DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters. I don't even own a car, or a motorcycle, or a moped. Heck, not even a skateboard… Sorry, just had to get that out into the open.

Hello!

How does everyone like the story so far? I hope you enjoy what's been going on in the story. If you do, or don't, for that matter, let me know. Oh, and thanks for sticking around and reading these past five chapters, it really means a lot to me. We're more than halfway done now! Let's keep it going!

Chapter Six

Day Six: Papa Don't Preach

'We said our goodbyes (on the night before),

Love was in your eyes'

--The Beatles, 'The Night Before'

"Where's Goemon!?" Lupin asked worriedly as he paced back and forth across the room and looked down at his watch continually.

"Now clue," Jigen answered from the couch as he removed his glasses and polished them, "Damn, these things can be such a pain in the ass!"

"It's ten already! He's usually up and ready by six! That's four hours, Jigen! He could be dying in a binjo ditch and we don't even know it, and we're sitting around doing nothing!"

"I doubt he'd allow himself to die in a sewage ditch, Lupin," Jigen replied. Yukiko came out and sat next to Jigen. She had not mentioned the night before since early last night, so it was as good as forgotten to everyone. No one wanted to mention the night before.

"Lupin, where's Goemon? Fujiko went out today, I know, but I can't find Goemon anywhere!" said Yukiko.

"That's just what your Uncle Jigen and I were talking about, Yuki," Lupin answered.

"Lupin thinks he's dead," Jigen added.

"Goemon's dead!?" Yukiko gasped.

"No!" Lupin yelped, "At least, I hope…. Jesus, look what you've done, Jigen!"

"Like I meant it?" Jigen asked with a shrug, "I'm sure Goemon is all right. It's not the first time he's run off like this, you know. What makes you so worried about this time? You're sounding like an old woman!"

"Hey, that's what you've been doing this whole time!" Lupin answered, "Jeeze…" he looked down at his watch and then took out a cigarette from his case and lit it, "He better get here soon…"

As he took a long drag of the cigarette, the door opened, and Goemon entered, humming to himself as he closed the door. Jigen and Lupin looked at one another, exchanging confused glances.

"Hi, Goemon!" Yukiko said happily.

"Hello, Yukiko! How are you doing?" Goemon replied in an equally cheery tone.

"Too much sake, buddy?" Jigen asked.

"Uh, Goemon, are you feeling all right?" asked Lupin, taking a step forward.

"Yes, why?" asked Goemon.

"No reason…." Lupin replied slowly, flicking off some of the ashes of his cigarette to the ground, "How's your knee from that fall in the parking lot yesterday?"

"Much, much better," Goemon answered from the kitchen. He walked back out with a cup of water in his hand.

"How'd your date with Amaya go, man?" Jigen inquired. Goemon took a sip of his drink, and smiled at Jigen.

"You didn't…." Lupin gasped in disbelief, "Oh my God! I can't believe that! You!? Hell, I am pathetic if you're getting more action than me!"

"I thought there was lots of action yesterday," said Yukiko innocently. All looked at one another, and Jigen cleared his throat and sat upward.

"There sure was, sweetheart!" Lupin said cheerily, patting Yukiko on the head, "Now why don't you go find something for breakfast, huh?"

"Okay," Yukiko said, and skipped into the kitchen.

Lupin turned to Goemon, "The least you could've done was call, you know!"

"Sorry, mother," Goemon replied.

"Why am I suddenly sounding like an old spinster!?" Lupin asked, "I don't get, it, I just don't get it!"

"I'm going to meditate," said Goemon spontaneously, "Again, my apologies. I'll be sure to call next time."

"Next time!?" Lupin gaped, "Is it the air, is it? Is it making everyone lose their minds! We were all fine before, but six days here and I find out Jigen's blind, Goemon's hooked up with some girl, and Fujiko is asking me if she'd be a good mother!"

"What!?" Jigen yelped.

"Yeah. Came up for the weirdest reason. I was just watching the Discovery channel and bam!" Lupin replied.

"I told you the country air does weird things to you…." Jigen murmured, lying back on the couch, "Damn! These things are all smudged up again!"

"Why don't you get contacts then!?" Lupin snapped.

"They don't make them for people with 20/200," Jigen responded.

"Twenty—" Lupin's jaw hung open for a few moments, "You're all trying to kill me…" he shook his head and walked into the kitchen to find himself a drink. Goemon quietly vanished into the back bedroom and closed the door behind him, leaving Yukiko and Jigen alone to themselves.

Yukiko looked over at Jigen, and saw his gun from under his jacket. Her eyes opened a little, and she spoke quietly, "How long have you had a gun?" she asked.

Jigen looked down at it and back at Yukiko, "My dad used to take me hunting when I was little, when I lived in America."

"You're American?" asked Yukiko, tilting her head to a side.

"Yeah," Jigen nodded, "Born and raised."

"But you're name isn't American," Yukiko replied.

"I changed it," said Jigen with a shrug, "Just decided it was time for a change."

"I could change my name, too?" inquired Yukiko.

"Sure, but I wouldn't. You have a nice name," Jigen replied with a smile.

"Do you think my daddy would let me go hunting with you sometime?" Yukiko inquired.

"You want to hunt!?" Jigen asked in surprise.

"I guess," Yukiko shrugged, "It'd be fun."

"Well, okay then…" Jigen muttered and rose. He picked up another gun from the table, few magazines, and a box of bullets, and exited the hotel with Yukiko, "Come on, kid, I'll show you how it works…"

Later:

"Okay, a little higher, okay, kid?" Jigen said, propping Yukiko's arms up a little. He had given the girl a pair of goggles to wear, as well as earplugs. He helped Yukiko fire the trigger, and an aluminum can flew off an old wooden fence from a nearby farm. "Hey, good eye! You'll be a pro at this in no time! Now my turn…" Jigen poised himself, and fired. Another can fell off of the fence and Jigen held his gun at his side.

"Hey, Yuki, take those out a minute," Jigen pointed to her ears, and Yukiko took out the earplugs. "I wanted to let you in on a secret."

"Yeah, what?" Yukiko asked.

"You know those three guys from yesterday?" Jigen started.

Yukiko looked downward, "Yes… Those ones you—"

"I didn't kill 'um," Jigen answered with a smirk, "I barely got out of there with my ass. They fired at me three times, and I dodged them. Tried to fire back, but I had run outta bullets. I just roughed um' up pretty good."

"You kicked their asses?" Yukiko said.

"Yeah," Jigen nodded, "Knocked the three of them out."

"So you didn't kill them?" Yukiko added hopefully.

"Nope…" Jigen shook his head. Yukiko reached upward and embraced him, and Jigen's face showed his shock. He rose and cleared his throat, "Okay, kid, put the earplugs back in. It's your turn to shoot."

"Okay!" Yukiko said happily and stuck her earplugs in her ears, and aimed for another can. She aimed, and shot into a tree. "Oh, missed that one… Your turn, Jigen."

"I'm such a liar…" Jigen muttered as he took aim to the can, and flashed back to the day before, when he had shot Kenji straight in the heart.

A Little Ways Away:

"Dammit! I can't believe him!" Lupin muttered as he and Goemon trudged through the forest.

"Are you sure what you saw was accurate, Lupin?" Goemon asked.

"Yeah," Lupin nodded, "Goemon, I swear to you. Jigen took two guns and the kid with him. I heard shots about fifteen minutes later." As they spoke, another shot was heard going off. "See!? He's teaching the kid how to fire a gun!"

"Jigen couldn't possibly be that thick," Goemon replied. They came into a clearing, and were grazed by a bullet. They looked forward, and saw Jigen and Yukiko, both with guns, "I retract the previous statement…"

"Jigen! What in God's green earth are you doing!?" Lupin yelped as he and Goemon trudged forward and stood next to Jigen, "You're teaching her how to fire off a gun!?"

"What? I thought it'd be a good idea if the kid knew how to defend herself," Jigen answered with a shrug as he reloaded his gun, "And the kid was curious as how to fire a gun, and I thought I might show her…."

"Dammit, no!" Lupin yelled, "Wait… Is that my gun!?"

"Yeah, and she fires it better than you do," Jigen replied as he took another shot.

"Want to see?!" Yukiko asked excitedly, pointing the gun upward towards Lupin and Goemon. Both Goemon and Lupin stood back, and watched as Yukiko pointed the gun and shot at a can. It flew off.

Lupin looked over at Jigen, and smirked. Two bullets had fired. He had shot it for the kid, "All right, then… Uh, you and Jigen have fun… Damn this is strange…" he muttered, but remembered his own firing lessons at this age. But a little girl!?

"What?" Yukiko took the earplugs out of her ears and looked upward at Lupin. The gun was again pointed upwards at the two, and Goemon put one hand on his sword.

"Why don't you start back home, Yukiko? I'll catch up," Jigen responded.

"Okay," Yukiko skipped away, still carrying the gun.

"You're teaching a seven year old to shoot!? Are you out of your gourd!?" Lupin screamed as he saw Yukiko was out of sight.

"She has pretty good aim though, huh?" Jigen replied.

"Come on!" Lupin rolled his eyes, "I saw you shoot it for her!"

"I wasn't shooting at her. There's a fox back there… Well, there was," Jigen replied as he shot the four remaining cans off of the post and stuck his gun in his holster, "See you guys back at the hotel."

"She… She shot that herself?" Goemon muttered in mild surprise.

"It doesn't surprise me," Lupin replied, shaking his head, "Come on, let's get going. We have planning to do. That German map's probably outdated as hell, and I'll have to find a modern map to superimpose it to. Damn, you don't want to know how long that's going to take!"

"Amaya lived in Germany for several years. She could help us," Goemon replied as Lupin began to walk away.

"That's okay," Lupin turned back to Goemon, "We're fine…"

"She… She's actually already agreed to help," Goemon replied coyly.

"What!?" Lupin jumped forward and grabbed Goemon by the collar of his gi, "You told her!? Dammit, you can't trust women like that!"

Goemon slapped Lupin away and looked down at him, "Fujiko has double-crossed us more times than Zenigata has failed to capture you. And yet you agree to let her join, every time. What makes this so different?"

"Because she isn't Fujiko!" Lupin snapped in response, "We don't know anything about this woman! You met her at a zoo, for Christ's sakes!"

"You are as difficult as a storm at sea…" Goemon muttered as he exited. Lupin picked up one of the stray cans and threw it in Goemon's direction, but missed out of rage. He sat down on the fence and began to add everything up.

"It's like everyone decided to go through their midlife crisis at once!" Lupin muttered to himself, "I can see why so many other thieves are freelance…. Damn, sometimes I wish I'd never let that kid into the apartment! But I know it's not her… This has been coming a long time… She was just a match to gasoline…. She made everyone realize they're getting old…" Lupin hopped down off of the fence and began to walk to the hotel, kicking one of the cans along the way, "Dammit, Dad, how'd you manage all of this? Did you ever even go through this? Did you ever love people enough to know any of this?"

The Hotel:

Goemon sat silently in a corner with Amaya while both watched Jigen receive hell from Fujiko for allowing Yukiko to fire a rifle. Jigen was sitting back, his hat drawn over his eyes and a cigarette in his mouth. Yukiko was in Fujiko's room, watching television.

"Is it always like this?" Amaya asked as she took a sip of her tea. Her arrival had been a complete surprise to Goemon, and to Fujiko and Jigen as well. But neither were very concerned with this now; Jigen was using too much energy to ignore Fujiko.

"No, it's usually stressful," Goemon replied as he looked over at them, "I've never seen a woman with such ire in my entire life…"

"You ought to enjoy meeting my family then…" Amaya said in dry sarcasm, "Did you tell Lupin I was going to help you yet?"

"Yes," Goemon nodded.

"How did he take it?" Amaya asked.

"Better than I expected. I didn't have to subdue him in order to save my own life," Goemon replied.

"They fight like an old married couple. Are they a couple?" Amaya inquired.

"No. She likes Lupin but is too shallow to admit it, and he…. I don't even think he takes an interest to women sometimes…" Goemon replied.

"I can hear you back there! I'm blind, not deaf!" Jigen snapped.

"Oh, so you can hear!" Fujiko snapped, "Then I guess you can tell my what you were thinking!"

"Well, I can tell you right now I'm thinking of getting a drink," Jigen replied.

"I give up!" Fujiko threw her hands up, "I can see why no one likes you, now! You only hear what you want to hear! You're damned near impossible!"

"Hey, you have no right to criticize my love life," Jigen snapped, "Maybe I don't go into many relationships because I'm afraid I'll wind up with a yappy little bitch."

"You did not just say that to my face…." Fujiko hissed.

Jigen looked upward, and smiled, "No, that time I was looking away. Now I'm calling you a yappy little bitch to your face…"

"This could be a reality TV show," Amaya said.

"Hum… Yes… Except there aren't people to intervene if we try to kill one another…." Goemon replied, "But that adds to the amusement sometimes…. I'm actually starting to think one is going to kill the other. Did you bring anything to defend yourself with?"

Amaya pointed downward to her sword that Goemon had advised her to bring if she ever visited. Goemon nodded, and turned back to the two. Fujiko had given up on yelling, and was now in the kitchen, but could be heard banging pots around. Jigen was reclined on the couch again, and Amaya and Goemon could hear light snoring from the couch.

Lupin opened the door and entered the hotel, and looked around at his surroundings. He didn't want to know why Amaya was there, why there was a loud banging noise from the kitchen, or where Yukiko was. He felt a mixture of late-coming jet lag and exhaustion. He sat down on the couch, and heard a disgruntled moan. He looked downward and saw he was sitting on Jigen's legs, and moved over promptly.

"Hey, man, stay clear of Fujiko. Trust me on this one," Jigen said, "She's really pissed right now."

"Goemon, I must talk to you as well. But I can only hope things do not turn out like they did with Jigen and Fujiko," said Amaya, "Understand that I do care for you."

"What's wrong?" Goemon asked.

"I had another motive, but I never intended to use you as a pawn. I'm still not using you, believe me. I have strong affections for you," Amaya added, "I must have Lupin present for this."

"All right," Goemon nodded and, although he did not show it, felt a sickening sense rise in him. He rose, and called Lupin over. Jigen lifted his hat up and peeked over the couch as he watched Lupin sit down in between Goemon and Amaya.

"All right, Miss Amaya, you have my permission to marry him," Lupin said with a smile.

"It's not that, I'm afraid," Amaya said with a small smirk, "I want to join your band of cohorts, Mister Lupin. I have my reasons."

"Really? What makes you so eager to join?" Lupin asked, leaning inward.

"Inspector Zenigata," Amaya closed her eyes.

"What? Do you have a thing for the guy?" Lupin asked, "Hey, Goemon, I think you have a run for your money!"

"It's not that," Amaya shook her head, "I understand he follows you around everywhere…."

"Yeah. He's like a bad rash…" Lupin muttered.

"Well, I'm hoping, that if he catches up to us, that I can finally settle some personal matters with him," Amaya replied, "I haven't seen my father since I was a little girl."

"What!?" Lupin, Goemon, and Jigen shrieked in unison.

"Pops is your… Pop?" Lupin trailed off in disbelief. He turned to Goemon, who had a look of unbelievable shock of his face, "You might be Zenigata's son-in-law!? Holy crap!"

"I've followed you around for some time, Mister Lupin. I saw your car at the zoo, so I decided to go. I then, by accident alone, met Goemon and his friend. Even more unplanned was falling in love with Goemon. But some things can never be planned, I suppose…."

"Zenigata's going to have your ass!" Lupin yelped. Goemon nodded in response.

"I hardly doubt it," Amaya said in bitterness, "The daughter in Zenigata's mind is a three-year-old who went by her first name, Toshiko. I now go by my mother's maiden last name, Amaya. I haven't gone by Toshiko Zenigata in almost four years. Goemon, I am very sorry I didn't tell you this sooner."

Goemon paused, and then looked upward at Amaya, "I do not understand everything, but I will try. I do not hold your refraining telling me Zenigata was your father."

"That's my problem, though. He hasn't been my father for many years. I want him to be, or at least try to," Amaya said, looking downward at the table.

"Amaya, don't worry," said Lupin confidently, "We'll give you your reunion… I seem to be doing a hell of a lot of those lately, though…"

"You really mean it?" Amaya asked hopefully.

"Anything for a pretty lady," Lupin said with a wide smile, placing a hand on top of one of Amaya's slender white hands. Goemon glared at Lupin, and began to reach for his sword. Lupin quickly drew back, and smiled innocently.

"Well, I can't see Zenigata's persistence being a bad quality, as long as you don't have his obsessive nature," Goemon said with a smile.

"Well, at least I know for sure he's not gay now, and he didn't have some sort of sexual obsession with me. Seriously, the whole idea of this guy dreaming about me kind of gave me the creeps sometimes…" Lupin said with a shudder of disgust. Amaya, Goemon, and Jigen gave Lupin a universal look of confusion, and Lupin looked around, "Well, come on! You guys never thought about it!? That guy has a thing for bondage!"

"Listen, just don't give me anymore visuals today. I want to have a semi-peaceful sleep tonight, without any nightmares," Jigen said.

"Hey, how long have you been eavesdropping!?" Lupin snapped. Jigen dropped his head back down and lied out on the couch.

"This is so creepy…" said Lupin, "But you have no idea how happy I am that you don't look anything like Pops. Let's just hope it doesn't skip a generation and you two end up having a little mini Zenigata."

"Now that would be creepy!" Jigen laughed.

"Will you go to sleep already!?" Lupin snapped, "Aren't people your age supposed to sleep more!?"

"You don't know how the hell old I am…" Jigen muttered.

"You're at least forty," Lupin said nonchalantly.

"Forty!?" Jigen snapped irately, rising once more.

"How old are you, then?" Lupin asked.

"Thirty-eight!" Jigen answered, "And don't you forget it!"

"Don't worry, I won't… Now get some sleep now, Grandpa," Lupin said with a laugh.

"Burn in hell, Lupin. I hope Zenigata does have a thing for you!" Jigen answered, "So when he does get you in those handcuffs, he—"

"You really want to team up with us, Amaya?" asked Goemon as he watched a fight between Lupin and Jigen now begin to brew.

"Yes," Amaya nodded, "It can't be worse than living in the downtown part of Tokyo."

"Why do I have the feeling you'll be eating your own words come a few months later?" Goemon asked himself.

Yukiko exited the bedroom, followed by a now more calm Fujiko. Lupin turned to Fujiko, and smiled, "Hey, Fujicakes! Thought you'd never make it! I'd like you to meet Toshiko Amaya Zenigata, Pops' daughter, Goemon's girlfriend, our new partner in crime!"

"Repeat that…" Fujiko said in disbelief.

"Yeah, Pops is actually straight as an arrow! Hard to believe, huh!? Even harder to believe someone that good-looking can come out of the Zenigata gene pool!" Lupin laughed, sitting back and resting on his elbows.

"Uh… Nice to meet you…" Fujiko said, shaking Amaya's hand.

"Hey, now you won't have to complain about Goemon being the closest thing to another girl in the group, Fujiko!" Lupin added.

"Did you really say that?" Goemon asked, looking upward at Fujiko suspiciously.

"Nice to meet you, Amaya! I remember you! Do you remember me?" Yukiko asked with a happy smile.

"I sure do, Yukiko. It's nice to see you again, and I hope we will get to be good friends," Amaya said happily.

"I don't know… Lupin promised that in five days he'll find my daddy," Yukiko answered happily.

"Oh," Amaya looked downward briefly, "I hope you and your father have a very close relationship together."

"Thank you," Yukiko said, "I'm going to go watch Spongebob now, okay? Bye!" Yukiko waved good-bye as she ran back into Fujiko's room.

"Arsene Lupin, the saint of thieves…." Goemon muttered in amusement.

"Hey, you're the last one who ought to be throwing jokes at someone else!" Lupin answered, "You're dating a Zenigata, I have enough jokes at your expense to fill three volumes! No offense, Amaya."

"None taken," Amaya answered. They're all mad, she thought to herself. But she also felt she somehow belonged in this pool of madness, she added as an afterthought.