A/N: As promised, the first chapter of the voted-upon story. I apologize for the late update. Summer internship and courses took up a lot of my time. Hopefully, my schedule will be a bit better once the term starts again.

While I have some scenes in my mind, I haven't planned the whole story yet. I'll be basing most of my story on the Magic Kaito 1412 anime. If you like any particular episode – or even just have any ideas in general, do leave a suggestion afterwards.

Another way you can be involved in the story is through the heist items. It's interesting to look up details on real-life items, but it can also be time consuming. So if you could think up some, it would make my life much easier. Please include the name, description and maybe one or two sentences about its existence, (where it came from/how it came to be).

As for the update schedule for this story, it won't have a regular update schedule at the moment. Like I mentioned in my main story Caged Bird, I'll be updating this whenever I feel like I need another month to write a chapter for it.

Comments and criticisms highly welcomed. I hope you enjoy.

Prologue: And so it begins

It began with a card.

An unsigned, inconspicuous white card that had the following message: At midnight tonight I will take the 'Shining Star' from the Tokyo City Museum.

The jewel in question was a natural diamond which had taken up the shape five-point star and was heavily guarded as it was the museum's most valuable possession. It was deemed impossible to steal. Nevertheless, extra patrols were added in the museum that fateful night.

Then, it happened. Reports told of a man appearing out of thin air, taking the jewel and disappearing all within a blink of an eye. Police was confounded at the feat and was unable to uncover the trick.

The media ate it all up. The stolen gem and the elusive phantom thief made headlines for days. Many began to speculate as to the identity of the real-life Arsène Lupin. The topic gained traction and more and more of the populace began wishing to be able to witness the gentleman thief at work for themselves. They were not disappointed as he stole again.

And again.

And again.

Each time dazzling his audience with a new trick or impossible feat, the phantom thief - dressed in a white suit, cape and matching top hat - was able to get away with his target item even after having sent his notices.

As his success grew, so did his fans. The increasing crowd gathered at the destination on the thief's notices. Eager eyes darting around for a glimpse of the elusive thief, and as the time drew close, a chant of 'Kaitou-san! Kaitou-san! Kaitlin-san!' could be heard as the people waited in anticipation.

Kotori's childhood friend was one of those people. An avid fangirl who goes in search of the thief every time a notice is sent, Honoka leaves much to be desired when it came to her studies. While Kotori understood why sometimes things like this couldn't be helped, it did not stop their other friend from letting out exasperated sighs every time a test result comes back.

Umi, a girl with good grades and a penchant for plain clothes, took a look at one of Kaitou-san's many heists and looked away, much to the horror of Honoka, who declared the other girl as an enemy to the true and pure hearts of all fangirls alike. The pair were often arguing, particularly so after a teacher asked Umi to tutor Honoka as a result of her ever decreasing grades.

As for Kotori, if it were any other situation, she supposed she would have fallen for Kaitou-san's charm as well. She couldn't do that now, not when she could see how his actions were affecting her mother.

Detective Inspector Minami was the prime candidate to fill up the position of the soon-to-be-retired Detective Inspector Chief. That was until the appearance of the gentleman thief. Failure after failure to catch the phantom thief had her superiors doubting her abilities. Add to that the news reports exposing the police's incapability to apprehend Kaitou-san and retrieve the invaluable items, it was a wonder she had yet to break down from the pressure.

It was not to say that Detective Minami was not affected. The gradually persisting dark circle under her eyes, the late nights, missed meals... Kotori witnessed it all. They used to have meals together every night. Now, Kotori was the only one at the dinner table. She even had to sometimes remind her mother to eat the leftovers before they become cold. She barely can barely recall the last time she has a genuine conversation with her mother.

And as she pulled a jacket over the shoulders of her mother who has fallen asleep on her desk once again, Kotori decided that this could not go on any further. She had to stop him.

19:30 tonight, Marie Antoinette will be mine.

It took a small amount of sleuthing on Kotori's part to identify it. Marie Antoinette, named after the last Queen of France, was a timepiece designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet. Commissioned by a mysterious admirer, the timepiece was a masterpiece, as the fullest range of horological functions were incorporated in its mechanisms. The order also required that gold be used to replace other metals wherever possible. Together with the embedded sapphires to reduce friction, the pocket watch is currently one of the most expensive watches to date, valuing at $30 million.

The invaluable item and other magnificent timepieces were presently held in the Tokyo's Mori Art Museum as part of the Marie Antoinette-Inspired Timepieces exhibit, meaning that this was where the phantom thief will strike. Which was why Kotori was going to be there when it happened.

Or, at least, the building next to it. Kotori sighed. It was 19:00 now and her place at the rooftop granted her an unhindered view of the streets below. The crowd had long gathered, surrounding the museum and looking up eagerly at the night sky as they chatted among themselves. Kotori had hoped to be among them, but she was spotted by her mother the moment she arrived, and after getting an earful about how this was a school night and she should not be out late, the older woman had sent her home.

It took a great effort to convince the officer whom was tasked with accompanying her home that she would be alright going home by herself when they reached the train station. Yet, somehow she got by. So, as soon as the officer was out of sight, Kotori made her way back towards her destination.

The taupe-haired girl sighed once more as she leant against the railing. The chances of her being able to catch the thief so far away was slim. Maybe she should just listen to her mother and go home.

Kotori checked her phone. 19:23. It was nearly the time on the notice. She might as well stay and try catch a glimpse of the thief. She scanned the chanting crowd below with her eyes, focusing on every white spot she sees among the myriad of coloured clothes, just in case it was the phantom thief hiding among them.

As the clock ticked closer to the appointed time, the crowd became silent as they waited in baited breath.

1 minute.

2 minutes.

3 minutes.

Murmurs increased as nothing happened. It was several more minutes later that Kotori decided to call it quits. Kaitou-san not showing today, though disappointing, was to her benefit. Her mother would not be under as much pressure from her superiors. Picking up her bag from the floor, the girl gave her surroundings one last glance, making sure that she did not leave anything behind.

"Kya! It's him!"

The woman who cried out below pointed upwards towards the sky. Kotori followed her gaze and gasped. Hanging from a blimp, Kaitou-san was flying at a leisurely pace. His cape fluttering behind him as he made his escape.

"He's got the watch! After him!"

Detective Minami screamed at the officers who were quickly getting into their cars to make pursuit. Kotori doubts they would succeed for how ever was a land creature to capture one in flight.

But as he flew past the building, Kotori realized something, she herself didn't have that inhibition. If she just reached out over the railing, she'd be able to touch his cape. And that was exactly what she did.

Standing on pointed toes, Kotori reached over the railing. An outstretched hand reaching towards the white cape.

"Just... a little... more..."

An inch further and she would be able to touch that white cape. Kotori leaned forward, pushing her body as far as possible, watching as the distance diminish with her increased effort until the tips of her fingers finally got hold of the fluttering cape.

Yes!

Her excitement was short-lived, as she soon discovered that, in her exertion, she had pushed more than half of her weight over the railing and she could do nothing as the other half followed as her whole body toppled over. As the wind rushed over her body and the ground came increasingly closer, Kotori regretted she didn't listen to her mother's words to go home. It would have been preferable to this. Closing her eyes, the taupe-haired girl begged that the pain would be short.

"Oops. Great night to fly, isn't it, Kotori-chan?"

Her eyes snapped open. The taupe-haired girl would recognize that voice anywhere. Her breath fell short as her gaze met that of her nemesis.

"How.. how do you know my name?"

"I didn't. Now I do."

Kotori really wanted wipe that self-satisfied smirk off his face. He interjected again before she could respond.

"Hold on tight."

"Wha-!"

Her protests died off as they began moving upwards, and Kotori could do nothing, but put her arms around his neck and hang on for her life as they flew upwards. He helped her over the railing first, before smoothly vaulting over himself and slipping what Kotori now recognized to be a grappling gun back into his suit pocket.

"He's making a turn here! Don't let him get away."

"Yes ma'am!"

Turning towards the direction of her mother's voice and gaped when she saw the white figure and fluttering cape in the distance.

But...!

She looked back at the man standing in front of her, and then at the figure in the distance with incomprehension.

"Decoy dummy."

Kotori snapped her gaze back at the thief, who was now winking at her with a finger on his lips.

"Well, if you'd excuse me, I'll take my leave now."

No!

Remembering her objective, Kotori quickly held onto his sleeve, stopping him.

"Give it back!"

The look of surprise on his face should have pleased her, but she couldn't feel it.

"Give it back. Or Okaa-san will..."

Kotori knew that her mother would've tried to spend more time with her if she could, but knowing this did not make it feel any better. It did not take away the feeling of loneliness every time she came back home. She couldn't bear it any longer. Unbidden tears came, and Kotori had to shut her eyes to will them away.

"I see. Minami Kotori. You're Detective Minami's daughter."

Fingers tipped her chin upwards, and Kotori should have felt ashamed when a tear rolled down her cheek. He swiftly wiped it off.

"Okay."

"Y-you'll stop?"

"Nope." He smiled charmingly, "I'd make for a poor thief if I do not steal."

"Then how...?" The rest of her sentence died off as he put a finger on her lips.

"We'll play a game." There was a twinkle in his eyes, as if he were amused. "Find me before I escape and I'll return the item to you."

"How do I know you'll follow through?"

"A gentleman always keeps his word." A red rose appeared in his hand as he said that. He slipped it behind Kotori's ear.

"If you'll excuse me." He turned and began making his way towards the edge of the building.

"The watch!"

"Check your skirt." He didn't stop his gait as he responded.

Kotori did just that, slipping her hand into the pocket of her skirt. The elation she had when she felt the cold, circular object in her hand was indescribable. Pulling out the object, she confirmed that it was indeed Marie Antoinette.

When she looked up again, he was against the railing, smiling at her. He brought two finger to his head in a salute.

"See you around, Kotori-chan."

"Wait! What do I call you?" At his questioning gaze, she went on to justify her request. "I can't call you Kaitou-san. With the amount of people saying it, you wouldn't know it's me."

He nodded in agreement, pausing to ponder his response.

"Ookami-san."

"Ookami-san?"

"Yep." The smirk on his face returned. "Ookami-san, Kotori-chan." Without another word, he tipped backwards over the edge. His cape turning into a hang glider in the process.

Kotori stared speechless as he flew off, laughing into the distance. Later on her way home, she would feel her cheeks heat up when she finally understood the implication behind the name.

Wolf and bird. Predator and prey.