PHANTOM SHADOWS
Chapter 1: Unintended Consequences: In
which Kaito discovers there are more things in heaven and on earth.
A
KaitouKid/Shadow of Destiny Crossover
By
Deborah J. Brown.
Kaitou Kid is Copyright Aoyama Gosho. Shadow of Destiny and all concepts relating to it is Copyright Konami.
Picture a room. Enshrouded in darkness, what little light there is casts a faint sepia tone over the scene. Picture the head of a shattered statue. A column. A door. A window.
It's the window that's most important. There is magic to all windows. Neither a portal, nor yet a wall, a window shows what lies beyond while protecting the watcher. This window is especially important, for most windows only show one view. This one, however, displays all eternity.
Right now it shows a comedy.
oOo
"DAMN YOU KAITOU KID! I SWEAR YOU WON'T GET AWAY NEXT TIME!"
The sounds of sirens. The yells and screams of a most frustrated Chief Inspector. Laughter ringing from the skies as a white winged glider soared past the gibbous moon and into the darkness. A scene all too familiar to those involved.
On the ground, Nakamori Ginzo finally allowed his men to pull him away to his car. Far, very far away, the Kaitou Kid landed on a remote rooftop with a feeling of satisfaction. Raising the Hawk's Eye to his own, he gazed at the gem, the gleaming blue stone darkened to purest black in the moonlight.
"Somehow," he said softly, "I just don't think you're the one. Pity. But you're a lovely piece of work, none the less." He grinned, slipping the gem into a pocket. "Time for beddie bye, for all thieves and students with exams tomorrow," he added, opening the door behind him to step onto the landing.
Only it wasn't there.
oOo
Ruby eyes gaze through that window with bright amusement. Such a clever child. Very much the one he could use. Not Eike for this - best to leave him out until he was needed. No need to risk all that they had worked for. For one thing, Eike's skills as a thief were practically non-existent. For another, a 6.5' tall gaijin would stand out in Japan. Oh, yes, and let's not forget that I really can't keep expecting him to resolve my problems for me, even if this one affects him too. Perfectly carved lips curve into tiny sad smile. Besides, I can't think of anyone better suited to this particular task, all times considered.
oOo
He stared. Blinked. Stared again. Reached behind himself for the door handle, intending to back out fast. There was nothing but wood, smooth, exquisitely polished, thick wood behind him. Ahead was a room. If you could call it that much, he thought. A single square area, a huge marble bust lying broken on the wooden floor. Furniture by Escher or Dali. Ambience by Hammer. "Er Hello. I think I've stumbled on the wrong house. Excuse me, I'll just be going."
"When you just arrived, Kaitou Kid? Why be in such a hurry to leave?" The voice spoke from above him. It was strange, that voice, soft - not quite male, not quite female - echoing slightly, as if it weren't - quite - speaking alone.
The Kid peered around, scanning the darkness and fully expecting Akako to come sauntering up to him. Nothing, no sign of movement. He did get a view of the door. It was huge, carved with human figures going about their mundane affairs, stone pillars to the side holding up a mantel of the same stone. A tree branch twined around the edges, its leaves gleaming a deep, healthy, green, with tiny red flowers blooming - the only true color in the entire room. He did his best not to react to the fact that the door was inset in no wall, that it stood, unsupported, at the edge of the 'room' in which he stood. He felt like he was standing atop a great height. So great, in fact, that even he - not even remotely acrophobic - felt unnerved.
The Kid paused for a long moment, thinking fast. "Much as I appreciate the invitation, I do have places to go and people to be," he said after a moment. "I don't suppose we could cut to the chase and discuss what you want from me? And while I realize you may not care to do so, I'd appreciate your showing yourself."
"Occasionally," the voice said from behind him, in tones of mild amusement, "you humans manage to surprise me." The Kid turned, found himself facing a slender, small, man dressed in soft silky black, a gold ear cuff around his left ear. He cocked his head, arms crossed over his slender chest in an amused gesture. Ruby eyes set in a pale face gazed at him inquiringly. "Very well. If that is your preference. It appears to make things simpler in the long run."
The Kid blinked at the fragile man. Like a china doll, he thought. This is just getting weirder by the minute. "So?"
"So, if you will observe?" The stranger turned and pointed at a window that the Kid hadn't noticed before. The images it showed seemed to flow and shift randomly. At that moment it was displaying a tall blonde man working at a desk. "Now, now, I don't need that at the moment," the stranger said reprovingly and the image shifted obligingly to show a museum case. "This." There was a book inside it. A small, leather bound, book, open to its middle with paragraph after paragraph of neatly written German.
"I recognize the case style. Tokyo University Library." The stranger's nod encouraged the Kid. "There's just one thing I should warn you. I don't usually do commissions."
Ruby eyes gazed at the Kid for a long moment. "Hmmm. Not ever?" There was a knowing look to the tilt of his head, the quirk of his lips.
"Hardly ever... I mean, not without a good, a very good, reason." The Kid gazed back levelly at the stranger, though a part of him was shaking. This wasn't your run-of-the-mill client. This - person - had powers that made Akako look like a hedge-witch. "I generally return the things I steal," he added. "Which makes taking commissions difficult."
Still those ruby eyes gazed at him. It was strange, he ought to be more frightened. This place wasn't anything he'd had experience with and even his natural bravado shouldn't have been enough to deal with this bit of oddity. "Perhaps the knowledge that the book in question contains information that your enemies would find almost as useful as the Pandora Gem itself, would persuade you?" the stranger said finally.
The Kid raised a brow. "Pandora Gem? Am I supposed to know about something like that?" Inwardly he cursed. Of all the levers the stranger could have found, that was the exactly right one. "If I could go now?"
The stranger nodded, bowing slightly. "Of course." He waved his hand and the door cracked open - onto the Kid's own bedroom. "I thank you for your time."
The Kid stepped towards the door. "Hey. Just in case I change my mind. How do I reach you?"
A smile, blithely sweet, if not positively smug crossed the pale man's face, "Oh. Don't worry. I'll be keeping an eye on your progress." The smile broadened, "And... if you need me, simply call for Homunculus, and I may come."
oOo
He watches the boy go. Much like his father. Almost too much so. Secrets within secrets, wrapped in an enigma that probably held a large squib that would explode in one's face if one wasn't careful. And care is needed. It's too bad I had to mention that foolishness about the Pandora Gem. He would regret it more if it hadn't been required - the only bait that will move the Kaitou Kid in the right direction. He glances at the window, watching the flow with a worried eye. Somehow he has to stave off disaster without creating a new tangled mess to replace the old. I am so not going to enjoy the next few days.
"Young man, would you mind paying attention?" Kaito looked up at the speaker, a long-suffering substitute teacher named Kataichi, and blinked away confusion as he picked himself up off the floor. "Now then, shall we continue our discussion of the history of chemistry?" A thin wisp of a man, he'd spent much of the last few days trying to control Kaito, with limited success, more owing to Kaito's ill-luck than his skill. I would have sworn that chair could hold my weight, too.
Still feeling a bit stunned from his last 'exercise', and part of his mind distracted by what had happened the night before, Kaito shrugged. "Er, yeah. Sorry."
Kataichi-sensei glared at Kaito for a long moment, then turned back to the chalkboard. As he did, Aoko poked Kaito in the ribs. "You okay?" she hissed into his ear once their teacher was busy.
Realizing that his rather meek response had been seriously out of character, Kaito managed a grin and a nod. "Had a touch of food poisoning last night. Blew chunks out of both ends." He was gratified by the glare Aoko gave him. "Oops. Sorry. Too much information?"
"SHUT UP!" Their teacher growled and Kaito easily parried the eraser the man threw at him. You'd think he'd have given up on that by now, the young rogue thought. Oops. Damn, didn't expect that ricochet. Things just kept going wrong around here and he wondered if his famed luck were trying to run out. That's just silly. I'm off my feed because of last night's weirdness, that's all. Without bothering to gloat over the way the eraser had still managed to bonk Kaito on the head, Kataichi-sensei returned to his lecture. "Now then. Just as astronomy has its roots in astrology, chemistry's roots are those of superstition and ignorance. Who can tell me what psuedo-science preceded chemistry?"
Akako raised her hand, smiling with a sweet, pitying, superiority. "Alchemy is the father of modern chemistry," she answered, when their teacher pointed at her. Implicit in her tone was a sense that she considered chemistry a bastard child at best. Somehow, though, Kataichi-sensei managed to ignore the suggestion.
"Quite correct, Akako. Can anyone tell me what the purpose of alchemy was?" Somehow, and in much the same way as the witch, Kataichi-sensei managed to make his disdain for that purpose, whatever it had been, clear.
This time it was Hakuba who answered. "Alchemy's purpose was three-fold. The creation of gold, of course, was the most commonly known. Though I would suspect that it was a search more driven by the alchemists' sponsors than the alchemists themselves."
"Very good, Hakuba. Continue."
"The other purposes were the creation of an artificial life and immortality." Hakuba shrugged. "In a way, I'd say scientists are still trying to achieve most of those goals."
Kataichi-sensei nodded. "Quite right, Hakuba. The creation of gold has been proved possible, though prohibitively expensive, using a nuclear accelerator. Artificial intelligence, in the form of computers and robotics have taken the place of the quest for homunculi and medical science is increasing the human life-span every year." He smiled, expression superior.
Kaito nearly sat up straight, but forced himself not to react. Homunculi? That guy I met last night He said he was called Homunculus Coincidence? He found himself listening to the lecture more intently.
"The alchemical quests were, of course, mostly a mishmash of superstitions and little understood science. Nevertheless, they paved the way for the scientists of today." Kataichi-sensei started writing titles on the blackboard. "These are some books that describe the history of alchemy. I would like a five page report from each of you, discussing some aspect of the alchemical quest and how it relates to science of today, due on Friday. Oh yes, and there will be a small test on the subject tomorrow."
As he finished writing, he turned and looked at the class. "Most of these books are in the library. However, you may also wish to pay a visit to Tokyo University Library's temporary display. I believe there's an exhibit there related to the subject of the Philosopher's Stone."
oOo
There now. The clues have been planted. If Kuroba Kaito was half the thief his father had been, he would be following up fairly quickly. And if he isn't at least his father's equal, I don't know my Kaitou Kids. A sour smile crosses his face as he turns his attention on the witch. That one will have to be watched. Her interference is an unavoidable certainty, but it must be minimized. Not that that will prevent the aggravation about to occur.
Kaito strolled through the library's exhibit, yawning and ignoring Aoko's excited commentary as she examined a gold plaque with elaborately carved images on it. Most of the collection had belonged to an old Japanese who'd lived in Germany for some years before coming home to die. Having no family, he'd left the entirety to the University. It had consisted mostly of books, though there'd been a carved statue of the Wyrm Ourobourous, some jewelry, none particularly valuable, as far as Kaito could tell, and a few alchemical devices that reminded him of Akako somehow. Especially that cauldron.
Speaking of whom Kaito noted his witchy nemesis and schoolmate examining a peculiar device at the center of the room beside Aoko. A tall glass cylinder sitting atop what looked like a warming plate, a metal lid covering it.
"What's that thing for?" Aoko asked, echoing his curiosity as he came over to join the two girls.
"A birthing chamber," Akako answered, absently. "It's used to create homunculi."
Kaito had to wonder if anyone else noted the witch's use of the present tense. "So, do you make 'em?" he whispered to her, grinning.
"Occasionally. Nothing on this scale," Akako said, smiling back at him with a cool, mocking expression. "Whomever this Wolfgang Wagner was, he was nothing if not ambitious. A homunculus of such size would require immense power to achieve. I have to wonder how successful he was."
So do I, Kaito thought, remembering the pale features of the being who'd drawn him into that strange place the night before. Somehow he suspected what this 'birthing chamber' had been used for. He shrugged, though. "Well, we're not knee deep in homunculi so I guess not very," he answered and wandered away. Time to check out that book.
It was, of course, the centerpiece of the collection. Bound in black leather, it lay open at a diagram of a peculiar pattern. A circle, containing a square, containing a triangle. On the other page was something that looked like a tree, Or that symbol from Slayers, Kaito grinned to himself. Which one's Vorfeed? He read the card beside the book.
"This book, believed to have belonged to Hugo Wagner, the son and successor of the alchemist who first owned this collection, contains a number of recipes for the family's practice. Many of the chemical processes associated with the recipes are still seen in use today, most particularly the antidote to sea hare poisoning.
"Among the recipes, however, are peculiar diagrams, such as the ones shown on these pages. Many of the diagrams are associated with alchemical practices. Others, such as the Tree of Life found on the right page, is a symbol found in the Kabbala, an occult tradition associated with the Hebrew culture. Still others - such as the one on the cover - seem to have significance only to the author of the book."
Noticing a stack of flyers beside the case, Kaito leafed through them. Boring stuff about the history of alchemy. The kind of thing Kataichi-sensei was probably wanting, though, and he wondered if the substitute would notice if he simply copied the text verbatim. No. Been there, tried that. That trick never works. As he leafed through the thing, though, he paused, blinking at a picture at the bottom of the page. A red stone, a long octagonal crystal, pointed at both ends and labeled "The Philosopher's Stone?"
oOo
He watches the boy through the window and is unsurprised when Kaito hurries out to find a private place on the roof of the building. "Homunculus? Can you hear me?"
"Indeed. Should I take it that you've changed your mind, then?" he replies, voice coming to Kaito from thin air.
"Let's just say I'm intrigued." Kaito's eyes stare around, blue as another pair of eyes and just as bright with intelligence. "And a little miffed. I don't like being led around. Can you get more obvious if you try?"
A chuckle escapes his lips. "Your pardon, child. I'm accustomed to dealing with someone who needed more hints than you." Eike isn't exactly stupid, nor even slow on the uptake. It's just that Kaito is that much more bright. Then too, Kaito isn't getting killed every hour on the hour, something that would throw anyone's game off. And we won't even comment on the fact that I was being less than helpful, now will we?
"Is the Philosopher's Stone the same thing as the Pandora's gem?" The question is direct and pretty well expected.
He hesitates only a moment. "Now, that would be too much coincidence, wouldn't it? Suffice it to say that your enemies desire it. And that book is a key."
"All right. I'll get it, then. But no guarantees what I do with it when I have it."
"As I expected, young thief. As I expected."
Kaito considered his plans. The first thing to do would be to case the library. To determine its weak points and to see how hard it would be to remove the book. Even though this wasn't a true Kaitou job he still had his professional pride. He never went for something without much preparation, often to the point that he could have stolen the object in question much earlier than his announced date.
There was the problem of what he was going to do with the book, once he had it. This Homunculus fellow obviously wanted it. And is it a good idea to give it to him? he wondered. That guy's no more trustworthy than Akako, and more potential trouble, given what he can do.
First things first. Get the book. Find out what was in it Man. The thing's in German! How the hell am I supposed to read it? He decided to climb that fence when he came to it. Getting into the library would be cake. He'd robbed it before and had automatically checked the changed defenses during his afternoon visit. So, drop in, take a look at it, then decide exactly how the performance should go off.
A little part of him wondered why he felt this was so important. He was always impetuous, of course, but he usually took more time to think out a job. Some instinct seemed to be demanding he act, something pulling him towards that book and its would-be possessor with all the force of a magnet tugging at an iron filing. And why does it feel so much like Fate?
oOo
He watches the boy entering the library with sardonic eye. The flow of time converges here, forces him into play in a way that - had it been his choice - he would have avoided like the plague. His ruby eyes narrow only slightly as they note the other player in this game. The witch. She is waiting in the shadows, using her magics to hide her in the same way the boy uses his skill.
When Kaito, dressed in a dark suit instead of his usual whites, slides open the case and removes the book, she steps forward. "I'll take that, Kaitou Kid."
He sighs, drawing himself together for the next move. Ladies and Gentlemen It's show time.
oOo
He turned, only slightly surprised at Akako's presence. If anything, he would have been more surprised at her failure to interfere. "Hello, witch," he said, smiling under his dark mask. "Interested in making bigger and better homunculi?"
"Or other powers," she agreed, holding out her hand. "Suffice it to say I want that book."
He looked at it. Closed, the cover had a pattern embossed on it with silver ink. A peculiar pentagram, like nothing he'd ever seen before, not even in Akako's spells. Five right triangles interlocking to form a pentagon, with increasingly smaller versions of itself inside each figure. "This old thing? Oh, I know. You need the cure for sea hare poisoning. I told you, you should be more careful with your experiments"
Akako's dark eyes flared angrily and she stepped forward, fingers twisting as she prepared a spell.
"I think not." The voice was Homunculus' and both teenagers turned to see the slender figure form out of a peculiar, bubbling, fire. "The book contains nothing of use to you, little witch. I would tell you to stop now, but I already know it's useless." He was dressed in black silk, an outfit that looked like something out of the Arabian nights, with full pants and a sash hanging down his back.
Boots clicking lightly on the wooden floor, the slender figure moved to a position not far from the Kid and Akako. His smile was peculiar, the look of one about to do something he did not want to do. "Well? Do you think you'd like to back off now?"
"You are" Akako's eyes narrowed. "I have heard rumors. A creature with power over time itself."
Homunculus bowed ever so slightly. "My reputation precedes me, I see." He glanced over at the Kid, a peculiar, flinching, gaze, and Kaito realized that his eyes were carefully avoiding looking directly at the book. "If you know that much, little witch, you know that I am not one you ought to cross lightly."
"I do nothing 'lightly'," Akako answered grimly. "If you want that book then its value must be beyond measure." She began moving her hands, preparing a spell, and the Kid glanced at Homunculus, saw mere amusement in his expression. Kaito couldn't see what was flowing around her hands, but it was clear she meant to attack.
oOo
He knows what is to happen, but not exactly how. Seeing her magic, he wonders that it could ever manage anything of the sort. The answer comes, though, in her choice of target. Not him. Not Kaito. The book. The spell, formed by her dark arts, reflected in the sigil that marks Hugo's book and focused by it, is a binding spell. He feels the power of the symbol lashing out at him and moves.
He isn't fast enough. Had he truly the will to escape, perhaps he could have, but knowing what he knows, knowing what has to be, he is forced to accept this as part of his destiny. Time can be changed, yes, but it much prefers not to be. It can be quite vicious to those who try.
The power strikes him, even as it flares around the book and - perforce - the boy holding it. He screams, hearing the boy cry out at the same time. The pain is incredible, no better for knowing what is happening. He grabs at his power, knowing they cannot stay here, and twists.
oOo
The swirling confusion finally faded to a very hard reality. "Oh man, am I dead," he muttered and felt an odd amusement at the comment. Confused, with images flowing through his thoughts that weren't - he was absolutely certain - his own, he sat up and looked around, forcing himself to concentrate on the here and now. Oh, indeed. Whatever that here and now is, let us by all means concentrate on it.
It was a library, yes, but not one he'd ever seen before. Or was it? Something about the way it was laid out made him think it was the same room. Yet where was the display case he'd been standing near? Where were all the other alchemical paraphernalia that had filled the room? Where, for that matter, was Akako? And why the hell is it broad daylight? Other than the fact that the sun is out, you mean?
"Young man? Young man, are you all right?"
Kaito quickly got to his feet, pulling the mask down and away from his face. Better to be an innocent school kid lost in the wrong part of the building than to look like a thief. He put a hand to his face as he rose to his feet, coughing. Oh yes, much better than a mask.
The speaker was an older man, a librarian type, almost stereotypically so. Lemon sour features that might, once, have been handsome and now were just tired. Kaito shrugged. "Uh, yeah. Sorry. I slipped."
"So I heard. What are you doing here?"
"Er I got lost. Sorry." Lost. Now there's an almost adequate description of the circumstances.
"Well, these rooms are part of our private collection, young man. So if you're all right, I suggest you leave. Now." The man stalked over to the doorway and held it open. Kaito wasn't in the mood to argue, and had no reason to stay either. He had to figure out where he was and what had happened.
A little searching found a public restroom and Kaito hurried through it. His head still felt so fuzzy. As if there were two sets of thoughts running in it. The first, his own, a confused recognition that something more than ordinarily weird had happened. The second a sardonic running commentary that, strangely, had more than a flavor of Homunculus' conversational style. He splashed water in his face and lifted his eyes.
They were glowing bright red.
To Be Continued...
