Nakamori Aoko pulled her bag closer to her chest and anxiously checked the time. She was currently sitting on a concrete step outside of a 'diner' she could never afford to eat from. Her favorite sweater did little to comfort her nerves in the dark, silent, emptiness of the early morning. 2:54 a.m. was not a usual time for her to be active yet alone meeting up with someone but with this, she would make an exception.
Aoko hadn't heard from Jii-san in nearly a week and she was beginning to lose hope that he would ever tell her the answers she so desperately needed. The only reason she hadn't fully given up was the fact that he had not told Kaito of their conversation. She knew this because Kaito had still acted the same during class and whenever they'd hang out together. If he had any suspicions he would definitely say or do something that would put her off his trail- so at least she was safe on that front.
Two hours ago was the first time he had even acknowledged her. She was at home trying to sleep in her room (and not think about the Kaitou Kid situation) when her cell phone started ringing. Initially irked at whatever idiot was calling her at midnight, she looked at the caller I.D. and all her hostility vanished. She wasn't expecting his call considering the hour, and the Kaitou Kid heist that had been announced that previous afternoon.
When she answered her phone the only thing he told her was the time (3 a.m.), place (a high class 'diner' in a sketchy part of town several blocks away from both where she lived and Jii-san's parlor), and that an associate of his will be meeting with her (just how many people knew of Kaito's secret anyway!?).
She checked the time on her phone once more and tried to ignore how the dimly lit street looked like a murder scene from every horror movie, ever. Taking a deep breath she tried to settle her nerves by examining the 'diner' and letting her mind wonder.
What was its significance? Jii-san owned his very own business and yet he chose to meet here? Why? Did he own this building too?
Shaking her head she chided herself. Jii-san had enough on his plate with Kaito and The Blue Parrot, there was no way he'd be able to handle another business- least of all one as successful and grand as The White Rabbit diner.
The White Rabbit may have been called a 'diner' by its owners but to anyone with eyes it was more along the lines of a high-class restaurant in its operations, expenses, and overall aesthetics. It was three stories tall and was built to resemble a western style cottage (on steroids) that hopped right out of a fairy-tale. True to its name the building was a dazzling, stainless, white that would turn colors depending on the lighting of the sun. It had large circular windows with bright red shutters and window panes around them. There was a small garden around the building and surrounding that was a picket fence that even a cat could step over. A tall chimney adorned the roof like a crown and Aoko seriously doubted its functionality.
Much like the fence. She mused to herself.
Standing up, she checked the time again and after noticing it was two minutes till, she decided to take a walk around the building.
Just to scope it out. Make sure Jii-san and his 'associate' aren't waiting for me in the back.
Clutching the strap of her purse she headed towards the back of the diner, combing her fingers through her hair in a soothing manner. She was approaching the corner where she would turn when she caught a movement in her periphery.
She froze, blue eyes wide and fingers still in her hair. The movement had looked exactly like a person headed in the same direction she was. Aoko could hear the rhythmic clicks across the ground, like heels against concrete. A feeling of dread clawed its way to her chest.
Was someone trying to break in? Was this the person she was meeting or a murder looking for their next victim?
She shifted from foot-to-foot, ignoring every instinct in her body that was telling her to run away. If she left without even exploring, Jii-san would never tell her the truth. Going back to pretending that she didn't know- pretending not to care that her best friend was risking everything, every time he put on that monocle- was simply not an option. Whoever this mysterious shadow was- be it friend or foe- they had found themselves in her path. An obstacle in her way to Kaito and she'd be damned if she let them or anything else stand in her way!
Aoko summoned all her courage, sent a quick text to Jii-san (just in case it was him- or if it wasn't him and she wound up dead), pulled out her pepper spray and slowly turned the corner.
Perched nonchalantly on the second story balcony was (presumably) a woman Aoko had never seen before. Her face and one arm were dressed in bandages and she wore an all-black outfit that left little to the imagination of her body. Her lips were stained blood-red against a knowing grin and Aoko could barely make out wisps of blonde hair under the wrappings.
When the covered lady noticed Aoko, her grin grew even wider and she stood to her full height. After staring at Aoko for a couple of heart beats she began to shake her head in mock incredulity.
Aoko didn't need to see this lady's eyes to know that she was being sized up by her. Never one to take a challenge- nonverbal or otherwise- lying down, Aoko straightened her back and lowered her pepper spray just enough to indicate her lack of fear (a lie) but not enough to where she couldn't reach it if things got dangerous (a promise).
"My, my when he called me and told me I almost didn't believe him and yet…" she gestured to Aoko as if showing her off to some imaginary audience. "… here you are." The woman jumped down from her stoop, clinged to the railing before jumping off and flipping gracefully in front of Aoko. She approached her slowly while she continued. "All alone with no back-up to be seen."
When she got within arms length, Aoko secretly applauded herself for not taking even the slightest step back. Ignoring how her back was so tense someone could shoot an arrow from it, she narrowed her eyes at the stranger and forced herself to speak.
"I was told to come alone by someone I trust." She took a deep inhale through her nose before adding, "At the risk of sounding rude, who the hell are you and why are you here?" The woman smiled in amusement.
"Curious are we? Well I'll tell you… Inside."
Before Aoko could ask what she meant, the woman effortlessly ran up the side of the building (in heels no less!), latched on the railings of the balcony, and swung back up to her previous perch. She turned to look back down at Aoko over her shoulder and smiled as if daring her to follow. She then slid open the balcony doors and disappeared into the building.
Aoko watched her in stunned silence, her mouth gaping like the fish Kaito hated so much. Did she expect Aoko to break into a building she was too scared to even enter in daylight hours? Why should she follow anyway? She wasn't even sure this was who Jii-san was referring to when he spoke about an associate.
Then again, the lady had spoken to Aoko in a way that was familiar. It felt as if this woman knew her and strangely, Aoko had found herself believing she had. Maybe she was just that desperate for answers- or maybe she really was the naive, ditsy, and gullible girl she was pretending to be all this time but something definitely stopped her from turning away. Hoping what she was feeling was right she texted Jii-san one last time:
'I hope this woman is with you.' And clumsily climbed after her.
This was the first time she would break her character of Inspector's daughter. There was no justification that wasn't completely personal to make this entry okay. If she got caught this would not be a simple Misdemeanor like breaking into a public building- like school. This was private property and it would mean a full charge if she got caught.
For some reason she couldn't bring herself to care.
It took her about three minutes to reach the balcony and while that was a perfectly respectable time- considering the grip-less wall under the railing- she seethed at its comparison to the woman's mere seconds.
When she had finally reached the sliding doors she quickly found them to be locked.
Thanks for the consideration, lady. Aoko thought bitterly. She did not have to struggle long. Within seconds she had the sliding doors opened, silently thanking Kuroba-sensei for his masterful teaching. Grateful to the lady for disarming the alarms, she slipped in.
The White Rabbit was even grander inside than it was out. The ceilings seemed to stretch higher, and the walls were decorated with some of the most beautifully rendered impressionist paintings Aoko had ever seen. The tables were bare but were clearly made out of a strong, dark wood and the matching chairs had tall backs with plushy, red cushions. The majority of the floor was hard wood that held a reddish hue even in the early hours of morning. The trace amount of carpet that was available was a muted blue that contrasted sharply with the red of the place. Illuminating the majority of the room were three large, glass flower buds attached to a small chandelier fixture that hung in the center of the entire floor. Under the lights where the longest table stood, sat the lady with a tray of three teacups with saucers, cookies and sandwiches.
Aoko approached the table cautiously and when the lady caught sight of her she smiled warmly.
"Looks like we're both crooks now." She folded her hands across her lap and once Aoko was close enough but hadn't taken a seat, she gestured to the chair to her left side. "No need to be so shy Aoko-chan! It isn't like you."
Aoko wanted to ask how this woman knew anything about her enough to refer her so familiarly yet alone, to comment on her 'usual' behaviors. She didn't ask though. Just sat down and took a moment to clear her thoughts. She doubted yelling would get her the answers she came here for.
The woman seemed to pick up on Aoko's fried nerves and offered her a teacup with some cookies on the side of it.
"Do relax Aoko-chan. Here, have some of these macroons- Kaito did say you liked them."
The mention of Kaito's name spoken from this strange woman's lips had efficiently set Aoko off.
"And how do you know Kaito, anyway?" She snapped, slamming her hands on the table. "You told me you'd share your identity when I followed you and I did that!" Aoko stood from her seated position, "I came here at 3:00 in the morning, meeting a complete stranger and breaking into a private building to get answers- so unless you start talking- I'm leaving!" No matter how familiar this woman had seemed to her, she refused to ignore the danger of the situation she walked in on.
"If you leave, you'll miss Jii-san!" The woman had responded in mock disappointment, gesturing to the third cup and saucer.
Aoko paused and gritted her teeth. She had never mentioned Kaito's or Jii-san's names which meant that this lady had to have been the associate, right?
"You have three minutes."
"Oh dear, I only need about twenty seconds to convince you to stay." The lady then began to unravel the bandages from her head before continuing. "I suppose I should be a bit relieved you at least realize the situation you've placed yourself in." The woman sighed irritably. "While it's always fun to tease you Aoko-chan, I really must stress the importance of stranger-danger. Why, I could have been anyone under this mask! Surely from witnessing Kaitou Kid you understand, right? There are people in this world who can become anyone." She looped the bandage around her head and seemed to be undoing some sort of knot in the back. "Caution is key."
Aoko glared fiercely and opened her mouth to retort 'who are you, my mother?' When the lady had finally gotten the knot free and Aoko locked eyes with the woman behind the bandages. Her retort died in her throat and she suddenly felt the need to throw herself out of the nearest window.
Chikage-san crossed her arms over her chest and flashed her a smug smile.
"Ta-da~" she sang aloud.
Aoko felt her jaw drop open and her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. Not only had she acted so rudely to Chikage-san but the skin-tight leather suit the woman was wearing made Aoko cringe in a way she couldn't understand.
How is she so calm wearing that?
Chikage-san laughed so hard at Aoko's expression she had to wipe a tear from her eye. "The look on your face!" She glanced at Aoko and fell back into another fit.
Aoko turned her face away, completely sour over Chikage-san's joke and sat back in her chair with an affronted huff. She took a sip of the offered tea and tried to relax while she waited for her companion to get a hold of herself.
When Chikage-san's laughter tapered down she took in Aoko's cold look. "Don't look like that dear, it was necessary for you to see me this way." She waved her hand over her costume.
"As a blonde?" Aoko asked with thinly veiled sarcasm.
"No. As The Phantom Lady."
Aoko stared blankly and wondered if she was suppose know who that was.
"I'm going to pretend I'm not insulted by this." She sighed and placed a bandaged hand over her heart. "Let me tell you a love story. My love story."
And she had. She told Aoko about a young woman's struggle in a difficult life. How she became The Phantom Lady and how it eventually led her to the love of her life- and the birth of Kaitou Kid.
Aoko sat back in shock. Kuroba-sensei was Kaitou Kid? It all made sense now. The pieces finally being put together in her mind in a flurry of memories. All the times he had cancelled his lessons. The fact that Kaitou Kid was a magician thief. How Kuroba-sensei always seemed to know when she'd need to stay at the Kuroba residence longer than expected. How many times had he suggested Aoko stay the night hours before her father would call and ask the same thing? Too many to be a coincidence but when young, Aoko was just happy to have more time to play and learn with Kaito. In hindsight it should have been obvious and yet she was still floored. She stared down at her tea and tried to ignore how her hands were shaking.
Chikage-san seemed to give her several moments to collect her thoughts before continuing. "He was killed, you know?"
Her voice never wavered and Aoko wondered how many times she had to practice the line- how many times she had to say it to herself for it to have so little effect. It was like discussing how much sugar a recipe called for. It made Aoko feel so much colder than before and part of her wished for this to be a dream.
Before she could stop herself, Aoko asked the question that had haunted her mind since the start of all of this. "Why?"
"He had refused to steal a certain gem for this organization. At first, he had agreed to but then-"
Aoko whipped her head up and faced her. Rage and pain burning inside of her. "-I meant why had he continued stealing? At first he was redirecting police and civilian attention away from you, but after that?"
Chikage-san's face went blank and it was so similar to Kuroba-sensei- and lately Kaito's- poker face that she couldn't look at it for too long without her chest constricting.
Aoko felt tears roll down her face at the unfairness of it all. She didn't know why Kuroba-sensei would risk his and his family's life like he did but she did know the outcome. Kaito's heart had been broken, his world shattered and for what? Bragging rights? Money? She couldn't think of anything in the world that would excuse it.
She loved him too, in her own way. He and Chikage-san were the only glimpse she had on what a family could really be. She never knew what the Nakamori residence was missing until she saw it from the Kurobas and although her father tried it wouldn't be the same. Not since her mother died, and her father all but shut down and drowned himself in work. She wouldn't have wished the emptiness on her worst bully and yet her best friend Kaito had to go through it.
All of that amounted to what? What was the gain that he risked his life for? What was the betting pool?
Chikage-san reached out and held Aoko's hand. When Aoko glanced up she saw no hint of anger or offense like she had thought. "That is not my secret to tell, I'm afraid." Aoko's face scrunched up in distaste. "I haven't even told Kaito, but what I can say is . . . he did it to help."
This response left Aoko even more confused and agitated.
"So Kaito took up the mantle to- what? Lure out his father's killers?"
Chikage-san smiled at Aoko, her eyes gleaming in pride. Aoko felt her throat tighten and she squeezed Chikage-san's hand to ground herself.
"You can still choose to turn away, Aoko-chan. I've tried to convince him to step away- I've even enlisted the help of an old friend- but Kaito resolved to keep at it." She may have sighed in aggravation, but Aoko could see the pride behind her movements here, too. "I will admit, my son is every bit a talent as his father. . ." she paused and looked Aoko in the eyes, stressing her next words, ". . . and his mother."
It took several shaky breaths for Aoko to fully digest what was said and the meaning behind it. Obviously she couldn't leave Kaito. Not now, not ever but what could she offer? Intel? Doubtful. The only thing she knew for sure was "I want to help." She said firmly. "I want to help Kaito put these guys away."
Chikage-san clicked her tongue as if her answer was somehow lacking but she quickly smiled to hide it. "I was afraid you'd say that."
By the time Jii-san made it to the meeting, Chikage-san had composed a detailed training regime to make Aoko "Phantom Lady ready!"
Jii-san had also created his own regime for the explicit purpose of having Aoko replace him as Kaito's main assistant.
When the schedules were completed Aoko had left with two flash drives full of notes and exercises but not before asking why they chose to meet there- at The White Rabbit- instead of Jii-san's parlor.
Both Jii-san and Chikage-san exchanged conspiratorial glances.
"If you're going to become a thief's accomplice, you may as well start with breaking in to someplace you've always wanted to go."
Maybe it was the overload of all the information of that night but, it hadn't struck Aoko to ask how they even knew she had always wanted to go there until she was at school the next day.