Mobbing Up the Past

The Golden Ostrich

* * *

At long last, they pulled into the parking lot of their hotel. After forty-five minutes of a hellish joyride, they finally managed to evade their attackers and made cautiously made their way back.

"All right, just what the hell is going on?" Jigen asked as Lupin closed their door. "You know something about this, right Mui?"

She nodded and collapsed wearily onto the couch, pulling off her hat. "Yeah."

"Well perhaps it would be good if you'd tell us," said Goemon.

She closed her eyes and paused. "After you left home," she began, "word had it around the neighborhood that you had gotten involved with the mob. Mom and I refused to believe it until three of them showed up at our door about two weeks after you disappeared. We had no idea where you'd gone off to and told them that, but I guess they thought we were trying to protect you by not saying."

She paused again and took a deep breath. "They killed mom on the spot and I got away with a wounded shoulder. I was careful to vanish for several years, should they ever reappear.

"It seemed that they had either given up or already found you (I wasn't really sure which), but then I stumbled across the same three who had come to our house. After a quick exercise in my eavesdropping skills, I discovered that they still hadn't found you, but they had caught word that you were working with the notorious Lupin the Third. I've been trailing them ever since, in hopes of finding you before they did."

"Son of a bitch," said Jigen, staring down at the ground. "Son of a freakin' bitch. They just killed her? I should've known better than to leave. Oh god, I'm sorry Mui...I know that doesn't really do much good at this point..."

"So what now? Skip town?" asked Fujiko.

"That's what I tried seven years ago...didn't do anyone any good apparently."

"It seems that perhaps you should end this here, and as quickly as possible," said Goemon.

"Yeah, we're with you buddy, so don't worry about facing these guys alone," Lupin said.

"Thanks, I'm gonna need all the help I can get."

* * *

Miyuki stood out on the veranda, staring at the deep night sky. To the east she could see a tiny glimmer of pale light...dawn would be breaking soon.

"Jigen never meant you any harm, you know."

Miyuki jumped and spun in surprise at the voice...she had thought herself to be alone.

"He thought he was protecting you and your mother by leaving," Goemon continued, walking over to her.

"I know...I don't blame him for what happened," she said, leaning on the railing. "I just don't want to lose him too...he's all the family I have left."

"What about your father?"

"Who knows? I never met him."

"Sorry to bring it up."

"No matter."

They stood in silence for several minutes before Miyuki finally said, "So why did you really drag me away from there tonight?"

"What do you mean?"

"I only said his name after you grabbed me, not while I was running."

"Just a technicality. And I had no intentions of leaving anyone to be murdered due to what seemed to be a case of our carelessness."

"I see."

"That and...well, you're very beautiful," he said.

Miyuki blushed softly in the moonlight. "Thank you," she said, keeping her gaze towards the ground.

"Hey Mui," said Fujiko, stepping out onto the veranda. "We're going to share a bedroom, okay? You won't have to worry about any of the guys then."

Miyuki nodded. "Thanks."

"No problem," she said, eyeing Goemon suspiciously. He raised his eyebrows at her, causing her to shrug and walk back inside.

* * *

"You know, Goemon's out there with your sister," said Fujiko as she entered the living room.

"Uh-huh," replied Jigen, his thoughts obviously elsewhere.

"Doesn't anyone find that slightly odd?"

"So he's taken up an interest in a girl at last...good for him," said Lupin nonchalantly.

"Yeah, but Jigen's sister?" Fujiko said incredulously. "I mean, she's a pretty girl, but this is just too damn weird. I didn't think Goemon was capable of being attracted to a woman."

"Could we discuss Goemon's love life later please? We've got a nasty situation on our hands here," snapped Jigen.

"Excuse me," said Fujiko haughtily.

"I have an idea, but I'm not sure if it's a good one," said Lupin.

"Well let's hear it anyway."

"We're going to need Pop's help..."

"Oh God..."

* * *

Author's Note: still overly dramatic...oh well...I'm tired of rewriting it. Please review!