some strange guy off the street."
"Who's strange? You're the detective helping a thief. I think that's stranger than anything I could come up with."
"No," Hakuba turned to me, since I wasn't walking beside him. "I'm a detective helping a friend. There's nothing wrong with that."
"Whatever you say," I laughed. "Thanks by the way. Snake was being smart today and I think he would have killed any of the cops who got between us."
"So what happened?"
I explained everything to Hakuba. I no longer felt that I had to hide, even the bad stuff. It just made the detective feel worse, since he'd find out about it anyway with how close we'd been recently. He'd even been able to tell when I'd hurt my elbow on a heist last week and I had been careful not to move it in during gym since we were playing baseball.
"How can you do it?" Hakuba asked when I was finished. "How can you stand up to people like that when they could kill you? You're not protecting anybody so…"
"Not this time," I admitted, "But standing up to them does protect everyone. If you hadn't been here, I would have had to find some way to distract them to keep them away from Nakamori-keibu and his men." So far the two hadn't met directly but they'd brushed up against one another a few times.
"And since the Inspector doesn't know about them, he wouldn't fire back right away or move to protect himself. Why don't you tell him?"
"Huh?" I ran the short distance to be next to him while we spoke. "Tell him what?"
"About these men who are after you. You needn't tell everything you've told me, but at least let him be aware of the danger so he's better prepared to face it if he must."
"That would ruin the game." Hakuba was about to say something but my expression silenced him. "Nakamori-keibu would be scared then. Aoko would be sacred. It's easier this way."
"Easier for whom? Kuroba-kun you can't -" Hakuba sighed. "Do whatever you want, but in the long run you won't be helping him any, and Aoko-kun will be sadder if her father dies than if he's worried and ready for the danger."
"He won't die. No one will. Snake doesn't come to all of my heists."
"Such an optimist." Hakuba smiled and slapped me on the back. It surprised me but some of his actions lately had been more open, so I wasn't overly stunned. "That's what makes you, you. I had assumed that you were just stealing other artifacts because it was fun, but that doesn't feel right. Why do you steal things unnecessarily if you're looking for a large gem?"
"So no one can predict what I'll go after next, and so people like Nakamori-keibu don't go looking for the gem on their own and run into Snake when I'm not there."
"You sound like an overprotective mother."
"I don't like seeing people get hurt." I crossed my arms loosely. Especially if these people were getting hurt because of me.
"People don't like seeing you get hurt either you know." Hakuba put a hand on my shoulder. With how cold it was out, I could feel his warmth through my coat. Aoko's Christmas party was in three days, I reminded myself.
"I know. It's not like I try to get injured. It's the risks that come with the job."
"You're going to have those scars the rest of your life," Hakuba looked down at my stomach and I unconsciously moved an arm to hide it behind.
"So are you."
"Touché my thieving friend, but mine are unobtrusive. Yours are rather easy to spot."
"It's not like I've ever shown my midriff as Kaitou Kid so why's it matter?"
"You never know what can happen."
How cryptic.I smiled. Hakuba really was changing, maybe I was too.
I was already starting things in motion that had a good chance of getting me killed. Even if they didn't, life was never going to be the same again when it was over. I still hadn't told Hakuba about my plans.
And I wouldn't.
It didn't involve keeping anyone safe and it was purely selfish. I thought I'd found Pandora a while back. The gem wasn't well known to the normal population, jewelers on the other hand knew its worth, and Snake wouldn't be after it until I was. I was still putting the pieces together about how to catch him. It didn't look like I would be able to, but at least I could break that stupid gem.
I did feel bad for the owners of it. They were old men and set in their ways. I couldn't predict what the outcome of destroying their diamond would be. The results far outweighed the means, but it still left me with a bad feeling.
"You're being quiet for once." Hakuba looked over at me and I smiled, leaving those thoughts alone for now.
"I'm just tired. I should have set the time earlier. I haven't caught up with all that homework they gave us, even though I've been working on it ever hour of every day, I still haven't made a dent in it."
"I haven't either." Hakuba put a hand up to his forehead and bought my excuse. "I've been busy and going to your heists hasn't made it any easier."
"You have to. If the Organization thinks that you're working with me, as they've already guessed, we would both be in danger."
"I know."
It had taken me a while to figure that out myself. The Black Organization had thought I was working with Hakuba on his case a few weeks ago, which I had, and made it a priority to kill anyone who was after them. Kid had been their target once and it wasn't going to happen again. They didn't know how great of a threat I could be, so they wouldn't hesitate in trying to take me out again if they were given anymore proof that we could be working together, even after their little warning.
I handed the one of my notes to Hakuba, which I'd written out earlier. "Pass this to Nakamori-keibu when you return the diamond. Make sure he has it printed."
"What are you doing now?" Hakuba looked down and read the note quietly to himself. 'I will take what lies on the white tuffs of the snow covered owl at the hour of the Queen on Mercury's day two weeks from now when the moon shines bright red.'
"You found it." Hakuba's eyes were wide as he looked at me.
"Most likely." I scratched my head. "I'm like, ninety percent sure. I thought it was either the one I just picked up, which it's not, or this one that I'm after now. That would really suck if I'm wrong."
"But you don't think you are."
"No, I don't think I am."
"And you're taunting them! Are you crazy? What if they really kill you this time?" The detective grabbed a hold on my right coat sleeve. "Why are you doing that?"
"So that they'll know when I destroy it. I don't want them thinking I was lying and going after gems later on, killing people they don't have to. When I know it's real, I'll show it to them. It will be the last that human eyes will ever see of it."
"You're insane." Hakuba pocketed the card and let me go. "Do you need any help?"
I laughed. "You call me insane and then ask to join in? No, I'm fine. I wish I could keep the Inspector out of this but I don't have any choice. You don't need to be mixed up in it too."
"Call me if you do need me."
"I will."
It did feel nice to have backup if I needed it. This was a job I had to do alone though.
"You're code, I figured out all of it except the 'hour of the Queen part'. Mercury's day is Wednesday and you specified two weeks, but what about the time?"
"Midnight." I sent him a dark look. "Don't take that as an invitation to come along. I know you don't want to stay out of this, but I don't need a million things to worry about."
"I won't come. Do explain how the queen refers to midnight though, if you would."
"Kindly. I'm sure you'd figured it out given the time – or the right clues." I conjured a set of playing cards and had them fanned out in my hand.
"Oh, cards. I see. The queen would be twelve if the face cards were given a value."
"And I did mention the moon, just in case there were some idiots out there who thought I'd strike at midday. You can never underestimate the stupidity of man."
"I agree wholeheartedly."
I snorted at him.
"You're going after the 'Golden Eye' then." Hakuba frowned. "The museum has had that on display for over a week, so why wait another two before you get it?"
"Three reasons," I held up my fingers. "One, it's forecasted to be cloudy and I don't want to hang onto the gem for the moon to come out. Two, Aoko's having her Christmas party and if something happens – I don't want to miss it. And three, I need the police to get it out to the media, and that will take a few days while they investigate."
I was sure that this was the one. This yellow diamond had been missing for over one hundred years before it turned up. Since its return, it had been in America but has now found its way over here. It was expensive, it was rare, it was mysterious, and it was old. Those all added up to very convincing facts that it was most likely Pandora.
That and I had inside information that the stone had the weird habit of changing color when brought outside at night.
"Be careful on this one Kuroba-kun. If you're right, those men will do anything to take you down. If you're wrong, they'll still do everything they can."
All things I already knew.Hakuba flipped open his watch to check the time and I rolled my eyes. "On a lighter note, what did you get Aoko-kun for her party?"
"W-why should I tell you that?" I flushed and turned away when Hakuba smiled at me.
"Don't worry, I'm not trying to one up you. I've just never been to a Christmas party in Japan, and wasn't sure what was proper to give as a present for a girl."
"We –we never really gave each other presents before." I still couldn't face him. Talking about Aoko was embarrassing for some reason and even more so in front of him. I still didn't know for sure how he felt about her, and, as selfish as it sounded, Aoko was mine. "I tried to give her something last year – but things got complicated and she ended up getting mad so I gave it to mom."
"Very well, I will use my own assumptions on the matter." Hakuba raised an eyebrow. "What did you get this year?"
"Hm, it doesn't matter."
"Sure it does. You don't have to get jealous Kuroba-kun. Aoko-kun is a kind person but I don't plan to steal her away from you. I'm not the thief."
I wished I could believe that.
"I got her a unm…. - You know it really doesn't matter!" I lowered the cap so that Hakuba would stop looking at me. If I couldn't see his face, I wouldn't feel need - out of courtesy - to talk to him.
So we walked in silence. It wasn't awkward and both of us were tired anyway. After the heist was over and the adrenaline was gone, I was always left feeling drained, even if I hadn't done anything too difficult. Tonight had also left me on edge.
The fact that it was after one in the morning was a good reason as well.
I took the hat off and looked at the sky, now that I didn't have to worry about Snake seeing me. There was still slight cloud cover but the moon was bright and waning, just a few days after it had been full. The bright lights of Tokyo hid most of the stars from view but a few of them peeked out defiantly.
"I used to be afraid to walk the city streets at night."
"Um." Hakuba had gotten my attention. I'd never been afraid of it. I'd never had any reason to do it before Kid, but I had never sacred me. "Why?"
"My neighborhood in England wasn't what you would call 'safe'. When you have money, you become targeted. Our house had been burglarized three times in one year once. I'd learned large crowds were not safe to be around and it wasn't wise to stand out." Hakuba sighed. "But I do stand out. After a burglar killed one of the maids who had taken care of me as a child and gotten away with it, I was determined to stop such things from happening."
"Which is why you became friends with me?" I raised my eyebrows and Hakuba started laughing.
"That was unintentional I assure you. It was the reason my father introduced me to Nakamori-keibu and the second division team, even though I'd already been working with division one in England for some time."
"Are you still afraid?" I looked across the street as we were passing a large group of teenagers. The crime rate in Japan was low and I'd only ever run into trouble when I was around Tantei-kun, but that didn't mean it was nonexistent.
"A little," the detective admitted. "I've been dealing with criminals for years but it's different when you're on the street. Having the Kaitou Kid at my side is reassuring."
"Oh ye of too much faith. I can get hurt just as easily as you can."
"Yes, if you let yourself. I doubt anyone could hurt you purposely. Maybe if they were a good shot with a gun or maybe if they had a fish dinner on them."
I shivered at the thought. "Hey, don't broadcast. That would be the most embarrassing thing in the world!" I held up my hands as if I was putting up a banner. "'The Kaitou Kid, Famous Cat Burglar Brought Down by Cat Fish!' Yeah, I'd never live that down."
"Stop it!" Hakuba laughed. "You're making me picture it."
"Shut up!"
I crossed my arms and tired not to think about it. We were getting near the busier streets of Tokyo now, which were alive long after the sun had gone down. We passed more scattered groups of people and I nudged Hakuba.
"At least I'm not afraid of my own shadow."
He pushed me back hard and I laughed, stumbling but able to avoid a parked car. The meter was impossible to dodge but it didn't hurt when I bumped into it.
"Kuroba-kun, now that it's occurring to me. There are larger diamonds out there in the world. In my research I've come around several that are more valuable than the yellow one you're after now. Why are you overlooking them?"
"They're handled too much. If Pandora was in them, especially the white diamonds like the Millennium Star and the Century diamond, which I'm sure you were talking about, it would be noticeable."
"If it exists in the first place."
Point taken. I'd assumed that Pandora was real when I'd first heard Snake talking about it with the short fat man, but as I started stealing the gems it occurred to me how crazy that sounded. I was fully expecting to either not find the gem at all, or find a colored diamond with another one somehow embedded into it. Akako had me believing that some magic was real but eternal life from a stone that had only been heard about for how many years? Ludicrous.
Then I started thinking about what would happen if I was wrong. Even if it wasn't as popular as the other diamonds, the Golden Eye was still well known and supposedly flawless where no other diamond was. You would think someone would be able to see if there was another gem inside of it.
"If it's not there, at least you tried," Hakuba attempted to reassure me by patting me on the back. "I'm sure you're father couldn't ask for more."
"Right." I grinned, "And if it's not what I'm looking for, then you're just going to have to chase me around longer!"
Hakuba shook his head. "When I'm not actually trying to catch you, it makes being there a lot less fun. I find myself more worried that Snake or his men will show up, or Nakamori-keibu will suddenly get his hands on you; knock you out or something, than the amusement I used to find it in."
"That's because you're worried about me," I put my hands over my head and went back to looking at the sky. "Don't be. None of that will happen."
"And you're still not going to warn the Inspector?"
I could feel that he wanted me to, a part of me wanted to tell the Inspector as well, but – but you're afraid he won't listen to you. You're afraid he'll think you're a liar if he brings in help and Snake doesn't show up.I shook my head at the thoughts more than in reply to Hakuba. I was also afraid of him dying, now that the detective had brought up the possibility.
"I'll think about it."
"Kuroba-kun when you mean 'no' just say it."
"Fine," I turned away. "I'm not going to tell him. Not unless he has to know. He's been around my heist and it's not like he hasn't run into Snake before."
"He has?"
"Uh, kinda. I know he chased one of his men before."
"But he has no idea who Snake is or that he's trying to kill you, right?"
"Right," I sighed.
"Kuroba-kun watch-"
SMACK
"OUCH!" I fell on my butt and put a hand up to my face.
"-out. Are you OK?"
"Yeah." I could hear the detective laughing, even as he was trying to keep it in. "That was so not funny. Why didn't you tell me I was about to walk into a light post?"
"I tried. We were both busy in thought and I didn't realize you hadn't –" Bending over me, he continued to laugh. It was a nice thing too. I had never really heard Hakuba laugh before, and after all that had happened last month, I wasn't sure he would have been able to laugh again. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you hadn't seen it until it was right in front of you. That didn't leave me much time for a warning."
"Sure, sure." I wiped my sleeve across my nose and came away with trace amounts of blood. "Great. Just great. Now I've got a nose bleed."
"It's not that bad. If anything, the large black spot you have on your nose is more noticeable." Hakuba chuckled as I took out my mirror. "You look like a dog."
I opened the silver case and looked at my refection in the mirror. I'd hit the light hard enough to have the dirt come off on my face. My nose had a black spot, along with a streak near my chin and going up to stop above my mouth. I used my saliva and sleeve to get it off.
Hakuba helped me off the ground and I saw some teenage girls behind us laughing. I walked off after putting my hat back on in case they knew me; we weren't that far from home. "That was embarrassing."
"What are you talking about? I wasn't embarrassed at all."
"Jerk."
Later that night I watched a the news for the report on Kid. Separately, almost as if it were a side note, the reported informed the area of a death that happened just a few blocks down, right where I had run into Snake. A man was found with a bullet wound ot the chest... He'd shot one of his own men.
