A/N: I wanted to thank my reviewer Chiyo and Osaka Fan for your lovely review. I dedicate this chapter to you, hope you like it :) As always I don't own Lupin or the Castle of Cagliostro... I read that Cagliostro is totally fake, so I dont think I'll ever get to own it.
Goemon was quick to arrive, anxious for his seemingly ill friend. He tried to act like he wasn't concerned, though he wasn't really sure if he fooled anyone. He knew that his stoic samurai expression could fool those who didn't know him, but his friends might have learned to read his slight changes in expression. He was sure to get Jigen alone within the first ten minutes of arriving. He said his hellos to Lupin, gave him a quick cursory glance to make sure he was in no immediate danger, and then made a lame excuse to talk to Jigen alone.
"What exactly is wrong with him" Goemon said in that low, deep voice of his.
"Well, long story short, he's been acting off. He seems to have lost all interest in casinos, hell, he even seems to have lost interest in woman. I haven't seen him chase a skirt in, oh god, it seems like it's been ages." Jigen took a deep breath, giving Goemon a quick glance, seeing him studying him closely, Jigen continued quickly. Goemon's habits of close scrutiny have always made him slightly nervous. "A few days back I heard Lupin moaning and groaning something terrible. It seemed like he was having a terrible nightmare. When he woke up he quite literally clung to me, crying like a baby. All he kept doing was mumbling, something about not being able to protect her. I figured he meant that Lady we were all so fond of from Cagliostro. I haven't tried to get the truth out of him yet. I figured I could use you as support. He might talk with you around."
Jigen took another deep breath, after this part in his speech. Goemon decided to interrupt, hoping to speed up this conversation a bit. Long story short my ass. He thought. "And were you correct in your assumption?"
"Yeah, I told him that he should go back, make sure everything is alright. It's been a while since we've even heard word about Cagliostro. He agreed, though he seems a bit worried about her not accepting him back. I talked him into letting me call you so you could help me with his emotional dilemmas. You might seem like an immovable stone wall, but I know you have a whirlwind of emotions under that mask. Thought you would help, you always seemed to have a calming effect on him."
"Hmm," with a slight nod of the head was all the response that Jigen got after finishing his story. They were both quiet for a while, both lost in their own thoughts. "It seems like it was a good thing that I came this quickly. I feel like it would be in the best course of action if we leave and make our way towards Cagliostro immediately."
"That's what I thought. Well, I go tell Lupin to pack, I'm assuming you want to rest up a bit before we leave?"
"It is not necessary. The gentleman who allowed me to ride in his cart with him, allowed me to sleep on the way to the city. It was exceedingly comfortable."
"Only you would consider a cart to be comfortable, probably slept sitting up no doubt, wearing that silly hat of yours" Jigen said, under his breath.
"Indeed, though I do not understand why my sleep habits would concern you." Jigen was startled by this. Goemon rarely spoke this much to him. Even when they were on stake outs together they rarely seemed to converse. And the fact that he heard him say something he'd rather he didn't did not help the matter. Jigen tried to hid his blush behind his own hat, trying to calm his now rushing heart beat, as he coughed nervously.
"Um..." Jigen said a bit uncomfortably, not sure if he had insulted his friend. His relationship was as tentative enough already with the samurai.
"I will go help Lupin prepare." And with that Goemon left an increasingly confused Jigen behind.
Lupin looked up when Goemon reentered the room. He gave the his longtime friend a small smile. The samurai inclined his head in a brief nod of hello. As he looked up he said, "We are getting ready to depart, my friend. Do you require assistance with your things?"
"What am I, some useless frail, old woman? I can get it." And with that he collected his measly amount of personal items and tossed them into a beat up bag. He had just enough time to see Jigen return shortly after Goemon with a slight blush on his face. Smirking at this Lupin ushered them into his badly abused bug and had Jigen set off in the direction of Cagliostro.
"So, gents, you think we'll have an uneventful journey? Or will something come up like it usually does?" Lupin said with a clearly joking tone. Jigen gave a small, coughing laugh. While all Goemon did was give off a small, contemplative "Hm" as if really considering the question.
This irked Lupin. He rolled his eyes, he had been hoping for more of a response from his friends. It seemed as if Jigen was still acting as if Lupin were made of glass. He almost regretted opening up to Jigen like that, all those nights ago. But even he understood that he needed that comfort, that contact with another human being that proved to him that he wasn't alone, that he wasn't some invisible bystander to the unavoidable flow of time.
He took out a cigarette, handing one to Jigen. He lite Jigen's cigarette for him, seeing as he didn't want to get another unnecessary repair for the Volkswagen. Jigen was driving and the last time he tried to light a cigarette while driving he dropped the lighter and nearly ran the car into a tree and then almost off a cliff. Not something Lupin was willing to repeat anytime soon. He lite his own cigarette taking a long drag, relishing in the comfort it brought him in this time of mental stress.
Goemon sat in the back, totally impassive to the other events in the car. He was either quietly studying one of his companions, looking at the passing scenery, or watching something Lupin couldn't see because he was using his hat as a shield from Lupin's gaze. Lupin was not surprised to see that the samurai was almost unconsciously clutching his Zantetsuken. The samurai was rarely seen without his sword. In his earlier years, Lupin imagined that Goemon took it with him everywhere, to bed and even to the shower. These suspicions were never confirmed though, so he was forced to let those musings go. Though Lupin did know that, while on missions, Goemon never let that sword go, even while sleeping. Something Lupin always admired him in him. Lupin was actually kind of surprised that Goemon decided to go. A little thing like a vacation didn't seem like something the renegade samurai would be interested in. Though even he could see the way Clarisse seemed to touch everyones heart, even Goemon's. He knew that she was the only reason he was coming on this excursion. Little did Lupin know, however that Goemon was currently studying him, trying to think of a way that he and Jigen could broach the subject of the dream without unnecessarily angering their friend.
Speaking of Clarisse, though, Lupin wondered what his bright-eyed beauty could be doing this very second. His mind wandered, full of innocent thing that his 'love' could be doing. Yet all these things were someone twisted in his mind to be oddly sexy and erotic. As his mind wandered, Jigen continued to drive to the castle and Goemon continued to study his companions and his surroundings. He was acutely aware of everything that was occurring. If possible, it seemed that he was even following their thoughts. He gave a small smile as he glance at in the rear view mirror seeing the marksman's eyes quickly leave his. He also noticed the light blush that resulted from this interaction between him and Jigen, and he had to fight to keep his stoic face and not smirk outright at Jigen's antics.
Closer in distance than Lupin would have thought possible, Clarisse was getting ready to greet her unknown, yet not quite unexpected guest. She was quietly moaning to herself about what was about to come as she walked to meet her new guest. Yet another person who would, undoubtedly, rudely push their way into her life. As she entered the small but comfortable seating area where she met her guests she was welcomed by a surprisingly good sight. A man was standing near the slightly open window. Wind rustled his strawberry blond locks, the light glinting off the different colors. She could see reds, blonds and even browns in those wavy strands. It had her totally entranced. The man turned upon hearing her enter and bowed deeply to her. She bowed back and looked into his eyes. She was equally enamored by those as well. The deep green felt like it was piercing her soul. She felt shivers run down her spine, and she she couldn't tell if they were the good kind of shivers or bad. She decided to wait til later to ponder of that question. She greeted the young man cordially, very handsome man indeed, she thought.
The man smiled at her. Even his smile was heavenly. His perfect lips looked at if they caressed every word that passed their way. Even his teeth were perfect, white and straight. He seemed almost too perfect. "Ah, Lady Clarisse, what a pleasure it is to see you at last, and after all these years." He said with obvious charm. For a split second she thought back to Lupin. But no, she rebuked herself, Lupin has brown hair and brown eyes. This can't possibly be him. She was disappointed, but she was use to it. She always dreamed that Lupin would one day be her mystery guest. Yet no matter how many times she had that dream, it never became a reality.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think I know your name." She said, her curiosity engaged.
"Oh, how terribly rude of me. I am distant cousin of yours, not quite in the noble bloodline, but close to it."
"How fortunate for me to find a surviving family member. But I find it rather odd. The Count told me I the only one left in line for the duchy of Cagliostro. The Count is no longer with us so I really have no idea how valid his claim is however." She said almost coldly.
"So I've heard. Well it's no wonder you or the Count never heard of me. I'm related to your mothers side, the side without the title. Why would that concern the Count? And as I said, I am a distant, very distant cousin. I think we would be considered 7th cousins, if I'm not mistaken. My family has not had any connection with yours in generations. But seeing as you are the only family I have left, no matter how distant, I thought it would be prudent to close the family gap, as one could say."
Lady Clarisse was interested by his desire to get to know the only family he had left, she remembered feeling the same way after her family died, and she was left with only the Count as any kind of family. And he didn't make a very good family member, he was something she wished she could forget. She was inclined to believe the young man however seeing as he brought of very official looking documents to prove that he was indeed related to her.
Her smile was somewhat warmer as she looked at him again. "I still don't know your name sir."
"Oh, I-I'm so terribly sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me. Your beauty has me somewhat flustered, my lady. My name is Fredrick."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Fredrick. Might I suggest that we take this meeting into a more comfortable setting. I, of course, will have a room set up for you, and you may stay as long as you like."
"Oh, my dear lady cousin! You honor me most graciously. I do not know how I can ever repay your kindness. Even after I so rudely interrupted your day." He said this with a grand wave of his arm as he did yet another bow.
"It was no interruption. I welcome the opportunity to connect with family. All the family I have here is the grounds keeper, Mikael, and my dog, Karl. Please let my maid, Mary, led you to your room. Mary, please take Fredrick to the blue room and make sure he is settled. I will wait in the library for you. Please meet me there in an hour so we may get acquainted."
"Yes, thank you." Fredrick barely managed got out before being flocked out of the room by the maid.
As Clarisse left the room, to freshen up and prepare to meet Fredrick again, she couldn't help but think, Hm, maybe today won't be so tiresome and boring as I first thought.
A/N: Just want to remind you that the poll is still open. I will let you decide the side relationship in this story, but if this chapter didn't give away what I want to do with it, then I dont know what will.