I didn't think this chapter was going to take this long. I was writing this midway when all of a sudden it just stopped flowing. Like after I kept reading it over and over again it sounded so choppy. But I'm glad I worked out all the kinks. On a side note, this chapter goes into a little more detail, regarding the last one. It overlaps because this chapter is from the Lupinrangers POV. Like they say, there's two sides to every coin (or something like that lol)

Anyone else watched the final episode yesterday? I swear Sakuya and Umika better be married somewhere in the future. (That statement doesn't spoil anything, so you have nothing to fear)

Thank you for bearing with me this entire time. And thank you to those who have been leaving reviews:

-Toa Solaric

-Guest 362

-PrettyRecklessLaura

-Knoctis00

As my boss would always say, you guys are the bomb dot com :) Anyway,

Here's your warning: Unless you really wanna know who Jagaton is, I suggest watching episode 13.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own or work for Toei, I just wrote the story.

WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

Kairi managed to escape a nearby rooftop without being seen. He hid up there until he was sure Tsukasa wasn't looking around for him anymore, breathing a sigh of relief.

Truth be told, he really was looking for Ganglers tonight.

It all started this afternoon when Kogure stopped by the bistro.

FLASHBACK…

"Kogure, please tell us that you have some new information on a Gangler?" Kairi asked approaching the old man sitting at a nearby table.

"Sad to say, but I really don't have anything for you folks at the moment." He said sipping his tea.

"No way! Are you ABSOLUTELY, one HUNDRED percent sure there are no Lupin Collection pieces for us to steal?" Umika knelt down beside him, holding the back of the chair for support.

"Sorry, I would love to have a new Collection piece ready for you to steal, but I don't."

Kairi and Umika groaned in response.

"Hmm? Why the sudden need for thievery?" The butler asked, his teacup clinking when he set it down.

"Someone-or something has been impersonating us." Touma explained. "And by doing so, they're intimidating one of the GSPO officers."

"I see. Well, it's nothing worth getting your hands dirty over." He stood up and made for the door.

"Wait a minute!" Kairi stopped him. "You haven't been impersonating us, have you?"

Kogure sighed at his accusation. "I really have no time to be messing with police officers." He stated. They waited in silence to hear what else he had to say. "But to answer your question; no, I have not been impersonating you three."

They all sighed in unison.

"Then I guess we're back to square one…" Touma said glancing at the other two.

"May I remind you," He told the young thieves. "That I specifically said not to get involved with the police. Nothing good can come out of working with them." Kairi opened his mouth to speak. "And that includes helping them." He said silencing Lupin Red.

"Demo, Kogure-san." Umika ran up to him. "Don't you find it strange that we haven't seen a Gangler in weeks?"

"Or that you haven't picked up on any Collection pieces." Touma added.

"I will admit that it is odd that nothing has come about in awhile." He told them. "However, like I said, it's nothing for you three to get your hands dirty over." Quietly exited the bistro.

"That old geezer is as strange as ever." Kairi commented.

"What'll we do about that imposter? And Tsukasa-san?"

"For now we'll let Noel deal with Tsukasa. The imposter we can handle on our own." Touma replied.

"Yeah but how? What if they're out there right now causing mayhem? I have a reputation to uphold y'know." She affirmed in a childlike manner. "Speaking of which, any news from Noel-san?"

"Noel said that even the police don't understand why there are no Gangler sightings." Kairi told them. "He also said that Tsukasa-san didn't bother to tell anyone about her warning the other night. Something about not wanting to worry the others with her problems."

"Ohh now I'm starting to worry!" She began to pace frantically back and forth. "Wait, you don't think Tsukasa-san was hit by Dugon Manatee's beam do you?"

"Impossible, we defeated him remember?"

"But then why? What kind of treasure does Tsukasa-san have that would cause her such worry?"

"You forget that the imposter knows what her treasure is." He reminded her. "It's different for us; we want to get our loved ones back. And though that's not necessarily our treasure..."

"The only people who know that are the ones who are trying to help us." Kairi filled in the rest. "Zamigo may know we're after him, but he doesn't know why exactly."

Umika hadn't really thought about that. "The three of us…all want the same thing." She stated. "I guess, it's easier not to worry about when it's something like that. But for Tsukasa-san," She took a few steps towards the GSPO's regular table. "She must feel so alone right now; not knowing who she can trust anymore, except for maybe Noel."

"If she even trusts him." Touma clarified.

Right then and there, Kairi had made up his mind; he was going to help Tsukasa, even if he got in trouble with Kogure. He would have to do it in secrecy or course. No point in the others getting into trouble for his stubbornness and inability to follow simple instructions.

And that's how he ended up following Tsukasa all the way back to her apartment. Well, not exactly.

His intention was to take on a night investigation. He told the other two that he was going to retire early for the night, and went upstairs to get dressed. But just as he was about to exit the bistro, Kairi found his partners in crime standing there by the door, dressed in their Kaitou disguises as well.

"You didn't think you were the only one thinking the same thing were you?" Touma told him.

"For someone who went to get ready before us, you sure take a long time." She teased.

"Gomen." He chuckled.

They came up with a plan. From there they would split up, using what information they had from Noel to hit up every single spot the previously defeated Ganglers had favored.

As he stood atop a lamppost, something had caught his eye. Or rather…someone. Tsukasa had just come out of the GSPO building seemingly distracted; probably from the warning she received, he deduced. Kairi followed her another two blocks before he realized that there was no way she was going to make it home safely at this rate. She was so suspicious of everything around her that she couldn't see what was right in front of her; twice she almost ran into a stop sign, and once she bumped into a well-lit vending machine.

Whatever her treasure was that was making her worry just might end up being the death of her. It was a little obsessive honestly. He had to stop her, somehow. It took a little bit of thinking, but only one thing came to mind; distraction.

Emerging from behind a pillar, he made his presence known. "You know it's not safe to be out by yourself."

Tsukasa stopped in her tracks.

That finally got her attention. She turned around aiming her changer at him. "What are you doing here?"

'Saving your life.' He said to himself. 'Not to mention testing your acute awareness.' "Nothing special, just patrolling for Ganglers."

She would go on to accuse him of being the one who sent her the warning, but he was being honest when he said it wasn't him.

After awhile, when he felt like he had gotten enough information out of her to go off of, he decided to be on his merry way. With purpose, he walked past her, to see how she would react to being near him. "Be careful going home." He finally managed to tell her.

"Wait! Why should I believe you when you say you didn't send me that warning? How do I know that it really wasn't you?"

Apparently, his distraction technique wasn't working at all if she was still going on about that damn note. He balled his hands into fists. If she didn't stop now, it was going to corrupt her.

And he wasn't about to let that happen.

Spinning around he grabbed her changer and pulled it, along with her towards him. Leaning down he looked directly into her eyes. "Because I'm a straightforward man; I don't dance around the subject like some people do. When I want something…I take it…"

Kairi stared at her firmly. This wasn't the same Tsukasa he had come to know. Fear shown in her eyes, unsure if it was from him or not. But at the moment, he didn't care. She had to get the message; that obsessing over this wasn't okay. She needed to know that sometimes it was okay to ask for help...even if said help came from your enemy.

As he continued to gaze at her, he realized she stopped looking into his eyes. He followed her line of sight to see what she was staring at. His lips? For a brief moment he thought he saw something else in her expression other than fear. Was it… yearning? Kairi smirked at the thought. It fed his ego, knowing how easy it was that he could affect her like that.

'Mission accomplished.' He thought proudly.

A sudden gust of wind picked up around them, and he took that as his cue to leave. As an added effect, he pretended to blow air into her face, distracting her momentarily so he could get away.

He waited until she was on the move again, following her from rooftop to rooftop until she made it home. From across her apartment, he continued to watch her until she disappeared inside.

"It's not nice to toy with her like that." said a voice behind him.

Kairi didn't bother to turn around as he already knew who was talking to him. The other thief moved to stand next to him.

"I saw the whole thing." Touma told him.

"Did you now?" He responded sarcastically.

They continued watch her apartment from the outside, until Touma decided to pick his brain for some answers.

"What exactly are you planning?" He flat out asked him.

Kairi gripped the railing. Rather than say anything, he let the silence hang in the air. A second later they heard another newcomer land on the roof.

"There you guys are." Umika said exhausted. "I've been looking all over for you." She flopped her upper body over the side of the railing, but looked up when she realized where they were. "Hey, what are you guys doing here at Tsukasa-san's apartment?"

They both turned to her. "How did you know Tsukasa lives here?"

She perched herself upright. "Because, one time when I was out grocery shopping she was heading in this direction. So the next day when they came in for a meal, I asked her and she said this is where she lived."

"I see." Kairi readjusted his mask. "Did you guys find anything?"

Umika shook her head. "No signs of a Gangler. It's like they're all on vacation or something."

"Which I highly doubt."

Kairi nodded. "I think that's about all we can do for tonight. We should head back and get some shut eye...for real this time."

"I think that's a good idea." She yawned. They began to walk away but stopped when they realized Kairi wasn't following them. They turned to see him still staring at the building.

"Hmm? Red?"

He continued facing in the same direction. "Sorry guys, do you mind going on ahead without me? I think I'm going to take one last look around."

"Demo-"

Touma tugged on her arm to get her attention. She opened her mouth to speak, but he shook his head. "Wakata." He replied. "Just be careful…"

Umika didn't have a clue as to what was going on. She looked back and forth between the two men, shrugging when she knew she was never going to get a definitive answer out of either one. She aimed her grappling hook at a nearby lamppost and swung in the direction of the bistro.

Touma hung back for a little bit, deciding on whether or not to offer the younger man some advice. He ended up not saying anything and followed Umika home.

Kairi waited a few more minutes in the cold.

'What exactly are you planning?' Echoed Touma's voice in his head. Even if he wanted to answer that, he couldn't. Not even he knew what he was planning. What was he gonna do? Sit there and keep watch all night? Highly unlikely. Hopping down from the roof, he made his way to her apartment.

Tsukasa readjusted the stuffed animals on her bed a second time that night before finally being content with the setup. She traced the outline of the Jagaton keychain that hung on the wall above her bed post. It was strange really, but looking at it was somehow comforting.

Her mind began to wander back to the red thief, not that this was the first time that that's happened. She had always known him to be reckless...and self-centered...and sometimes intolerable. But tonight...she thought she found him, dare she say it...attractive. That itself was a first. The more she thought about him, the more she yearned to learn of his true identity.

She replayed that moment in her head again; even though he was staring at her intensely, behind that she swore she saw his eyes soften. His light brown irises pierced through her very being. She wanted to peel his mask away, to learn who this mysterious stranger was, and what was going on in his mind right now. The very thought made her heart beat faster, and she mentally scolded herself for thinking such things. 'He's a phantom thief.' She told herself. 'It could never be. It should never be.'

And yet, somehow the thought of him seemed to put her mind at ease. She crawled into bed and turned off her lamp. And for the first time in awhile, ever since the whole warning thing, she fell asleep within minutes, a smile gracing her face.

Kairi lingered above her window for awhile until he saw the lights go off in her apartment. Taking one last look around, and deciding that nobody else was planning to show up tonight, he bid her a silent goodnight and headed for home himself.

Author's Note: Okay, now that I got that out of they way, we can finally move forward! I swear the chapters get longer and longer, which is a good thing since that means I'm capable of writing more.

By the way I was mortified when I learned what Tsukasa's image song was about. Out of all the things they could've had her sing about. Heck, even all the stuffed animals would've been better than just him. Buuuut I digress, the song is catchy lol

Also, when I was doing my research on certain episodes I remembered episode 11, and how the narrator didn't change Tsukasa's name because it could be for either a boy or a girl. Kairi's name is the exact same way, it could be for a boy or a girl X3 This ship flew past the moon for me lol

Let me know what you guys think, and what you think's going to happen next. See you around soon!