A/N: As warned in the previous chapter's notes, this fic will take darker and more mature turn. I don't write anything explict but be warned for implications of sexual situations, power-imbalance and general depravity.
I fully blame playing Fallen London while writing this chapter. That's one very dark and at the same time indulgent game...
The first sign that Madeira was officially assigned to Vermouth, came about a week later. Kir gave her an envelope when Naoto was working on updating Nichuri TV's website header with new photos. Inside the envelope was a job advertisement and a note of interview being in two days. Teitan High School was looking for a temporary art teacher to replace a retiring one.
"Ah…" Naoto hummed. She knew that she was just part timing at Nichuri TV as her role wasn't that critical for the television station. There were other people who could take photos even if they didn't have art degrees and there were other people who were actual technicians that could put the photos up on the website. (Naoto just liked to do it herself because that racked more hours for her and thus more pay that wasn't dirty money.)
So depending on the contract clauses and the daily hours, Naoto could technically divide her days between the two jobs.
"I don't have a teaching degree…" She thought sullenly. She'd never taught anyone anything. Other than giving Yuuko and Hiro both some tips of acting like children. But Vermouth probably had a plan for that. Meddlesome woman.
The job interview went well. Vermouth had called originally with Naoto's voice and portrayed the situation as Naoto wanting some teaching experience to see if she would be up to the job before deciding the direction of her Master's. And apparently, Naoto's current degree was more than enough to supervise the teens. And as most of the courses were elective, she did not have that many classes. Hell, she had entire Wednesday and Thursday free and half of Friday and Saturday. She did need to supervise the art club as well but that was only on Tuesday and Saturday evenings.
She could do this…
Somehow… she managed to survive the first day of classes from two first year groups and one third year group. And gotten roped to help the prop and stage team for the up-coming Dark Knight performance by drama club in the Culture Festival. Huh… Well, at least she wasn't the only one. Araide-Vermouth was helping the actors practicing and had been drafted to be a spare actor in the case of injury or sickness on the Festival Day.
Ironic.
And during the next weeks, if Naoto wasn't completely mistaken, while the two alcohol agents were working at the same time at the assembly hall and adjacent rooms, she just might've spied some genuine enjoyment through the genial mask of Araide Tomoaki.
It was strange really… Naoto shouldn't have cared. Vermouth was a manipulator. She was a murderer. But yet…
"Do you need help Matsuda-sensei?" Naoto looked up from where she tried to lift a painting supply box to the upper shelf. It was a heavy box that she didn't dare to lift with completely straight arms yet the shelf was a smidge too high for her. And the stools of the storage room were currently in use at the stage. So Naoto couldn't use even those.
"Ah, Araide-sensei…" Both Araide and Vermouth naturally were at least half a head taller than Naoto. Thus also at perfect height to lift the box up. "Yes, please. I seem to fall short."
Araide just smiled, taking the box from Naoto's arms and easily lifting it up on the shelf.
"How have you been lately, Matsuda-sensei?" Small-talk then? Naoto could do that. Though it was still weird to be called sensei. Kids were one thing but her… colleagues were another.
"I've been fine. Adjusting to school life once more was surprisingly easy." Ten years ago Naoto had some friends but spent most of her time with Jinpei and his friends. "The experience of teaching has been enjoyable as well though these festival preparations have kept all of us busy. How about you Araide-sensei? You changed from basketball club supervisor to drama club quite rapidly."
"Ah, yes." Araide chuckled softly. "It was bit of an experience but in the end I only need to supervise and offer occasional advise. The students self-manage the production and practice quite well on their own."
"That's true. They have already a good handle on taking responsibility yet enjoying life…" Naoto mused wistfully. It was something to put in the account of culture rather than actual maturity in the parts of the children.
"That is true." Araide agreed, then tilted his head to examine Naoto's expression. Her gaze had gone distant for a moment. "Matsuda-sensei, if you have time this week, there is some matter that needs to be discussed… Preferably before the Cultural Festival."
"Oh, sure." Naoto snapped out of her thoughts, cursing mentally her own inattention. "At your clinic?"
"Preferably."
"Ooh, Araide-sensei is asking Matsuda-sensei on a date!" A female voice crowed from the doorway. The two infiltrators spun towards the voice. Suzuki Sonoko was there, giggling with other girls of the drama club.
"Now, Suzuki-san…" Araide tried to placate the girl, approaching the teens. "It's just a discussion about some school matters…"
"Oh, is it?" Suzuki chuckled, pointing past the man's shoulder, right at Naoto who felt her face heat up. "Matsuda-sensei tells otherwise."
"T-That's…" Naoto muttered, firmly not looking at anyone else present. "Please just stop it, Suzuki-san…"
"Shouldn't you be cleaning up for today?" Araide asked the girls.
"We already did and then came to look for you since we couldn't find you anywhere."
"Then you can go home."
"Sure. See you tomorrow, Araide-sensei!" The girls chorused.
The giggling died down along with footsteps fading to distance. After a moment though…
"My, I knew that the good doctor had a handsome face but I certainly didn't expect this reaction from you, Madeira." The amused voice was all Vermouth and Naoto felt an involuntary shiver go down her back. She was glad that she wasn't looking at the disguiser at the moment and seeing Araide's face. Naoto didn't want to break the illusion.
"Could you… just leave? Please, Vermouth." She spoke quietly. "We'll see again tomorrow anyways and keep contact via mails. We can agree the meeting time later."
There was a thoughtful silence.
"Very well. See you tomorrow, Matsuda-sensei."
Naoto didn't hear the assassin's steps fading away but she did feel when the woman's presence vanished. And only then she let herself grumble.
Huddled on the floor of the storage room, shivers racking her body, Naoto rocked herself gently while trying to figure out her own thoughts and feelings. She'd worked with Vermouth only few weeks continuously thus far and already the woman was getting under her skin. There had been no word on the blackmail since the incident with Irish but Naoto had tried to keep her distance.
It was becoming increasingly hard. Especially when she knew she wasn't reacting to the face and demeanor of Araide Tomoaki but to the person beneath the mask.
What was she thinking?
How did that woman see the world?
What did she want from Naoto?
What was she planning?
What would happen when the mission was accomplished?
Naoto did not know the answers… But she did know she was screwed. Screwed and terribly attracted to danger.
They met at Araide Clinic at first but relocated to Vermouth's apartment for more sensitive conversation. It turned out that Vermouth wanted a second opinion on the possibility of Edogawa Conan being one Kudou Shinichi. She explained about the boy at the Haido City Hotel with Sherry and how he looked like the son of her acquaintance as Sharon Vineyard. That she'd seen photos of the boy as young as Edogawa was now as well as met the high school detective when he'd come to New York.
"What are you going to do about him? Whether or not he is Kudou Shinichi-kun?" Madeira asked. "After all he is associating with a traitor. I might've helped Sherry get away once and ignored the boy but this is your hunt now. You want Sherry dead… for reasons I can't even phantom and with hatred even Gin can't rival."
"Oh, Madeira… that's none of your business." Vermouth purred, a long-manicured hand smoothing down her cheek before taking a firm hold of Madeira's jaw. The grip was almost bruising but Naoto held still. She really didn't fancy angering the blonde… or start hiding any possible bruises under make up. "Sherry is my prey, you only help me to find her. As for Kudou Shinichi-kun. You shall not harm him. Same applies to Mouri Ran-chan. They are my Silver Bullet and Angel and I won't allow anyone lay a hand on them. Am I clear?"
"Other than Gin that possibly eliminated Heisei Holmes." Madeira joked weakly but let out a choking noise when Vermouth's thumb pressed to underside of her jaw, having a lance of pain shoot through her head.
"Am I clear?" The assassin repeated with deadly calm, holding a steady pressure.
"Crystal…" Naoto choked out, tears prickling in her eyes. The pressure was gone then and the younger woman slumped forward. Her arms came to wrap around her torso in an attempt to shield herself from any further assault.
"Good." The voice above her was pleasant again and arms gently drew Naoto flush against the ample bosom. "You have such weaknesses too, don't you? Hiro-kun and Yuuko-chan? What a pity would it be if something happened to their Nao-nee, right?"
Naoto stiffened but there was a hand running down her back soothingly.
"It's okay. I'm the only one who knows. I won't tell anyone as long as you stay quiet as well."
"I… I understand…" Naoto whispered and her body let out a delighted shiver when the skilled fingers started kneading her back and press at knotted muscles.
"You are all wound up, Matsuda-sensei. Maybe your integration has been more stressful that I imagined…" A kiss was pressed against the back of her neck while the hands continued their ministrations. Naoto hated and loved it at the same time. These were the hands that were just a minute ago choking her. This was the woman who could kill her on a whim and kill Hiroaki and Yuuko as well. Yet…
"You really love masks, don't you, Nao-chan?" So many names… Naoto hardly could keep up with them all. Vermouth had found out several though and the way she used them. The way she could elicit a response from Naoto even when she wore the face of Araide Tomoaki. "You love danger, you love the adrenaline you get from defying me, you love when I force you to submit…" The voice purred while one of the hands slipped under Naoto's shirt.
Naoto moaned and unwound her own arms in order to clutch onto the perfect blend of firm muscle and soft curves. She let herself lose to the sensation.
The Culture Festival dawned at last. Naoto wasn't terribly enthused about it. Last week had been a nightmare. The drama club had increased their practice times, the staging had fallen apart when they'd tried to test the Princess's speech while Mouri was in the castle. It wasn't anyones fault really, least of all Mouri's – sweet girl that she was – the glue just had dried too quickly and the upper parts of the castle tower decorations were a bit too heavy. The solution? Naoto had gone and purchased a nail gun to use so the castle would stick to the support properly. The only reason it hadn't been used before was the fact that the students were meant to work on it all and they weren't allowed to use a nail gun without permission. So Naoto had gotten the permission for herself to personally help the kids get everything done in time. Then Suzuki had sprained her wrist while on practice… The girl was brilliant at tennis but for some reason she had not stopped going to practice while training for the festival. And for some reason she had swung the sword all wrong and thus her wrist had gotten hurt.
When Araide had confronted the girl about it – swinging tennis racket for years without hurting herself yet managing to hurt herself with fake sword – Suzuki had awkwardly explained that last week a boy Ran was looking after – Edogawa Conan – had gotten shot and was still in the hospital in the aftermath of surgery.
Well, that certainly explained why Mouri had been distracted as well in the past week. And if Naoto remembered right, Yuuko and Hiro had mentioned something happening that had then entire 1-B of Teitan elementary worried. That might be it. The cave exploration and prelude to Desperate Revival…
The play "Romance Shuffle" written by Suzuki Sonoko, lead played by Mouri Ran, was scheduled on the third day of the festival. Naoto was thankfully mainly off duty and thus could spend time with Hiro and Yuuko who were both interested in the festival. Nostalgia all around.
The lights went out. Ran started her speech about loveless cursed marriage. Naoto sat back to enjoy it all as much as she could before the murder happened. She'd mentally already tagged the four case characters three rows behind her and the third year student at the drink stand.
Yuuko was gushing over the excellent staging and costumes though she did also grumble a bit of why they'd gone on Western style rather than Japanese. She was such a history nerd.
Hiro in the other hand just critiqued the sword techniques of the knights and the cheesiness of the plot. He was a cynic. But then again, he was in kendo club so he did know what he was talking about.
Dark Knight made his entrance. Even without knowing beforehand the events of Plot, Naoto could see clearly that it was not Vermouth-Araide under the helmet. The posture was all wrong and all. And who the hell had designed the knight costume to be a… one-piece?
Well, the silent reunion of the high school sweet hearts was… heartfelt. Even though Mouri Kogorou was making a scene.
"Could you be Spade?" Ran continued in the play. "Some time ago, my father cut you on the forehead and drove you off our garden… To think you were the Prince of the Trump Kingdom… Aah… If you have not forgotten that promise from our younger days, prove it… on my lips…"
Groan…
Kyaaaaah!
And he was dead.
Naoto stared at Megure who had been Jinpei's superior prior to his death. She needed to get out of here. With all the Kudou's distracting people, it should be easy. Naoto steered Hiro and Yuuko away. The people were thankfully being sensible and letting her leave when they saw the two with her.
"Let's go to teacher's lounge." She spoke quietly to them and looked around to see someone to relay a message with. "Saintemillion-sensei!"
"Ara, Matsuda-sensei~!" The English teacher's pronunciation was so weird and Matsuda only barely managed not to cringe at the intonation the American used. "How can I help you?"
"I need to get the kids out of here. We're going to the teacher lounge so if anyone asks for me…"
"I will tell them." Jodie Saintemillion smiled. Naoto nodded to her gratefully.
"Thank yo-…"
"Especially if Araide-sensei asks, nee?" The undercover agent winked and Naoto tried very much not to blush. Curse gossipy school girls…
"R-Right…" Given the way both Yuuko and Hiro poked at her sides, she did not succeed. "Thank you anyways."
And the trio hurried off.
"Seriously Nao-nee… How did that woman [ano onna] become your new weakness?" Hiro sighed when they finally settled in the empty lounge. "You know who she is and what she is capable of."
"I know…" Naoto sighed. "I'm not even sure myself how it happened." There was no way she'd tell the two that Vermouth knew about them though possibly did not know them being shrunken adults as well. And she knew that the two did not approve the sexual turn that the partnership had taken recently. Especially not with the power imbalance it had. Oh, Naoto never told outright what went on those private meetings aside from some info they'd gathered but neither Yuuko nor Hiro were blind. They'd both been police officers. They both had a few years more life experience to Naoto. They saw the hand prints on her wrists, the scratches on her back and hickeys on her neck and collarbones. They knew she was desperate to keep her position in the organization but at the same time she craved for companionship from a partner. As there was no way Naoto would endanger a civilian for the latter, Vermouth was the route to both.
Yuuko gave her a pitying look. Naoto ignored it while searching for some apple juice from the fridge.
"What do you think about that English teacher then?" Hiro asked suddenly.
"What do you mean?" Naoto frowned.
"There were other teachers as well in the hall but you intentionally called out to her. And her Japanese was deliberately butchered, like she was playing an exuberant American stereotype." The former NOC answered. "Not to mention her clothing. I know Teitan isn't the most restrictive when it comes to uniform rules, she is still… skirting very narrow line."
"Ah, that's true!" Yuuko remarked. "Her dress looked more like a nightie. With the lace and all."
"The principal hasn't taken it up with her just yet. She is new as well so he is trying to see if she'll adjust on her own." Naoto answered at length. "Within next week an official notice should go to her… But since summer is coming, some leeway due the typical humidity is also given so I'm not sure anything will come out of that." She straightened up and offered juice boxes to her "kids".
"You're avoiding the question." Hiro pointed out.
"Well… there is the fact that she transferred right after Ver and I… So, I'm not sure if she is someone helping Ver as well or someone chasing Ver." Naoto shrugged. "I can only wait and hope that in the case she is latter one, she won't come after me."
The case got solved. And at the end of it Kudou Shinichi – the real one – collapsed. Everyone was alarmed by that but survived with a mere surprise. Naoto gave a short statement to Takagi but took the kids home then. No one had searched for her in the meanwhile.
Next day was all about cleaning up. Naoto was in charge of that. All fake feathers needed to be collected. The staging needed to be taken apart and decide what would go to drama club's storage and what would the thrown away.
"The Knight outfit will be kept! Kudou-senpai wore it and we spent so much effort on the helmet." One of the first-year girls stated, others nodding behind her.
"Alright… It's pretty much one size fits all anyways…" Naoto mused, folding the fabric to be cleaned. For getting the sweat out and also to get rid of DNA evidence. With the helmet, only taking out the padding was enough. (Irish did need to get the finger prints from the outer shell)
"We need to dismantle the carriage though…" A third-year boy sighed. "Damn, I was so proud of managing to figure out the maneuverability for it…"
"You are continuing to University of Applied Sciences, right, Hada-kun?" Naoto asked.
"Yes. I want to become a restorer. It will require a lot of history and art classes." Hada answered.
"Good luck with that. Are you considering taking photos of the carriage and present it as part of the portfolio for the entrance exams?"
"Maybe… I dunno yet…"
Naoto didn't pry and turned to receive the rest of the stage clothing that would need cleaning… Mainly inner layers from knights and guards which could be recycled for other productions, as well as the dress of Princess Heart.
It was a busy day.
It was also the day when she officially was introduced to Kudou Shinichi.
"Ah… Matsuda-sensei, was it?" The teen detective confirmed.
"That's me. Nice to meet you Kudou-kun. Pity you haven't been on my classes… We could use your keen insight and logical standpoint when doing art analysis on class."
"Ah, really?" Kudou blinked, taken aback.
"Yes. Even though symbolism is nice and all and many critiques go on about them, often times the artists themselves have just put the specific color or item there simply because they wanted to and it was available." Naoto smiled. "Having differing opinions would be refreshing."
"I… I'll think about it." Considering that the boy did not take part on any extracurricular and had the fewest possible number of electives chosen so they would not take away time from case solving… Naoto was pretty sure he would've declined even if he hadn't been on borrowed time.
"That's all I need. It was nice to meet you, Kudou-kun, but I need to go back to supervise the drama club."
"Isn't Araide-sensei there?"
"He is currently having Suzuki-san in for a check up on her wrist. The stubborn girl wants to know how soon she can go back to tennis club's practices." The woman sighed. "Honestly… You teenagers are so reckless."
"Ha haa… I guess so…"
Naoto sighed and took a drag from her cigarette. The two days of cleaning up were finally over. After yesterday, Kudou had disappeared again, much to the frustration of Mouri and puzzlement of the rest of the student body. Nothing surprising really…
Naoto stared down at the bustling city below. Time would go on. The Plot would advance no matter what she did so she didn't bother trying to change it.
"Nao-nee! Come! We're gonna beat Takagi-san in this now!" Hiro's voice sounded from the living room. Ah, yes… No matter the world Mario Kart would always be there. Naoto smiled and stubbed her smoke to the ashtray, making her way back inside.
"Coming, coming!" She called back. Takagi was sitting on the floor with Hiro and Yuuko, ready to be trounced by the kids. Snack bowls were on a table nearby. It was a game night now.
GAME START
A/N: I'm currently pondering the cast for the next chapter... I'm going to do the Jodie intro case/Arcade Murder case but I can't decide if I'll put Naoto there or Hiro and Yuuko or all three... Suggestions would be nice. And I think in the future I'll start replying to logged in reviews via pm from now on.
Replies to Reviews:
-Tsuki: (guest)
Very, very true... as you can see from this chapter. Vermouth is not a good person and Madeira is an adrenaline junkie.
You're welcome.
-Eternal Princezz:
Poor Nao-chan indeed... Well, she'll survive. Thank you very much!
-eeveelutionlover2000:
Answered in a pm already.