DISCLAIMER: I do not own Lupin the Third—But Ari's an original J.L.D. character…
Hi,
I really like this chapter title, I mean, really like it… I haven't liked a title this much since Bohemian Rhapsody… It's from a song by Elton John. If you've ever heard it, you know the significance of it… It just started playing on the radio when I was writing this, as a matter of fact….. Thanks again for the reviews, everyone, and happy New Year. Hope everyone had a good holiday… I'm thinking up ideas of the next story as we speak, guys, but I still need help with a title…. Personally, I've never been great with titles…. At the rate I'm going, the kids will probably be teens by the time I end this story! Let's face it—Toshiro's two years away from being a teenager, and Ari and Fuji have got to be pushing three by now. I'm not real great with ages, either. I'm surprised I can even remember my own without the help of a calendar… Math is boggling… Well, enjoy the new chapter, guys! See ya around!
Chapter Thirty Seven
The Next Morning: Honky Cat
'One day you'll look
to see I've gone,
But tomorrow may rain,
so I'll follow the son'
--The Beatles, 'I'll Follow the Sun'
Toshiro opened the screen door of his father's training area, and peaked in. Goemon was there, meditating quietly. Toshiro sighed heavily, and stepped into the wooden-floored training area, being sure to remove his shoes before he entered. He seated himself across from Goemon, and bowed downward to him before speaking.
"You're mad at me, aren't you?" Toshiro said in a low voice as he rose from the floor and then rested on his knees, "I can't blame you. I'm happy here, really—But Julia needs protection. Protection from that Cabe jerk. Plus, I like it here… People don't think it's weird that I wear a dress." Goemon glanced upward at him sharply, "I know it's a gi, but kids think I'm Yukiko's sister."
Goemon remained quiet a few moments before speaking, "There once was a samurai… Way back, in the days of ancient Japan, in the days of Lords… He protected those he cared for, and stole from the greedy warlords. He gave the money he stole and justly gave it to the Japanese peasants."
"What happened to him?" Toshiro asked in a whisper.
"He was taken captive and killed," Goemon added regretfully, "But he died with great honor, and his legacy still lives on today. I think you can figure out what happened to his family…"
"They went on, and kept his name alive through the generations…"
"Yes. Through grandfather, through me, through you… He doesn't seem like it, but at one point, your grandfather was a great fighter. He helped out the needy in Vietnam, you know. He also came back from Vietnam nutty as a fruitcake. He never said why…"
"So, I can spend three months in New York?" Toshiro asked excitedly. Goemon nodded in response, and Toshiro ran towards him, and embraced him with such a force that Goemon nearly fell over, "Arigato, Papa…" Toshiro whispered.
Later, the Living Room:
"YOU TOLD HIM HE COULD DO WHAT!?" Goemon's mother shouted through the telephone receiver.
"Mother, I—" Goemon started.
"DON'T you say a WORD! Now, you listen to me, Goemon Ishikawa, you're going to stop this and--"
There was suddenly a shot, and the telephone went dead. Goemon looked down at the slain telephone unit; a bullet lodged in it. He turned to Jigen, who had been lying on the living room couch, and hung up the phone, "I suppose it's a mercy killing…."
"If you want to look at it that way. Your mom's yelling was just disturbing my nap," Jigen responded, laying his hat over his eyes and relaxing on the couch, "So, you're letting the kid outta your sight for a few months, eh? You think that's a really wise thing to do?"
"Sure. Why wouldn't it be?" Goemon inquired.
"I guess you're right… I mean, I grew up in New York, and I turned out okay," Jigen shrugged.
Goemon paused, "Perhaps I should reconsider…"
"Nah, the kid'll be okay!" Jigen laughed, "Don't worry about it! You see, you should just take a hint from me—Just relax and go with it…"
Suddenly, there was the sound of a child crying, and Jigen jumped to attention, "Ryo!" he yelled, and tumbled off of the couch, "I'm coming!" he called, and was gone from the living room in mere seconds.
"I know they have a word for a person like him—I just don't think they've invented it, yet…" Goemon muttered to himself as he looked downward at the deceased phone. He seated himself on the couch, and closed his eyes. He had an acupuncture appointment at twelve, he remembered. Hopefully no one would try to kill him during the course of it. He then heard the sound of feet shuffling behind him, and put a thumb to the handle of his blade.
"Relax, it's just me," Amaya sighed, and walked around to the front of the couch and seated herself closely next to Goemon, "You're upset. I can understand why… It's nothing you did, though. It's nothing I did, either."
"He's so much like me…" Goemon whispered.
"That's why you're frightened?"
"Hm…"
"Don't worry, Goemon. I hate to say this, but you should take a hint from Jigen…" said Amaya with a smirk.
Jigen burst through the playroom door, holding Ryo in one hand and balancing a telephone between his shoulder and chin, "Yeah, I think it's a fever, Doc. It's 98.7 F. What. That's normal? Are you sure—It seems kinda high… Well, okay… But if she's sick I'm going to come to your house, rip you out of bed, and shoot off your kneecaps!" Jigen hung up the phone, and Ryo began to wail again, "Shh, shh…. C'mon. C'mon, Ryo…"
"Uh… Do you think you can schedule the acupuncture appointment for two?" Amaya asked Goemon.
"Certainly," Goemon replied, and left to make an appointment for two. Jigen was still trying stop Ryo's crying, and he sat down on the couch.
"May I see her?" asked Amaya, holding her arms out.
"Sure, sure… Just try to stop her crying…" Jigen said as he handed Ryo off to Amaya.
"That hair of hers is going to give her trouble," Amaya laughed as she ran her fingers through Ryo's thick black hair.
"Nothing pomade can't fix," Jigen replied, "If not, Maria cuts hair like a pro. She's a hairstylist…. Runs a barbershop in Philly."
"You're going to commute from Chicago to Philadelphia?" Amaya smirked.
"So you heard, eh? My family basically owns Cicero, so I had no problem finding a place."
"Yuki won't fit in with the Italian princesses. She's a tomboy. I haven't seen her in a dress for months," Amaya warned as she cradled Ryo. The baby's crying had lowered, and she was gurgling out nonsense, "Plus, she's not even full-blood—"
"My family is equal opportunity," Jigen answered, "And if anyone says anything to her, I'll shoot them."
"You can't protect her from everything… She's going to get in trouble, and she's going to get hurt."
"Yeah, but I can try my best," Jigen answered, "I'll go lay Ryo down again…" Amaya nodded, and passed her off to her father. Ryo's eyes opened slightly, and she began to cry again as she saw who was holding her, "She hates me. She knows it's my fault her hair is screwed up. My kid hates me and she's going to have screwed up hair. Friggin' terrific… Daddy's sorry you have screwed up hair, but at least you didn't get his nose!" Jigen yelled to Ryo over her crying.
Amaya laughed, and decided to go on the computer for a little while. She seated herself at her computer on the coffee table of the living room, and began to go through files, "Humm… I haven't cracked into the stock market in a while, and I have been abusing my rainy-day fund lately…" she noted, opening up a folder and watching the figures across the screen, "Oh, not good… I better sell those shares… Yes, and I'll buy you, and you, and—Lord I love my job…"
Across Town, a Regional Hospital:
"You must be the father!" said a nurse cheerily to Zenigata, who sat waiting in a sterile waiting room. Around him sat expectant couples, some already with young children. Young and very annoying children, "Zenigata, right?"
"Uh… Yes…" Zenigata responded, setting down his magazine and rising.
"Well, if you'll come this way," said the nurse.
"I've been visiting hospitals more and more often as the years go by… I guess that's what happens when you get older," Zenigata muttered.
"Your daughter is right in here, Sir," said the nurse, stopping by a tan-colored door.
"I'm having a girl?" asked Zenigata in awe.
"Uh…. The blonde woman—"
"You mean my wife?"
"Oh," the nurse blinked a few times in surprise, "I—I thought…"
"You should work on your thinking…" Zenigata said through gritted teeth as he entered the room. He slammed the door behind himself and looked stormily at Natasha.
"What happened to you? Some kid puke on your shoes?" Natasha asked with one raised eyebrow.
"Do I look like I could be your father?"
"As disturbing as that question is, no… I don't look anything like a Japanese person. I barely pass for Middle-Eastern," Natasha replied, "Did she think?…."
"You bet," Zenigata answered darkly, "I'd expect that sort of thing to happen to that bearded-bozo, but not me!"
"Well, I'm sorry I've kept up my looks," Natasha laughed and hopped off the table, "We can go after we pay, then you won't have to deal with them anymore, okay? I'll buy us some cheeseburgers…"
"Those aren't exactly kosher…"
"I don't care. I want a cheeseburger, dammit," Natasha replied as she picked up her purse.
"Hey. Girl or boy?" Zenigata inquired.
"You want to know?" Natasha pulled out an ultrasound from her purse, "Take a look."
Zenigata took the ultrasound, and "It looks like a…. A…. What the hell am I looking at?"
"Well, you have it upside down, first of all," Natasha chuckled, "But, if you look this way, you'll see that this is a picture of Lupin and Amaya's little brother."
"A boy? Never raised a boy…"
"Maybe he'll be just like his big brother Lupin," Natasha laughed.
"Like HELL I'll let OUR CHILD end up like that no-good WEASEL you insist on calling MY SON!!" Zenigata screamed. All in the waiting room stopped, and stared at the two.
"Tee hee… Come on, Koichi…" Natasha gripped onto his arm tightly, paid, and quickly exited the hospital, "I can't believe you sometimes…" Natasha hissed as she got into her car along with Zenigata.
Back at the House, Later That Night:
Julia was waiting on her Vespa while Amaya made sure Toshiro had everything in his backpack. His three birds had been taken to Julia's home earlier that day, and were now eagerly awaiting his return.
"Have fun, okay?" Amaya whispered to him as she embraced him.
"I will, Mom," Toshiro answered. Amaya smiled at being called this name, and let go of her tight hold.
"I'll miss you too, okay?" Yukiko said as she embraced him, "Here," she stood back, and removed a chain she wore from around her neck, "Here. It's so you have to come back, so you can give this to me," she offered him the necklace with her mother's ring on it. Lupin shuddered inwardly; it was the ring with the alchemy formula. He decided to let it go rather than make a scene, however. He would make a scene later, by himself.
"Are you sure you want me to have this?" Toshiro wondered out loud.
"Sure," Yukiko shrugged, "Why not?"
"Well, in that case, you can hold onto this for me," he removed his dagger from his gi, and passed it to her, "I wouldn't recommend cutting your hair with it again."
"Don't worry—It's almost grown back! And I have no intention of cutting it that short again!" Yukiko answered, "I'll just stay clear of your dad's blade, from now on! And if we start dating, you'll have to stay clear of my dad's gun!"
"Dating?" Goemon and Jigen choked in response. Each looked at one another in with a sense of dread.
"American blood… In my family…" Goemon said to himself.
"That hick… Related to me…" Jigen said to himself.
"If it's one thing I'll avoid, it's your driving," Toshiro answered, "I'll see you later, Yukiko!"
"Toshiro, wait," Goemon stepped forward, and leaned downward to Toshiro, "I wanted to give you something as well. This is a dangerous city you'll be staying in, you know… I had this made back in Japan, and I was going to give it to you when you turned thirteen. But you're old enough, I think." He revealed a wooden sheath from behind him, and passed it to Toshiro.
Toshiro was speechless as he pulled out the simple sword from its sheath, and read the saying carved in Japanese on the blade out loud with a tone of confusion in his voice, "Never forget where you came from, love… Your brother?"
"We'll fix it when you get back," Goemon coughed uncomfortably.
"Thank you," Toshiro embraced his obviously surprised father, and then climbed onto the back of the Vespa.
"You ready, kid?" Julia asked as she looked back him once.
"Not really, but, let's go," Toshiro answered. Julia smiled, started the vehicle, and tore down the pavement of the house.
"Bye, Toshiro! Good luck! Make your Uncle Lupin proud and steal something good!" Lupin shouted.
"Don't give him any ideas," Goemon growled, whacking Lupin on the back of the head with Zantetsu's sheath.
"Bye, Toshiro! I won't get married or anything while you're gone!" Yukiko shouted out to her friend.
"Married!?" a shocked Jigen repeated, "What the hell did you two do, exactly?"
"Get a grip, Dad," Yukiko laughed, and nudged him.
Later that Night, on an Airplane:
"Are you crying?" Amaya asked sympathetically as she sat next to Goemon on the airliner.
"No," Goemon answered as he looked downward at the ever vanishing New York skyline, "I don't cry easily…"
"It's only a little while… Like sending a child off to summer camp. He'll be fine! He has my e-mail address, and a laptop! I'll teach you how to use a computer when we get home—You'll be able to talk to him whenever you want, without the long-distance charges!"
"I felt like we were only getting to know one another," Goemon said after a long pause.
"Come on, he'll be all right! You're going to have to let go sometime, Goemon-chan," Amaya said, peering over Goemon and looking at the skyline.
"Good luck, Toshiro," Goemon said to himself.
"I don't think I've ever seen him so depressed!" Ming whispered sadly to Jigen.
"Aw, he gets like that. Lupin can get weepy, too," Jigen answered.
"And you don't?" Ming asked.
"No!" Jigen answered with a laugh, "I'm not one for the whole 'crying' thing…"
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, if you get your headsets out, the in-flight movie today will be showing The Road to Perdition," said the static voice over the intercom.
Jigen paled, "I—I've got to use the bathroom… I'll be right back…." He stuttered, and made his way down the aisle to the bathroom.
Later that Night, Julia's Hotel:
"Are you sure this is where she is, Cabe?" one of the two lackeys Julia's ex-agent had brought along in order to assist with breaking her legs.
"Positive. It's trashy enough to fit the bitch," Cabe answered as he took out a copy of a key he had made. He opened the door, and walked into the darkened room. There was a blue light coming from a opened window, and a moving figure could be seen sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room. The figure looked to be holding a pole in one hand, as well.
"That her?" the other lackey whispered.
"Nah… Too damn short…" Cabe answered.
"Who is that, then?" asked one lackey.
"I dunno, but I'm gonna find out pretty damn quick," Cabe raised his baseball bat over the cross-legged figure, and went to swing. There was a flash of metallic light, and the bat fell down in two pieces.
The figure rose, and could not be over four feet, "I've been expecting you, gentlemen…" said the sword-wielding boy in the Japanese gi.
"It's that friggin' kid!" Cabe yelped.
"Let's get outta here…" said one lackey as he took a step back towards the door. The other nodded, and began to back out as well.
"I ain't afraid of no little brat with a blade!" Cabe snapped, and swung at Toshiro with the half of the bat he still held onto. Toshiro ducked, and kicked out Cabe's legs from beneath him. Cabe fell to the ground, and the two lackeys exited, leaving Cabe to deal with the young devil.
Toshiro pushed the sharp tip of his blade against Cabe's thin neck, and spoke to him in a deep hiss of a voice, "Leave. Never come back. Or I'll kill you next time…" Cabe rose from the floor, and ran out quickly. Toshiro sheathed his sword, and sat back down on the ground.
Julia came out moments later, still shaken, "He'll be back…"
"Don't worry—This blade doesn't get dull. If he has the time, so do I," Toshiro answered. He rose and walked towards Julia, "I hope he doesn't come back for a while, though…"
"Okay, kiddo, I'll get you some ice cream, okay? I like ice cream when my nerves are rattled," Julia said nervously with a smirk as she walked into the kitchen.
"I didn't mean to scare you," Toshiro said in true sympathy.
"It's all right. I've seen scarier," Julia laughed, "Hey, do you think you could teach me how to use one of those?"
"Use what?"
"A sword."
"I'm not that good…"
"They say helping someone learn a trade helps you to know that trade better," Julia added as she removed two cheap plastic bowls from a cabinet. She took out a gallon of ice cream from the small freezer, and began to scoop the ice cream out with a spoon, "Goemon told me to make sure you keep up on your studying while you're here. It's not a vacation, he said."
"He would say that," Toshiro laughed.
"Yeah, he's not much for personality, but he sure is cute," Julia said with a smile, "Lupin's a piece of work, too. And the hat guy isn't bad, either. Smells like gin, though. I can really see what Fujiko, Amaya, and Ming saw in them… That police officer and the Jewish girl—Wow… That's a weird pair. I like them, though. And his daughter doesn't look like him! But you look just like your dad. I wonder what your mom looked like."
"You and me both," Toshiro muttered as he took his bowl of ice cream.
Early the Next Morning, the French Hideout:
"Jigen, are you sure you're all right?" Lupin asked as he turned to the depressed-looking gunman.
"It's a new medication I'm on, okay!?" Jigen snapped irritably.
"Estrogen?" Lupin asked.
Jigen growled and reached across the car, and grabbed Lupin by the collar of his shirt. He let go of Lupin after a few moments frustration, however, and continued looking out the window. The two had gone off on what Lupin had called a 'special mission', and had kept it a secret from the irritable gunman.
"If it were a normal person, I'd be saying 'it's okay to cry'. But the thought of seeing you cry is just scary…" Lupin said, "You're not normal…"
"Where are we going?" Jigen asked.
"You'll see…" Lupin answered. They continued driving, until the car came to a complete stop in a large well-shaded parking lot.
"A hospital? What are we doing here?" Jigen wondered out loud.
"You have an appointment in half an hour," Lupin answered as he got out of his car and looked upward at the tall structure, "And if you don't come, I'm going to shoot you, so you'll have to go to the hospital," Lupin warned him. Jigen, knowing Lupin to be good on his word, exited the car, and begrudgingly trudged into the hospital.
"I hate hospitals," Jigen grumbled, "I don't need to go… I need to get back to work…"
"You're going blind from a cataract," Lupin said sternly. Jigen stopped dead, and looked over at Lupin questioningly, "You can't hide anything from your best friend, Jigen. You know I'll find out one way or another. I'm doing this because you're a valuable asset to the team."
"That and the fact you care," Jigen smirked wryly. The two friends shared a few moments of silence, and Jigen began to walk towards the optical surgery unit of the hospital, "I'll play, Lupin."
"Good. I'm glad I didn't have to waste the bullet to shoot you," Lupin said with a laugh. The duo walked up to receptionist's desk, and a nurse led Jigen to the operating room. It was a simple procedure—Ten minutes, at the most, he had been reassured. Lupin was allowed to go in with Jigen and the doctor. The doctor exited the room to retrieve a file, leaving the two alone.
"It's okay if you're afraid, Jigen," Lupin said as he looked over at his obviously unnerved friend, "This is worse than anything you've faced before, really, because you can't see it coming…"
"I don't want to go blind, Lupin," Jigen said quietly.
"Then I'll make sure you won't," Lupin answered, "You're too valuable an asset—And too valuable a friend… But if you tell anyone that, I'll shoot you."
"Uh… Thanks… Yeah… If everyone starts thinking we're going soft—They'll walk all over us!"
"Our wives and kids already walk all over us…" Lupin sighed.
"Yours might—Not mine," Jigen said with a smirk.
"Oh, yeah friggin' right. Anyone who sees you with your family knows that you're a pushover—Especially with Ming!"
"Hey, I can put my foot down when needed!"
"Oh, can we please keep the puppy, Honey?" Lupin said in a sweet tone, "Can I please have a little brother, Daddy?"
"Shut the hell up…."
"I hope for your sake you finally get a boy," Lupin said with a smug smirk, "But, hey, no one can say you're not a ladies' man, huh?"
"I wish that friggin' doctor would come back already…" Jigen grumbled, "You're a doormat, too, ya know. I can only hope Fujiko talks you into a vasectomy!"
"Don't even joke about that!!" Lupin shrieked in horror.
Jigen laughed, "Glad to see we're even now…" The door of the room opened, and the doctor walked back in. He carried with him a thick folder; Jigen's medical record. All of the members of the group had thick medical files. At one point, Goemon had had the lengthiest one, but that was years ago. Now all were about even.
"Okay, Mr. Jigen… If you'll turn this way…" said the doctor as he seated himself across from Jigen.
Back at the House:
Fujiko found Yukiko sitting by the lake behind the house, on a boulder under a tree. Yukiko was quietly studying her English lessons, and looked up at Fujiko as the female thief approached her, "Hey, what's up?"
"Nothing," Yukiko replied as she looked back down at her book.
"Amaya, Ming, and I found an interesting little job in this museum called the Louvre… We need a kid to help us, though…. What do you say—Girl's heist out?" Fujiko asked hopefully.
Yukiko looked up happily, "You mean it?"
"Yeah," Fujiko nodded, "It'll get your mind off of him for a little while. It must be nice to still be at that age where you don't think all men are scum…"
"When do I start thinking that?" Yukiko asked.
"How old are you know? Ten, eleven? At any rate, give it three months," Fujiko answered as she led Yukiko into the house.
"I won't think my dad's scum, will I?" asked Yukiko.
"That's at least not for two more years," Fujiko answered as she walked into the kitchen, where she found Ming and Amaya going over a three-dimensional map of the Louvre that Amaya had constructed on the plane, "How's it looking, girls?"
"All's a go, captain," Ming answered with a salute.
"A gun woman, the ringleader, and a samurai… Yeah, this all looks pretty familiar…" Yukiko said to herself.
"We're going out!" Ming called to Goemon, "Have fun with the kids!"
Goemon snapped to attention, "Me? Alone with the children?" He quickly rose from the floor, and stumbled out to the group, "Where are Zenigata and Natasha?"
"Picking out baby furniture," Fujiko answered, "I never thought I'd see Pops so happy!"
"What about Lupin and Jigen?" Goemon asked with a little less hope in his voice.
"Out on some errand…" Ming replied.
"Left you behind, huh?" Yukiko sighed sympathetically.
"They've been doing that an awful lot lately," Goemon muttered, "What about you, Yuki?"
"I'm helping them out," Yukiko answered.
"You'll be fine, Goemon!" Amaya said, "Martha's here if anything goes wrong… You can send the dog out for help if anything happens."
"I—All right," Goemon nodded, and looked back at the playpen with the four young children. From the toddlers Fuji and Ari to the now toddling Ryo to the crawling Heiji. He watched helplessly as the four ladies left, and looked back down at the children and Martha, who know joined them.
"Well…" he looked out down at the children, and watched as the once-sleeping Fuji opened her eyes and looked back up at Goemon. He smiled briefly at her, and she began to wail, "All right… So maybe I do frighten children when I smile…" he muttered to himself, "Figures Fujiko, Jr. would start crying first…" He picked Fuji up and found a bottle in the refrigerator and fed it to her while he walked around the living room.
"This isn't the man's job where I'm from…" Goemon grumbled, "I'm supposed to be the one out there fighting…" he looked down at Fuji, "I'm not a chauvinist; so don't look at me like that. It's a fact. Ever since all of the children came along I've been the nursemaid whenever needed. Jigen and Lupin constantly run off without me; and Lord know where the others go… I'm the nursery bitch…"
