Chapter 7: Just passing thru
In an undisclosed location:
A one Lupin the third lay half hazerdly on a worn down and slightly stained sofa.
"Hey Lupin!" A gruff voice called his name from across the room. "You still mooping because of Fujiko?" His partner scoffed. "What'd ya expect man?"
"They say the definition on insanity is repeating an action and expecting a different result." The Samurai piped up from his secluded corner.
"Well said, I like him." A smooth female voice came from an open window, and all 3 men turned to look. The ever coy thief in crimson smiled and wiggled her fingers at them. Lupin shot up from the sofa and glared at her.
"What do you want?" Lupin spat more then a tad annoyed.
"What a welcome." Carmen pretended to be hurt as she leaned on the window-sill.
"Maybe you should come in before you draw attention to yourself." Jeigen grumbled and crossed his arms.
"Well that would only negatively impact you three. I'm just passing thru. Besides, I don't feel safe in there with that." She pointed at Lupin who was glaring at her like an angry chiwawa just waiting for her to get one inch closer.
"Don't worry, he's just been neutered." Jegin remarked on said thief's latest failings with Fujiko. Carmen brought a gloved hand to her face as she chuckled at his comment.
"Well that explains a lot. I trust you have a muzzle for him." She smiled opening a window firther.
"H-hey! I didn't say you could come in." Lupin protested.
"What are you so salty about?" Carmen sits on the window sil looking annoyed at the monkey faced thife. She crossed her arms over her chest.
"YOU STOLE POPS FROM ME!" He finally hollered. Everyone looked at him astonished. Then he quickly covered his mouth realizing what he had said. Goimon sighed with a slight smirk, Jiegen bust out laughing, and Carmen joined him.
"Would you feel better if I sent Ivy and Zack your way?" She managed out in her amusement.
"God Lupin." Jigen huffed placing his hands on his hips and shaking his head. Carmen took this opportunity to swivel around on the sill and bring her legs inside closing the window behind her.
"I had no idea he meant so much to you."
"He- he doesn't, but... he's MY rival." He pouted.
"And here I thought you would have enjoyed the break. You know if you got off your back side and actually did something, he might start chasing you again. He's only chasing me to keep busy." The tall woman snapped at him.
"Well why don't you just stop egging him on." Lupin shot back.
"Because I'm enjoying myself. I know all of ACME's tricks." She once again crossed her arms over her chest. "And I enjoy having someone new to play with. Not to mention with an adult I don't have to go easy on him." She smirked, if anyone thought she would go all out with children they were mistaken. Just the bare minimum to not get caught. But the C5 corridor was a bit of a hassle. Inspector Zenigata made it both relaxing and challenging for her all in one fell swoop. No instantaneous travel, and also a more refined mind with years of experience. Why would Carmen give that up willingly? Lupin only grumbled, and Carmen sat on a chair near the window.
"So... why are you here?" Jeigen final asked.
"Yah." The pouty Lupin added.
"Why not?" She smirked and crossed her legs leaning back in the chair. "Truthfully I was just passing thru on my way back to my place, as I said. Am I not welcome?" She asked.
"Never." Lupin growled.
"Why that's hurtful Lupin. I have done nothing to deserve such hostility. Well except drawing the attention of the Inspector. I guess that's enough hm? Yet you let Fujiko walk all over you." She smirked. Carmen was not one to take being treated unfairly laying down. But perhaps there was no way to be friends with another thief, even if Jigen and Goemon seemed to show her no ill will.
"That's because Fujiko's the BEST." Lupin got a little stary eyed. "And she's hot..."
"And a lair..." Jigen added.
"And unpredictable." Goemon added on top.
"HEY!" The monkey man protested.
"The way I see it Carmen has all of Fujiko's good traits and non of the bad." The sharpshooter finally said.
"Awww, why thank you Jigen. That's sweet of you to say. But I do have my own flaws, I just hide them well." She chuckled.
"Like showing up where your not wanted."
"Ok, fine, I can take a hint." Carmen stood and looked at Lupin with cold indifference. Goemon could have sword the room got 5 degrees colder. "Have fun with your losing battle." She commented opening the window again. The men all stayed quiet as she exited the way she entered and slammed the window back down. It seemed the monkey faced thief actually offended the lady in red and she made it known, all be it in a rather passive aggressive way. She was not the kind to shout in anger but you would know if you made her mad. Sometimes she was subtle about it, this however was not one of those times. With the window slammed shut Carmen made her way up the fire escape to the roof and summoned one of her custom air crafts with the corresponding remote.
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Back inside the monkey's lair Goemon went back to meditating and Lupin went back to sulking.
"Nice one Lupin. Ya know we could have used her connections." Jigen said gruffly lighting a cigarette.
"Not worth the aggravation."
The gunman sighed at his reply.
"Ya know ya could have gotten Zenigata back too." It almost sounded like he was talking about a lover the way he said it. Lupin seemed to have already considered that but he had not been thinking ahead when he snapped at her. Now it was too late to take back his words. He knew Carmen would not fall for any excuse for such a heel turn. So he returned to sulking with a touch of plotting thrown in for good measure.
A little interlude with the Lupin gang. Next chapter may take a minuet so I hope you like this one.
