PIE Short: Earth Minus
The Defense
"Well, that explains why we didn't see him come in," Athrun said, gesturing to video screens that were still displaying the clear night sky. Kira nodded sadly, still upset about being knocked unconscious and tied up by the intruder. He watched the morning sun out the window as it peeked through the fog.
"But it doesn't explain how he managed to put that loop feed into all the monitors except the ones around your room," Kira sighed.
"Actually, he did mess with them a little while he was pretending to be you," Athrun said sheepishly, feeling not only like an idiot, but also a lot like a loser. "He said he was trying to get better reception."
Kira sighed. "But how did he get inside in the first place?"
"It must have been luck. I watched you leave, but I wasn't really paying attention to the monitors until you, I mean, he came back in," Athrun admitted guiltily. Not only was he responsible for losing Cagalli's necklace, but for the lump on Kira's head where Dark had knocked the Freedom pilot unconscious. His hand reached for the necklace, but its heartening presence was gone. Cagalli would never forgive him, even if he could forgive himself.
"Well, there isn't much we can do now," Kira went on woefully, "You should probably get to school."
Athrun glanced down at his watch. "Yeah, I'll see you when I get back, Kira."
"Bye, Athrun. And," Kira said, looking morosely at his socks, "I'm really sorry."
Athrun let his expression lighten. "It's not your fault, Kira. We did what we could."
And then unable to bear the heavy weight of the missing good-luck charm any longer, Athrun spun towards the door, grabbing his backpack on the way and strode off.
Athrun sat dejectedly in his corner of the classroom, depression sweeping over him like a… dark… cloud. He barely noticed as one of the students wandered between the desks to stand before him. Athrun managed to bring his head up and paste a sickly sweet smile on his face to present to the short boy in front of him.
The light glinted brightly off the boy's glasses as he pushed them higher onto his nose with two slender fingers. Athrun recognized him as the blue-haired boy he was definitely not related to from the day before. Satoshi.
"I noticed your necklace was missing, Athrun," the boy said. He spoke slowly, yet purposefully, hinting at a deeper meaning. Athrun sat up straighter. Could this boy have anything to do with the Phantom Thief?
"Yeah, it was stolen, actually," Athrun said carefully. He watched the pale boy intently. Satoshi's lips twitched at the corners, underneath the large square glasses. Athrun's eyes narrowed; the boy knew something.
"Really?" Satoshi asked politely, but sounding disinterested. "Perhaps you should tell the police as soon as you know something will be stolen."
"How do you know I knew it would be stolen?" Athrun asked, feeling like he had just caught the boy red-handed. Really, an eighth grader should not be playing these kinds of games. "You said when I know 'something will be stolen.'"
But Satoshi only smiled. It looked strange on such a frail-looking child, and a little frightening. "I'm glad you picked up on that so quickly," he said smoothly, entirely unruffled.
"Who are you?" Athrun hissed angrily, his frustration mounting as he realized Satoshi had made the slip on purpose.
"All you would have to do is check the class book. Perhaps you should do your research better," he said condescendingly. Athrun would have sworn the boy was taunting him with his failure to capture Dark the night before. But he could only know this information if he had been speaking with Dark because Athrun and Kira had told no one else.
"Answer the question anyway," Athrun retorted heatedly. Satoshi's smile disappeared.
"Very well. My name is Satoshi Hiwatari." He held Athrun in a frigid gaze from behind his glasses that made Athrun think of Yzak Joule.
"And what is your connection to Phantom Thief Dark?" Athrun continued quietly, but with passion. He waited with bated breath.
"I'm going to capture him," the boy said quietly, yet firmly, "I want you to tell me everything that happened last night. Tell me… how he stole it."
Athrun blinked. This… this child thought he could capture the thief that had slipped past him and Kira? There was no chance of that. Athrun would get back his necklace by taking down the Phantom Thief on his own. All he needed to do was find Dark's weakness and exploit it at the next thieving. It was convenient that the purple-haired criminal sent advanced notice and Athrun would make sure he was standing on top of the next target. The boy in front of him may seem smart, but was likely only guessing, fueled by his own childish desire for fame and belief in his own prowess. Yet, Athrun found something about Satoshi to be highly unsettling….
"I see," Satoshi said crisply, after Athrun had paused for a long time and it became apparent that he would not answer. "You don't wish to involve me. At least my reputation won't be blackened by your childish efforts."
Athrun stared at Satoshi incredulously. Childish efforts? After convincing himself that the pale boy was simply nothing more than an arrogant brat, Athrun tried not to let Satoshi's comments irritate him, but honestly, if anyone were childish, it would be the fourteen-year-old boy. Right?
Athrun opened his mouth for a slick reply when another boy with glaring red hair seemed to appear next to them. He was holding a book and seemed to have a question because he was scrutinizing a page carefully. The new boy looked up, his finger holding his place, but he seemed surprised to have noticed Satoshi standing there already.
"Oh, uh, hi, Hiwatari," he said a little stupidly. He hurried on, "Don't tell me you have a question too."
"Stop being ridiculous, Niwa," Satoshi replied slowly, a hint of mockery in his low voice. "I was just talking to Athrun about Dark. Did you know something was stolen last night?"
The redheaded boy laughed uneasily and scratched his hair. "Um, no, I didn't, Hiwatari," he said, a happy smile plastered onto his face. He delivered his response like how a poor actor would a scripted set of lines. Athrun, highly skilled in the art of lying as he was, could tell easily that this new boy was not. How was it that everyone knew already that Dark had stolen from him? The hint of an adult smile crept onto Satoshi's childlike face.
"Is that so?" Satoshi drawled, taking a step backwards before turning to leave. He paused. "Oh, and Athrun, you shouldn't underestimate others."
Satoshi returned to his seat, leaving Athrun slightly unsettled as he tried his best to answer the redheaded boy's question about the book he had not read. The feeling stayed with him all day until he returned home to find Kira on the computer, an image of Dark swooping over a rooftop up on the screen.
"Welcome home, Athrun," Kira said warmly. He closed out his Internet browser and stood, stretching.
"Hey, Kira," Athrun replied wearily, setting his bag down. "Researching?"
"Yeah, well, I was thinking about everything you told me about what happened last night. If only we could figure out who Dark was talking about right before he left. What exactly did he say?" Kira asked. It was apparent that he had been thinking about all the details, wanting to understand how the thief worked.
Athrun thought back. And then he groaned, making Kira put on a worried face.
"He said, 'It would have been more fun with Hiwatari' or something like that," Athrun finished, feeling extremely stupid. How could he have missed this? The clue was staring him in the face and laughing, the light glinting off the ridiculously large glasses that hid the eyes that really were too smart for a fourteen-year-old of this world.
"So, all we need to do is find this Hiwatari, right?" Kira asked gently, his tone reassuring and calm, still aware that Athrun was beating himself up mentally, but not entirely sure why.
"Yeah," Athrun answered, his face turning hard, "And I know exactly where he is."
Daisuke sighed, looking down at his pet rabbit With and away from the small mirror that did not show his reflection, but that of his alter ego.
"C'mon, Daisuke! He didn't look that bad! He'll get over it and besides, there's no way you can return it to him or else he'll be suspicious," the Phantom Thief complained from the other side of the glass.
"I know, but what if it was important to him?" Daisuke protested. With looked up with large maroon eyes at the sensitive boy and gave a soft 'kyuu' in support. Daisuke patted his head in response.
"Well, that's just too bad, Daisuke. We're thieves; we steal things. So what if nobody recognizes the work we do?" Dark was obviously becoming bored with the conversation and wanted to move on.
"It's just that…" Daisuke paused, struggling to find the right words to explain how he was feeling. "That he looked so unhappy. I just refuse to believe that our job is making people feel sad. Aren't we supposed to help people? Save them from dangerous artworks?" Daisuke finished, almost pleading with Dark to reassure him.
Dark sighed, realizing that his current tamer was in need of another lesson about growing up. Naturally, it fell to Dark to explain and help Daisuke through his uncertain teenage years. He gave Daisuke a genuine smile and forgot about how the conversation had been dragging on.
"Look, Daisuke, we do save people. Remember the unicorn? And the world of ice and snow? Don't look at me like that; I'm explaining," Dark responded to the way Daisuke's face suddenly fell at the memory of Freedert. "The point is that even though it may be painful for us and everyone involved at the time, we do a greater good. Stealing may seem like a bad thing, but it's like telling lies to make people happy. Remember that lesson?" Daisuke nodded once. "Good. Now, we've sealed the charm, but it's always possible that it could come free again. In my experience, that is usually a bad thing and does more damage to the people around it than having it stolen."
"But didn't you say this artwork was different?" Daisuke wheedled. He really did not want to watch his teacher's assistant suffer through depression because of him and Dark.
"Well, that's because it isn't a Hikari work or anything else I recognize. I couldn't necessarily tell whether it was good or bad, just that it had the power for both," Dark replied. The charm had especially bothered him for that reason. Just who had made it and where had it come from? All Dark could tell was that it was imbued with some very strong emotions like love, anger, betrayal, affection, fear, sorrow and lust somehow all at the same time. The creator must have found a way to trap his or her feelings inside the necklace, but who would have wanted to feel all that at once? Whoever had worn it must have found it difficult to express his feelings through the emotional baggage of the charm.
"But now that it's sealed, perhaps we could leave it somewhere? So he'll find it?" Daisuke was persistent, his ruby eyes boring into Dark's through the mirror. Daisuke seemed to strike upon some new idea, evidenced by his expression opening up, eyebrows raising. "And I'm sure Athrun is a good person, so even if the seal wears out, the art won't hurt anyone."
Dark pondered this thought for a moment. It sounded like a good argument, but the experienced thief quickly found a loophole in the boy's logic. "But the charm is bound to last longer than a single person, Daisuke. Art is, well, immortal in some respects. And what if he gives it to someone else? Just give it up, Daisuke; he's better off without it."
Daisuke gave a little sigh and turned back to With, scratching under the rabbit's chin. He remained silent for a moment, in which With gave a small 'kyuuu' of happiness, but then turned back to the mirror. His boyish expression of thought remained unchanged, however.
"If you say so, Dark…."
Dark smiled encouragingly at his younger counterpart, as Daisuke heaved another sigh. The redhead reached forward ponderously and turned the mirror over, losing the visual image of the Phantom Thief. However, try as Daisuke might to seclude his innermost thoughts, Dark knew that his other self was still in turmoil over the issue.
Perhaps they should take a leap of faith, but it would not be easy….
"I admit that I was surprised you called," came the eerily gentle voice from the receiver, "But aren't you glad you did?"
Athrun sighed into the phone before answering, "Yes." He could almost hear Satoshi smiling from the other end, and it irritated the blue-haired Coordinator that he needed the younger boy's help so much. He heard the click as Satoshi decisively ended the conversation and then the dial tone began to sound annoyingly into his ear. Athrun deposited the phone on its cradle and turned to an expectant Kira.
"Well, we've got a plan…" Athrun began, and proceeded to explain it to the brunette, watching Kira's eyes grow wider and wider in anticipation.
10:58 PM.
Athrun pulled as close as he could into the Command Headquarters for Forces Capturing Dark, an extra large van that had taken up residence next to the Berlin Kreuzberg Museum. Police tape surrounded the van and building up to twenty yards, and a flock of people, mostly young women, was straining against the yellow border. Athrun stepped out of his car and hurried towards the van, telling the nearest police officer that Satoshi Hiwatari was expecting him.
"Yeah, I guess it must be you, huh, what with that blue hair," the middle-aged man said good-naturedly, "You go on right in." He gestured vaguely towards the black van behind him. Athrun gave the man a smile, and forced himself not to salute the man out of habit before turning and jogging away.
Athrun stepped quickly up inside the open van and was immediately confronted by video screens, wires, keyboards, potato chips, walkie talkies, coffee, and a slight smile from Satoshi. The small space was cramped even though Athrun brought the body count up to three. The man he did not recognize turned to him, a grim expression on his mustached face.
"Ah, the commander told me about you," he said, his eyes measuring up the young Coordinator. Athrun wondered vaguely exactly what the boy with glasses had said about him. The man stuck out his hand. "I'm the Chief of Police, Saehara."
Athrun took the hand and gave a single shake. "Athrun Zala."
"Then let's get to business. Tonight, we are capturing ourselves a phantom thief," Saehara told them briskly. He flipped a switch so that a small red light flicked on next to it, and then spoke into a small microphone.
"All men, and, uh," Saehara faltered for a moment, "Women, listen up! You know your duties, so stay at your posts. Dark should be arriving any moment now, so keep a look out to the skies."
Athrun scanned the various monitors, letting his eyes fall on the group that displayed the dark night skies. Impatiently, he glanced at the digital clock just as it changed numbers.
11:00 P.M.
The moment Athrun registered that the time had come, screams arose from the crowd as the angelic figure appeared. Cameras focused on the purple-haired rogue, and he kissed his hand before letting it fall over the crowd as if he were showering them with kisses. He winked and then, as if on cue, the lights went out in the museum.
"He's going to enter from the south wing's second story, and move towards the Warrior's Shield by way of the Greek exhibition," came Satoshi's voice, low and firm.
"All women to the second floor, south wing!" the Chief of Police yelled frantically into his walkie-talkie. He looked back to Satoshi, just as female voices came pouring back through the radio.
"It's Dark!"
"Stop him!"
"I see him!"
"Over there!"
"Where'd he go?!"
The gleam of monitors reflected blue-green off of Satoshi's glasses, giving the boy a more than unreadable expression. Athrun suddenly wondered if even the entire police force could capture the Phantom Thief, and whether ghosts or supernatural creatures really existed on Earth Minus. But then Satoshi turned, and his face showed a strange determinism as he spoke his orders carefully.
"I am going inside with Athrun. Keep the women there and drop the nets. It will at least slow him down."
"Yes, Commander!" Saehara said in a way that suggested this pattern of events normally occurred and also that it was something for which he had been waiting.
As Satoshi whisked by Athrun, the young commander dropped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small china figurine of a dragon. Athrun craned his head to get a better look, but the smaller boy was already outside, walking briskly towards the museum and giving Athrun only a chance to follow, which he found himself doing automatically. Maybe it was just natural instinct for him to follow someone called 'commander.' Athrun heard Chief Saehara barking orders, but then the door to the van closed behind him and he hurried off to the darkened museum.
The FIT Explorer kept close pace beside what, in the dark, seemed to be an almost glowing fluff of bluish-white hair that knew its way unerringly in the unfamiliar and slightly frightening shadows of the art exhibits. A statue melted from the darkness, brandishing an ancient sword and sporting a heavy bejeweled crown. In the gloom, its eyes were hollowed black orbs that sent a shiver down Athrun's spine. He edged carefully around the unsettling gaze.
Up ahead, Athrun could hear the murmuring of voices and as he and Satoshi ventured closer, he began to realize that all the voices belonged to women. Rather angry women. He was reminded vaguely of Cagalli. But before they could get close enough to make out exactly what they were saying, Satoshi turned down a different hallway, stepping carefully over a red-corded rope fence. Once on the other side, Satoshi stopped, turning to Athrun. In his hand, he was holding out the small dragon figurine. Its ruby eyes glinted in a strange way that reminded Athrun of Satoshi's glasses.
"Take this," Satoshi whispered, giving Athrun the small dragon, "Whatever you do, do not let that go. I will place you in a certain spot and once I have done that, you are not to move from that position. Do you understand?"
Athrun nodded; the meaning was clear enough, although he had no idea why Satoshi would ask him to do something like this. Wasn't the plan to make some kind of trap for Dark? How would Athrun be able to help if he were simply stuck holding a china dragon, looking like he was some kind of thief? But he did not have any time to ponder the significance of his orders because Satoshi again began to move silently down the hallway.
Halfway down the corridor, a large bang sounded throughout the building. Athrun jumped and flattened himself defensively against the wall, his teal eyes darting around for signs of danger. Nothing moved. Satoshi had not even flinched, instead simply allowing the corners of his lips to turn upwards at Athrun's reflexive action.
"That would be the nets dropping," the boy said calmly, still whispering. "They're programmed to go off in every room except this hall. It means we're right on schedule."
Feeling foolish, but telling himself that he had no way of knowing what it was, Athrun fell back into step behind Satoshi. He examined the small dragon in his hands, but found it slightly difficult in the lack of light. Only the pale green talons and ruby eyes flashed, giving it a slightly malicious aspect that only added to Athrun's overall uneasiness. However, the corridor seemed to be growing brighter as they neared the end. Athrun could only discern that it was a much larger room, filled with windows streaming starlight.
Just before they reached the entrance to the gallery, Satoshi stopped, holding up a hand to signal Athrun to stop as well. The smaller boy turned and placed a finger to his lips in the universal sign of silence. Then he backed up two steps, using his hand to give Athrun the signal to "stay." Irritated at being treated like a dog, Athrun nevertheless gave a short nod that he understood. Then Satoshi pulled out a replica of the same dragon Athrun was holding in his hands, and held it up while nodding. Athrun reluctantly mimicked him and held his dragon aloft. Satoshi smiled, and there was a momentary gleam of something else underneath his smile, something that almost made Athrun wish he had not come. But then it passed and Satoshi aimed himself again towards the larger gallery and strode out.
Athrun instantly recognized the voice that greeted the police-boy. It was Dark, the Phantom Thief.
"Ah, Hiwatari! I knew you'd be getting around here sooner or later. You know women and nets don't stop me when I'm on my way to the real prize." His sociable voice was laced with enjoyment. Athrun itched to step around the corner and behold his enemy, but realized he had been ordered to stay put. He clutched the dragon tighter, finally realizing the frustration and annoyance he held for the boy commander. As if a boy younger and more petit than Nicol had been could capture the imposing thief on his own? He would never get back Cagalli's necklace before he had to return home to the PIE universe if he were only relying on this boy.
"That's why I'm here, Dark. You won't get further than this," Satoshi called out coldly. His small footsteps echoed and Athrun could tell he was crossing the room.
"Yeah?" Dark answered, "Then why is it that I've already taken the Warrior's Shield?"
Athrun cursed in his mind. How were they going to prevent the thief from escaping through those large windows? Why hadn't Satoshi told him what he was really planning?
"It doesn't matter whether you are holding that relic or not, Dark. You have nowhere to go anymore," Satoshi said slowly and carefully. As he finished his sentence, a bright light seemed to explode from the other room and flashed against a mirror from the other side of the room and directly into Athrun's eyes. Slightly blinded out of his night vision, he nearly dropped the china dragon, until he realized it was the figurine that was jumping and bucking in his hands. With a slight jolt, the FIT Explorer also realized that the small dragon was absorbing the light, or at least holding it in a line that reflected off the mirror and seemed to be coming from the other small dragon Satoshi had taken with him.
"Ha! You think this will stop me, Hiwatari?" Dark's cocky voice shouted out.
"No, Dark. I think it already did."
"How th-"
Suddenly, Athrun heard a loud clatter, like the sound that a piece of metal makes if it falls from a height accompanied by smack that gave Athrun the distinct impression that Dark had landed on the ground after dropping something.
"You see, Dark, you always forget that however much you may know about the artworks, I always know more. And now, I have cap-, captur-" There was a pause in which Athrun could hear Satoshi take several steadying breaths. He finished through gritted teeth. "Captured you."
Athrun's feeling of annoyance towards the younger boy vanished completely to be left with a sense of bewilderment. Had Satoshi really managed to catch Dark? He was aware of a building elation within himself. Cagalli's necklace would be his again!
"The fight's not over yet, is it… Krad?" Dark bit off uncharacteristically. Used to his playful, mocking voice, Athrun was plunged back into his previous sea of uneasiness by the bitter tone and unfamiliar word.
"I'm not-" Satoshi began painfully, but was cut short by his own cry. Whether it was pain or fury, Athrun could not tell as even that was silenced by the sound of a thousand pieces of silk rubbing against each other. The room ahead of him grew brighter again, throwing stark shadows off the exhibits.
The wind picked up and Athrun decided something must have broken because he could make out hundreds of white feathers whirling around the room. The sound of the wind whooshed over Athrun and he decided that probably a window and some ancient feather-art must have broken. The shadows darted around wildly, giving the impression that the room was by turns growing and shrinking. Athrun's impulse to stray around the corner increased dramatically, but he held his feet and the tiny dragon firm.
And then suddenly, the wind ceased and it became quiet, except for the slight rustle of wings. The only light was again that line from dragon to mirror to dragon. Athrun realized he had been holding his breathe and exhaled.
"DAAAAAAAARK!"
The sudden exclamation by an unfamiliar accented voice caused Athrun to flinch violently just before the reply came back with resounding force.
"KRAAAAAAAAD!"
Athrun heard the smack-thump that he recognized from his hand-to-hand combat training days as that of two bodies colliding. Something went skidding along the floor, lost in the clash, and slid to a halt in front of Athrun, yet still inside the room. He stared at it for a moment, before his brain registered what it was.
There, not five feet from where he stood, was Cagalli's necklace.
All thoughts of sticking to Satoshi's plan, whatever it was, flew from Athrun's head, and the impulse to leave his position finally took over. Athrun leapt to where the fallen necklace lay, only to realize the entire room was again plunged into darkness. Still, he fumbled for the good-luck charm and seized it tightly and straightening up to get a better bearing on his surroundings.
Thirty feet to his right stood two angels. One was obviously Dark, and the other, tall, blond, and beautiful in an unearthly way, seemed to be some kind of strange mirror image of the Phantom Thief. Where Dark was black, this other was white. Both were watching him with opposite expressions as well, but Athrun got a sinking feeling as he realized that Dark was the one who was smiling. The blonde was glaring at him, a mix of hatred and wrath twisting his exquisite features. He opened his mouth, but no words came out; instead, his golden eyes reflected ice blue and his face seemed to shift slightly to another shape before distorting back frighteningly.
Athrun gripped the necklace tighter, as Dark spoke, once more in his tone that was the equivalent of a smirk. "Until next time then."
The thief seemed to appear the next moment ten feet from his original position where he plucked a small rounded shield off the ground. He then gave his wings a powerful beat and rushed up towards the ceiling, darting left and through an open window at the last moment. The white and gold angel fell to his knees, one hand gripping his chest, the other stretched upwards with his eyes, straining after the Phantom Thief.
"Stop it!" he shouted, but it appeared he was yelling it at the floor suddenly. His outstretched hand hit the floor with a light pat and his other gloved hand tightened on his jacket. His features morphed again, even his hair wavering between gold and white.
Athrun stood frozen still for a moment, watching with a kind of morbid fascination and horror. As the angel took a shuddering, gasping breath, however, Athrun could not bear it any longer as the strange man seemed to be painfully disintegrating for no reason.
Necklace in hand, Athrun fled the museum.
"Athrun, you got it back!" Kira shouted, nearly tripping over a couch cushion that he had just dropped in his exuberance to get to his fellow Explorer. Athrun held aloft the necklace triumphantly, and in doing so, suddenly noticed the folded piece of paper carefully attached with a piece of black thread that he had not noticed in the dark. Kira obviously noticed it as well, and was watching the paper sway in the air currents with a look of disapproval.
"What it is?" he asked, hoping he had not just jinxed his best friend and that something terrible was about to happen.
Athrun carefully tugged the paper off the necklace, and let out a breath he had not realized he was holding when the necklace did not disintegrate. He opened the paper and read aloud to Kira's wary frown.
Athrun Zala:
The Orb of the Princess is being returned to you. Its powers have been sealed and you have been judged a worthy person by a close friend of mine. However, we have agreed that if problems arise again, I will keep it forever.
Phantom Thief Dark
Athrun groaned. Just when he thought he had won.
Yay! It's done! Sorry for such the long wait on this one. I really only wanted two chapters, but then this kept on going. And going. As a bonus, there will be a short epilogue up soon. Yes, actually soon. And, as always, thanks for reading!