SAGURU
When Saguru retired for the evening he let out a relieved sigh, plopping down gracelessly onto his bed, nerves fried and frazzled around the edges. He hadn't wanted to admit it earlier and had done a valiant job locking away his uncertainty with his usual conviction while he'd been making arrangements for the night, but he'd been nervous as hell. He'd been afraid that somehow in spite of all the precautions he'd taken they'd be discovered. Next time he'd pick somewhere less publicly accessible, preferably without security guards in the building. Maybe a hotel roof would suffice next time. He'd been worried that a security guard at the engineering building would decide to go against protocol and take a break up on the roof where he and Kid had been having their meeting.
A part of him was angry that he was going through with his plans to get closer to Kid. Another part was thrilled and excited, reveling in the slight rush of adrenaline coursing through his system that came with doing something that was either dangerous or a dark grey area in his moral code. He was a detective after all. A detective was supposed to catch and arrest the thief, not invite him to tea. And then there was the part of him that was always thinking, always trying to puzzle out the mystery before him. And there was no greater mystery than the one that was attached to the Kaitou Kid.
The magician thief was an enigma with contradicting morals. He was an oxymoron personified. He never kept what he stole, so why steal in the first place? "For the thrill of it" and "because he can" many believed, but Saguru wasn't so sure. He'd been capturing and studying criminals since he was twelve. He was known for asking about their motives. "Why did you do it?" had become the famous phrase that his fans and clients expected to hear by the end of his investigations.
Even as a small boy, Saguru had wanted to know why people did bad things. His mother always liked to joke that it was because of the curse that his father had put on him with the name Saguru, which meant "to search" in Japanese. Since his birth Saguru had always been a curious child and tried to find out the reasons behind things. When he became a detective, it just wasn't enough to catch the criminals and know how they did it. He needed to know why they'd become criminals and why they did the things they had done in the first place.
Most cases that Saguru came across had clear motives, but even the few complicated ones where he was almost inclined to feel sorry for the perpetrator were resolved and simplified in the end with a clear motive. They were desperate. They were angry. It was for revenge. It was an accident. It was because they were scared. Their spouse/lover had cheated on them. They needed the money. That person had been a monster and had to be stopped. They were sick in the head and need psychiatric help. It was self-defense. It was a crime of passion…
Kid was nothing like any of the common criminals that Saguru usually dealt with. He just couldn't swallow the lie that Kid only stole because it was fun. There was something else to Kid that Saguru was just not getting. Kid had a "no one gets hurt" policy. Kid abhorred guns (with the exception of his custom card gun) and the use of violence (though he'd knocked out officers himself during his early heists, presumably while he was still developing the knock-out gas). Kid was a gentleman thief that had a bloody fan club that consisted of at least 75% of Tokyo's youth population and about 38% of it's adult population. People genuinely liked the thief. Outright rooted for him at heists even.
Admittedly Saguru had been greatly indignant and horrified to read those poll figures. Criminals should not have fan clubs and followings. No one celebrated every time a serial killer claimed another victim. No one cheered when banks were robbed. So why did they flock to support Kid's crimes? Half of the owners of the jewels and gems that Kid targeted had been thrilled and excited, happy to have the attention that Kid brought them with his heists.
Saguru simply had not been able to fathom it all. He'd chased Kid with intense vigor and resolve trying to figure out the man (teen) behind the act. In the beginning Saguru had only seen a cocky obnoxious trickster who delighted in riling up the police and making fools out of them. It wasn't until after he returned to Japan barely in time for the Nightmare heist that he began to catch glimpses of that truth he was searching for and started to see the man (teen) behind the masks and tricks and attitude.
Saguru had been able to put the pieces together quickly and figured out the truth behind Nightmare and Jack Connery at the scene. The police had ruled Jack Connery's death a heroic one, dying in the line of duty in the process of retrieving the stolen pair of black opal earrings, the Dark Knight. Saguru hadn't been able to bring himself to correct them. It had been the first time he had held back and failed to fulfill his duty as a detective to reveal the truth. Something had stopped him that night as he watched the devastated little boy cry over his father's dead body. Something inside him didn't want Kenta Connery to learn the truth about his father. He didn't want the kid to loose the insurance money that would help pay for his surgery.
Kid and Kuroba were different after that heist for a time. Kid still was an obnoxious trickster, but his smile seem a little more forced, his drive to please his fans appeared a little more excessive, and Kid didn't always draw out his chases with him or Edogawa (when the boy was around). At school Kuroba was more subdued, still ever smiling, but played fewer pranks and seemed tired. Saguru found himself in the rare position of empathy. He knew that Kid had tried to save Connery that night. Kid's glove had been clutched in Connery's grasp and a metal playing card had been embedded in Nightmare's mask to prevent anyone from knowing who Nightmare had really been. Saguru suspected that Kid had snuck into the evidence locker, because forensics team hadn't been able to find traces of DNA on Kid's glove or Nightmare's mask.
When things had started to get back to normal, Saguru started to notice things around the Kid Task Force's headquarters and at heists that he hadn't bothered to pay attention to before. Whenever an officer had a birthday, got promoted, married, or had a kid; a plate of cookies would show up on their desk from an anonymous someone and that person would somehow find themselves spared from the worst of Kid's pranks if they were attending a heist on that day. Sometimes Kid would congratulate them in person during the heist if he saw them. Cups of mostly-fresh coffee would sometimes be waiting on their desks during late nights that were spent deciphering heist notes.
These niceties towards the police and gifts of appreciation led Saguru to conclude that Kid did have some kind of respect for the officers that chased him. That Kid was not an entirely bad person. Kid was a gentleman and made sure no one got hurt during his heists. Kid had even gone out of his way on a few occasions to help someone. It just didn't make sense to Saguru why someone who was apparently a decent and kind person fundamentally, would steal just for the fun of it. Saguru knew there had to be more to Kid's story and motive than an adrenaline junkie getting his kicks in. It seemed too simple for someone so complex.
When they had first met, Saguru had asked Kid why he stole. Kid had told him that it was his job as a detective to figure out why. Even after chasing the irritating thief for a year, Saguru still hadn't figured out Kid's motive for stealing. He had pieces of the puzzle in his hands, but he knew he was missing some and had yet to figure out how the ones he did have fit together. He wasn't learning anything new at the rate things were currently proceeding.
Recently Saguru had come to the conclusion that if he was going to learn more about Kid, he'd have to ask the thief again himself, and only if he figured out enough with his own deductions. But he didn't have enough information to make any deductions stronger than weak, theory-based hypotheses. He couldn't do that if Kid didn't talk to him and supply hints. And as things stood the thief was never going to talk to him, even if Saguru succeeded in capturing and successfully arrested him. If Kid got caught, then Saguru would never learn what had led and continued to motivate Kid to steal and return his chosen heist targets.
Therefore, Saguru was left with only one plausible conclusion. He had to gain Kid's confidence and befriend him. Kid wouldn't open up to someone that chased him, but maybe he would let something slip to someone he grew familiar with and became comfortable around. Hence the meetings. The meetings would provide that opportunity to get to know his rival better, to get a better insight on his character and possibly his thought processes. And maybe, just maybe, Saguru could finally learn why the Kaitou Kid stole only to give back his heist targets.
xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx
KAITO
Kaito was breathless when he landed on the rooftop across the city. This game of challenges was going to be exciting. He could hardly wait to get started. Shrugging off the glider, he did a few cartwheels on top of the investment firm he'd landed on, and then switched to backflips when those weren't satisfying enough. Kaito had so much energy right now he could explode. He sprinted around the edge of the building, trying to burn some of that enthusiasm off. I'll never get to sleep at this rate. He couldn't bring himself to care, though. His hands were itching for pen and paper, needing to work out that next heist note, which Hakuba Saguru, of all people, had dared him to write. Oh, this was going to be the cleverest one yet.
When Kaito stopped feeling like his chest was going to break out of his body, he slowed down and took a swig of water from a bottle hidden in one of his pockets. It had been so long since anything had truly surprised him in the Kid persona. The potential for armed opposition in the form of snipers had kept him paranoid and therefore prepared for anything. He had lettered backup plans from Plan A to Plan M. Hakuba, however, had laughed at that vigilance and surprised Kaito anyway. Kaito hadn't been prepared for an invitation to let loose, and the fact that it was the straitlaced detective who'd issued the temptation, well… the idea was that much more enthralling.
That wasn't to say that Kaito was going to forget himself in these challenges. Keeping his true identity concealed was more important than some fun. There would be no personal information, no hints, nothing that would suggest that Kaitou Kid was Kuroba Kaito. He was wild, not stupid.
The reckless exhilaration faded as he wondered again at the detective's motives behind this tantalizing invite. The line about curiosity and wanting someone to challenge him was well delivered in the moment, but now it didn't strike Kaito as enough. If Hakuba was bored, a thief wouldn't be his first option for entertainment, or even his tenth. No, there was something else there, deeper than Hakuba's need to sharpen his mind. Hakuba had been different since the appropriately dubbed "Nightmare Heist". While Kaito hadn't been at his best, observation-wise, in the first few days following the disaster, he had picked up on a shift in the detective's behavior. He was quieter, for one, which originally put Kaito on edge, thinking that Hakuba had found something that had been missed when he tinkered with the evidence. After some time had passed and Hakuba still hadn't come forth with another dramatic speech about how clear it was that Kaito was Kid, Kaito had relaxed. The only way to ascertain his motives was to continue attending these clandestine meetings and listen carefully.
The magician hauled out his sketchbook when he finally got back to the Kid cave. Filled with building plans, notes, phone numbers for hardware stores, and sketches of his gadgets, this behemoth of a notepad was the unabridged version of every heist he'd ever held. The atlas-sized scrapbook of documents was the thing that would get him sentenced, if ever found. He flipped to one of the pages marked by a pink post-it-note, fingers sliding carefully over the list of jewels with unusual mythology, his potential targets. "Who wants to go next?" he asked. "I need to write you a love note with a special word." He tried it out. "Abecedarian." It sounded mystical, authoritative.
He scooted over to the computer and opened a search engine. "Abecedarian. Adjective meaning 'arranged alphabetically' or 'having to do with the alphabet'. Hmm." The detective wasn't going easy on him. Kaito pulled the sketchbook into his lap, scanning the list of gems again. "The Fire-Breathing Dragon, a ruby; the Virginal Diamond; the Second Star, also a diamond; the Emerald Promise; Hamako's Rose, another ruby…" The list filled the whole page, but there were several names crossed out for the jewels he'd already checked. Which one would make for an appropriately well-thought-out heist note?
Kaito was still musing over that very question the next day in class when Aoko thumped his desk, jerking him out of his thoughts. "Were you even listening to anything Aoko just said?"
He put on a grin. "Do you want the nice answer or the true answer?"
"BaKaito. Are you busy Saturday? Aoko's going to a museum with a couple friends."
"A museum?" Kaito tried not to perk up visibly. Natural history museums had jewels, sometimes. "Sounds like fun, as long as it's not," he lowered his voice, "an aquarium."
"It's not. So you're definitely in, then? You promise?"
"Yeah."
"Great!" Aoko all but skipped over to Hakuba's desk. "Hakuba-kun, are you busy Saturday?" Hakuba looked over at Kaito, his expression unreadable. Kaito didn't miss the fact that there was a Maurice LeBlanc book tucked discreetly in Hakuba's book bag next to his desk, nor that there were several pages bookmarked. It seemed that the detective was taking the challenge seriously. As he ought to, Kaito thought. The magician had spent most of today's history lecture thinking about what punishments he could dole out if Hakuba was unsuccessful in his dare. By the end of the period, the teacher had been stammering nervously every time her gaze caught on his wicked smile, thinking that Kaito was about to pull something big during class.
Hakuba didn't lose his blank expression until he turned back to Aoko and smiled briefly. "I have no plans that couldn't be put off a day. Which museum did you have in mind?"
"The National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno district. Will we see you there, then?"
"It would be my pleasure. I'm familiar with the Kahaku, which opens at nine I believe."
"Right. See you there." Aoko moved to find another victim, but Kaito came up and tapped her on the shoulder.
"What was that for?"
"Aoko doesn't know what you're talking about." She blinked entirely too innocently for Kaito's comfort.
He frowned, suspicious. "Did you make me promise because you knew I wouldn't go if Hakuba-kun agreed first?"
"You should really make an effort to be nice to him, Kaito. He's your classmate."
"Ahoko, that wasn't an answer."
"Yes, Aoko made you promise so that all of Aoko's friends would go somewhere together without one of them being an idiot." She stuck her tongue out at him. Kaito rolled his eyes and went back to planning, wondering which buildings in the city had exactly twenty-six floors.
xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx
SAGURU
Saguru checked the time on his pocket watch as he exited Ueno Station and began walking to the National Museum of Nature and Science – the Kahaku, as it was commonly known – which was only a few blocks from the station. At about two minutes before nine, the museum came into view and after coming around to the front end Saguru spotted Nakamori Aoko and Kuroba Kaito waiting at the bottom of the front steps with three others.
He recognized Koizumi Akako, Momoi Keiko, and Takumi Haruka from his class. He was familiar with Koizumi and Keiko because they were good friends with Aoko and were regulars in the audience at Kid heists, but he only knew Haruka because she sat in the desk in front of him. He also knew her because she had asked to take his picture for the school paper when he'd first started attending Ekoda High. She was rather quiet and soft-spoken in comparison to Keiko and Aoko, but he found her to be an agreeable and polite person to talk to the few times they'd been assigned as partners in classes.
"Hakuba-kun!" Aoko called out happily when she spotted him.
"Here at nine o'clock on the dot," Kuroba snorted after glancing at his wristwatch. "Figures."
"At least we can always count on him to be on time," Keiko giggled. "G'morning Hakuba-kun!
"Good morning, Keiko-kun." Saguru bowed and greeted the rest of the crowd too.
"Morning," the girls chorused back. Kuroba only yawned, nodding his head.
"So now we're only waiting for –" Aoko started.
"Sorry we're late!"
Saguru looked back the way he'd come and spotted two boys – also from their class –running to join them.
One was Saiki Haru, Ekoda High's sports superstar. Rumor had it that back in middle school, Saiki and Kudo Shinichi had been great rivals on the soccer field before the infamous Detective of the East entered Teitan High and quit playing. Saiki was also the son of Officer Saiki Fume of Division Two, whom Saguru had worked with numerous times during Kid heists.
The other boy was Hayashi Raito, a good friend of Kuroba's in the drama club. Saguru wasn't nearly as familiar with Hayashi as he was with Saiki, but Hayashi had come to the detective to consult on the costuming for a Shakespearean play. Saguru had been impressed with Hayashi's eye for color coordination, attention to detail, and use of varying textiles.
The two boys joined the group, panting. "Don't worry. You're not late," Keiko giggled. "Hakuba-kun only just got here himself. If anything, you're only a minute or two late."
"Hey, Raito," Kuroba spoke up. "Where's your girlfriend? I thought you said you'd bring her with you so we could meet her."
"Sorry," Hayashi laughed. "I'm afraid she's come down with a cold. She wanted to come, but she was feeling well."
"Aww!" Aoko sighed. "That's too bad. Aoko really wanted to meet her. She's from Shibuya, right?"
"Shibuya?" Koizumi repeated, raising a delicate eyebrow. "That's on the other side of Tokyo from Ekoda. How on earth did you two meet?"
"We met at a drama competition last spring," Hayashi explained.
"Oh!" Kuroba exclaimed, bringing his left fist into the palm of his right hand in an "a-ha!" gesture. "Is she the redhead you were making puppy eyes at every time you saw her?"
"I was not making puppy eyes at her!" Hayashi exclaimed, red faced. "And yes, that's her. Her name is Kanami Mariko." Saiki and Kuroba snickered at the teen's denial.
"Well, now that everyone's here and the museum's open, let's go!" Aoko cheered, leading the way up the steps. Everyone else fell in line amiably.
After paying the entrance fee in the Japan Gallery, their group headed up to the top floor with plans to work their way down and out to the Global Gallery that was in another building behind the Japan Gallery. Saguru kept at the back of the group, watching their reactions to the various exhibits. The girls enjoyed looking at the butterflies and animals displayed on the third floor and awed over the minerals in the "Active Japanese Islands" exhibits. Saguru kept a particular eye on Kuroba in case the teen got any ideas about the shinier minerals. Kuroba and Saiki found the fossils and the skeleton of the Futabasaurus in the North Wing on the third floor entertaining, as well as other dinosaur exhibits on the other floors.
The second floor was more to Saguru's tastes, seeing the various kinds of animals that were indigenous to Japan, the exhibits on DNA and evolution, and exhibits showcasing Japan's history and people. When they returned to the first floor, Kuroba made a lot of cracks about Saguru having a clock fetish when they went through the "Temporal Hours and the Japanese Clock, Wadokei" and "Modernization of Clock Industry" exhibits. After one particularly lewd comment, Aoko knocked him upside the head and scolded him something fierce, much to everyone else's amusement.
Things proceeded much the same in the Global Gallery, starting on the top floor and working down, as they moved from exhibits on the natural world and those of science. Saguru and Aoko managed to keep Kuroba away from the underwater sea life exhibits that might have set the ichthyophobe off. Kuroba was fine with whales and any marine life that wasn't a fish, but Saguru and Aoko were not taking any chances. None of their other six companions were aware of Kuroba's phobia and Kuroba probably preferred it that way.
They had a rather late lunch at roughly two o'clock at the restaurant back on the main floor. "Hey!" Aoko exclaimed after they paid for their meals and were making their way to the staircase for the three basement levels. "There's a special exhibit going on right now!" Saguru looked up and spotted the banner announcing an exhibition on the occult and mythical.
"Let's go check it out!" Keiko exclaimed, bouncing excitedly.
They paid an additional fee to go inside the special exhibition hall and made their way through displays ranging from Japanese mythologies and global creatures from sea monsters to witchcraft. Saguru had seen similar displays at historical sites in England and America pertaining to the witch trials. He noticed that Koizumi found these exhibits unnerving. She looked uncomfortable standing beside the displays and depictions of the trials and burnings, but was equally transfixed, remaining behind while the others moved on to a display about various dragon myths.
"Horrible, isn't it?" Saguru commented softly as he stepped up beside her. Koizumi stiffened and Saguru had to give her credit for not jumping in surprise. "Whether they meant good or ill will, any and all that were suspected were persecuted," Saguru continued, staring at a rather gruesome rendering of a "witch" tied to the stake burning. "Funny what humans will do in order to preserve what we believe to be natural and reject what is unnatural."
"…My great grandmother was burned for being a witch," Koizumi said so softly that Saguru barely heard her. "My grandmother was almost burned too."
"I've heard Kuroba accuse you of being one," Saguru said, raising an eyebrow in inquiry.
"Not accuse," Koizumi smirked. "It's not an accusation if it's true."
The other eyebrow joined its fellow up near his hairline before smiling and nodded. "Fair enough."
"…You're not joining to deny the existence of witches, Mr. Logical Detective?" Koizumi scoffed. "I thought you didn't believe in magic."
"I don't," Saguru stated, matter-of-factly. "But I believe in the practical uses of medicinal herbs and their uses in the practices of witchcraft and the wiccan arts. Like any other religion, I recognize the practices of witches and the wiccans. Just because I myself don't practice or believe in something doesn't mean that it isn't meaningful and real for those that do. If you say you are a witch, Koizumi, then you are, and I respect that just as I do Aoko for being a Shintoist and Kuroba an Atheist."
Koizumi looked shocked, more than likely not having expected that sort of answer. "And what are you, Hakuba-kun? What religion do you practice? Or are you an Atheist like Kuroba-kun?"
"I'm a Christian."
"Just Christian? Not Catholic, Baptist, or Anglican?"
"Just Christian," Saguru chuckled. "I'm not particularly religious, but I do believe in God and attend mass when I'm home in England with my mother who is a Catholic."
Koizumi watched him with a considering gaze before smiling. "I see."
"Akako-chan! Hakuba-kun!" Saguru and Koizumi looked up to see their classmates waiting for them at the end of the hall. Kuroba was looking at Koizumi with some concern, undoubtedly noticing that they were still by the witch trials exhibit. The others were just looking on curiously, probably wondering what was holding them up.
"Shall we, Koizumi-kun?" Saguru asked, offering her his arm.
"Why not?" she shrugged with a smirk, looping her arm through his.
They were halfway to the others when Koizumi bumped his shoulder with hers. "Akako."
"Pardon?"
"You may call me Akako," she said regally, her nose upturned slightly in the air.
Saguru nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "All right, but only if you call me Saguru." Akako leveled an amused glance at him before slipping her arm from his and rejoining Aoko.
xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx
KAITO
Kaito wanted to know what made Hakuba Saguru tick. Pun intended. This museum outing was a rare opportunity to observe the detective outside of classroom and heist settings. He'd seen Hakuba annoyed, amused, bored, reserved, and a teensy bit friendly (once), but he wanted to know what else was there. Perhaps he would let something slip that would reveal his motives.
Unfortunately, it became clear fairly quickly that Hakuba was doing some examination of his own. By dawdling a few steps behind, the blond had a perfect view of everyone else in the group. Kaito didn't want Hakuba to catch him looking, so he threw himself into the museum experience and took mental notes when the detective was distracted with the exhibits or their other companions. In the "Active Japanese Islands" exhibit, though, he didn't even glance over once. Kaito could practically feel Hakuba's eyes glued to him as he skimmed the minerals display case disinterestedly and glided past. Puh-lease, like he was going to do any Kid-themed reconnaissance with the detective around. Kaito wasn't an amateur.
He got decidedly nervous when Koizumi and Hakuba loitered in the witch trials exhibit. The two people just short of having proof that he was Kid were getting chummy, if the arm offered by Hakuba was any indication. If Koizumi was letting Hakuba in on her otherworldly talents – which may or may not be the case – he rather hoped that flying on broomsticks was not brought up by either party. The last thing he needed was for the alibi she'd given him to crumble. Ah, and she better not mention any truth potions either.
After the special exhibit, Saiki-kun realized that he'd left his mobile phone in the restaurant and Raito offered to go back with him to look for it. The girls decided to make a group bathroom trip while they waited for them, so Kaito found himself alone with Hakuba outside the ladies' room.
"So. Any interesting cases lately?" Kaito didn't really care, but the half-Brit kept looking at him like he expected Kaito to make a break for the precious stones.
Hakuba tilted his head thoughtfully and turned to stare across the hall. "There's a personal mystery that I made some progress with earlier in the week, but now I have to prepare for the next piece."
Was that a reference to their rooftop meeting? Whether it was or not, Kuroba Kaito shouldn't know something that only Hakuba and Kid did. "What, so it's like a puzzle rather than a murder?"
"Something like that."
Hakuba straightened abruptly and crossed the hall to where a little girl about five or six years old was sitting on one of the benches. She was trembling but clenched her fists in her dress, too brave to cry. Kaito watched him kneel down to her height. "Are you lost? Where's your adult?" It wasn't that loud in this section, so Kaito could hear them clearly.
"Daddy's been in the toilet for a long time. What if the toilet monsters got him and pulled him in? I want my daddy!"
"Well, I will personally go check for you, okay? What's your father's name?" Kaito noticed that Hakuba remained perfectly calm and didn't correct the girl's assumptions.
"Daddy's name is Daddy."
He chuckled, and Kaito stared. Hakuba, chuckling in a non-sarcastic way? Was the detective nerd actually comfortable with kids? That was a surprise. "Okay, what's your name, then?"
"Yamaguchi Kyou, six years old."
"Alright, Yamaguchi-chan, I'm going to bring you to my classmate Kuroba Kaito and he's going to make sure you stay safe while I go check the men's room for your father." She nodded and took his hand as Hakuba walked her over. "Kuroba, meet Yamaguchi Kyou."
"I heard." He pulled a rose out and presented it to her grandly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, young lady. Have you been enjoying the museum?"
She lit up. "Yeah! The dinosaurs are the best. I want to be a brontosaurus when I grow up. Dad says I have to eat my vegetables if I want to get strong, but I don't like them."
Peripherally, Kaito noticed Hakuba stroll into the men's room. "Kyou-chan! All brontosauri eat vegetables!" He lowered his voice and leaned in conspiratorially. "I've always wanted to be a pterodactyl, you know. Give me a set of wings and I'd be the happiest dinosaur around."
"Do you eat your vegetables, Kuroba-san?"
"Pterodactyls are carnivores, but since I like veggies, I guess I eat both."
Hakuba emerged from the restroom, a carefully blank expression on his face. "Kuroba, why don't you show Yamaguchi-chan that card trick you showed me?"
Kaito frowned. "Hakuba, I haven't –"
"You know, that long one," he emphasized. "It was incredibly diverting." Oh. Oh. He'd come out alone, so something was wrong with Kyou-chan's father. Hakuba wanted him to buy time so the girl wouldn't get more worried while the detective got help.
"Ah, that one. I remember now." Hakuba flashed him a brief look of thanks before whipping out his phone and race-walked off in the direction of the admissions desk. Kaito pulled out a deck of cards and began telling a story about the crafty jack of clubs, stringing together smaller tricks that went along with the narrative, which he made up on the fly.
The girls emerged from the restroom and joined them, Keiko and Takumi-chan cooing over Kyou while Kaito explained that Hakuba was looking for her father. He continued the story and Kyou was so entranced that she didn't notice Hakuba returning with a security guard, both of whom entered the bathroom. Hakuba looked worried. Kaito kept his poker face intact while he regaled his five audience members, realizing that he was quickly running out of plot and needed to stretch things out longer, if the problem was that serious. Raito and Saiki-kun came back and joined the listeners right about when the jack of clubs surprised the court by kissing the king of hearts.
Unluckily, little Kyou noticed the EMTs rolling a stretcher past and promptly burst into tears. "Where's my daddy?" The guards who'd showed up to man the door glanced at each other. A few police officers entered the scene too, which suggested something more sinister than an accident.
Hakuba rejoined the group, pulling off a pair of red stained gloves before concealing them in his voluminous pockets. "The monsters tried to take him, Yamaguchi-chan, but he got away. He's going to be fine, but he'll have to go to the hospital first." Kaito heard one of the inspectors order his junior officers to go with security to check the cameras for suspicious figures that could be concealing a blunt weapon. Kaito fought to keep his eyebrows from shooting up. It was a murder attempt, then.
A tall policewoman approached the group to take Kyou to the hospital. The child didn't want to leave and clutched Kaito. He promised to walk her to the car and she reluctantly acquiesced. Everyone else from Kaito's group except for Hakuba followed behind. Kaito glanced back one last time to see him talking to the inspector and gesturing at the security camera. It was only when Kaito got home that he realized that, despite not figuring out which buttons to push on Hakuba, he'd learned quite a bit about the detective on this little excursion:
Not so stuffy that he couldn't have a good time. More intuitive than he let on – he'd known there was a real problem rather than just a little girl upset because she didn't have her favorite toy. Good with kids. Not just courteous, but genuinely compassionate.
Fascinating.
xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx
MG: And that's chapter two! Kid's got a killer heist note coming up and we're looking forward to their next encounter.
SR: Hakuba's also got to work in a Lupin quote during a conversation and have it recorded at some point next chapter too! Both boys are sure in for an interesting time.
MG: Definitely!
SR: This chapter was a lot of fun to write. For me, I really got to delve into Hakuba's thought processes, especially in the opening of the chapter about his motives for meeting with Kid. A reviewer - Jasnah on fanfiction - had pointed out to us that Hakuba's motives were unclear and him being the one to propose these meetings was out of character for the usually straight laced detective. It gave the both of us a lot to think about. MG did a really good job keeping me away from my dark side on this one. Hopefully we've cleared up a few questions and have managed to keep Hakuba satisfactorily in character. Thanks Jasnah!
MG: Yeah, this chapter was great. Kaito doesn't really know Saguru that well outside of the classmate and detective-thief roles, so it was nice that he got to see the person behind the pocket watch, so to speak. We've added a couple cool OCs to balance out the group dynamics and to give Kaito and Saguru some guy friends. Hopefully they'll be recurring in the background of Challenge Accepted, so look for more about them as we go. Developing new characters is a fun experience too.
SR: Also, The Kahaku is actually a real museum in Ueno Tokyo. We (me more so than MG) used the English version of their website for reference, but the special exhibition about the occult was totally made up. It was just a great way to bring Akako into the story because we both love her as a character and wanted to use her for more than exposition and as just a background character. Besides, if Kaito has Aoko, then Saguru should have Akako, even if we're not shipping them as couples, they make great bffs. ;)
MG: The case at the end was a total surprise to me. Suddenly there was a little girl in distress and two teenagers who were good with kids, and it just wrote itself. I was incredibly relieved that it was a non-lethal case. Please review! Every bit of feedback is wonderful :)