17: Loathing

Hakuba Saguru had had enough. Having been prey to several of KID's traps he was thoroughly tired, sore, and coated in pink sparkles while the thief seemed as annoyingly smug and cheerful as always. Enough is enough.

"Do you hate all detectives this much, or do you just loath me the most!" He yelled abruptly, feet planted firmly. To his surprise KID stopped too. "Hate detectives?" The magician repeated in astonishment, as though the idea had never even crossed his mind. "What in the world makes you even consider the possibility of me hating my dear critics!?"

The half-Brit glared, "you're constantly playing pranks on us and mocking us! How is that not hating us!?"

An amused laugh tore from KID's lips as the thief shook his head. "I don't hate detectives! I don't hate the police either! I don't even hate you, tantei-san." KID grinned at the hilarity, "in fact I have great respect for all of you! If I weren't so impatient, I might have been a detective myself!" I sort of am, the magician reasoned, after all, I am chasing down criminals of my own!

Hakuba snorted, "yeah right. You hate us."

KID gave an exaggerated sigh, "you say it's apparent I hate detectives because I prank and mock them, but that's all part of my persona and I do it to everyone. I am a thief- not a sneaking burglar who wears black and steals without being seen, but a flamboyant thief who wears all white and sends notices before the shows take place! I dazzle my audiences with audacious acts that, despite the police's best, never fail to bring me in contact with my target! Part of my actions purpose is to mock, prank, and mislead! The Kaitou KID is supposed to be an enigma; everyone knows his plans and modus operandi, but no one knows where or who he is! KID is a gentleman who is not entirely civilized! It is the greatest paradox and yet that is what KID was made to be!"

Saguru would have rolled his eyes, but he was not that childish. "I am not convinced."

"Then think of it this way", the modern Lupin continued, "I am arguably the greatest thief in the world, and as such I am allowed to prideful." The detective snorted again, smiling wryly, "prideful! You're as vain as a cat!" "As vain as I can be yes", KID interjected, "however, being as prideful as I am, I can't settle for having anything less than the best chase me. In the case of experience, Nakamori is the best and his men too. In the case of ingenuity and flexibility, Edogawa Conan seems to be the best. So then, why should I allow you to chase me?"

Frowning, Hakuba almost felt hurt, until KID continued. "You are the one I would say is most passionate. However, that said… you are not the best detective I've ever played against. You are too… hmm (how should I say it)… arrogant… no… formal. You're too formal and procedure oriented, strict; I prank you most because if I must have the best after me and cannot get rid of you, naturally I must make you better. You need to be less stiff and so I'm trying to make you relax. You are passionate, but the greatest danger is that by treating everything as work… you'll lose your love for being a detective."

KID shrugged, "it's not just you I'm encouraging either. Edogawa Conan is too young to be seeing so much death and the worst side of human nature." Even if he is actually Kudo Shinichi, who is also about our age. "It can't be helped seeing as his present guardian is Detective Mouri Kogoro who specializes in murder cases. It also can't help that tantei-kun is so intelligent and yet also so young. Constantly brushed aside because of his age and never really challenged because of his intelligence, well… he's a kid, I am KID, who else would make such a challenging opponent. I provide excitement and challenge that distracts him from his near daily encounters with murderers and is never intentionally dangerous."

"As for the Kaitou KID Task Force, imagine them going against any other opponent! They are exceptional at security and chases, calm during chaos, and surprisingly clever. Not to mention that even with the number of tricks and traps they do fall for, there are others that they are easily able to avoid. In a way, I have trained them to be cautious with their surroundings. To watch for trip-wires, escape routes, and other traps; I have also taught them to disarm bombs! The Task Force may not have realized this yet, but smokescreen machines I set up in advance are deactivated in the same way as a real bomb. By now each and every one of them knows how." KID grinned in satisfaction. "Face it tantei-san, I've taught all of you how to be able to take down even the worst of the worst."

Stubbornly, Hakuba crossed his arms, "I still don't see how any of that means that you don't hate detectives, even if you do… admittedly… seem to encourage potential."

KID sighed, "why do you insist on using the word hate? Hate can provide energy, just as fear and love can, but do you know how tiring it is to hate something for any amount of time?" Hakuba frowned, "that statement implies that you do." The magician gave a sad smile. "I do. Why would I waste my energy hating people who are only trying to provide justice and uphold the law and help other good people, when there are people who are far more interested in doing the opposite."

"Like yourself." Hakuba commented.

The thief's smile grew bitter, "maybe. Perhaps I am worthy of only hate, but I don't try to hurt people… or scare people… or threaten people… or kill people. If I did, then I would become one of those people that I loathe."

Stomping feet drew Hakuba's attention as the task force members finally caught up, and when the detective looked back, KID was gone. "Hmm…" Saguru hummed, "distracting, respecting, training, loathing… then, training us… to handle the ones he loathes… while he himself is a distraction?"

Taking out a pocket book, the teen detective jotted down a few words and went to request a copy of the security footage of that conversation. After all, that was the most he'd ever heard the phantom thief say in one sitting. Unfortunately, he thought he required another view of it himself to fully understand what Kurob- KID had been saying. Maybe a transcript too.