KAITO
Kaito spun around in his chair idly as evening fell on Wednesday, thinking about the next heist. Well, maybe not the next one. If he skimmed through one in a few weeks, made it an easy one with minimal special effects, he could put more planning into the Halloween heist. October the 31st was the perfect night for a phantom. He could invite the fans to wear their Halloween costumes. Ooh, fun. Kaito might skip a mid-month heist and funnel all of his efforts into completing his challenge on Halloween. It would be magnificent. Yes. Kaito jumped up from the chair and did some stretches, loosening up as he mentally plotted. Where would be the best place to hold a Halloween heist? An old, potentially haunted mansion would be ideal, but no jewel owner would keep their valuables in a place with low security. Perhaps a regular mansion might do if Kaito added the scare factor himself? No, actually, there wouldn't be room for all the fans he wanted to come. It would have to be a public place.
Kaito checked which gems were going to be on display at the end of October and one stuck out. There was a topaz called the Sun-drop which would be shown in the Mori Art Museum across the city until mid-November as part of a thematic exhibit about heavenly bodies. The gallery was a huge space on the 53rd floor of the Mori Tower and perfect for a large audience. He illegally downloaded the blueprints and printed them out, and examined them while hanging from the gymnastic high bars in the Kid Room. Kaito frowned. The architect hadn't been particularly worried about accuracy when he or she had drawn the outlines. He remembered from his class visit there a year ago that the space where the topaz was supposed to be exhibited was definitely bigger than what the measurements on the plans indicated.
Well, no plans could be a substitute for seeing things with his own eyes. Dropping the plans, Kaito gripped the bar, tucked his legs in to his chest, and flipped over the bar before dismounting. Humming to himself, Kaito threw on a disguise and left the Kid room. The gallery was open for two more hours, enough time to get there and look around while the lights were still on. He'd come back later when everything was dark to get a feel for the ventilation shafts and emergency exits.
As he eyed the topaz through glass, his phone warbled the theme song from a popular anime and Kaito checked the caller ID: Hayashi Raito. He hesitated. Right now he wasn't Kuroba Kaito, Hayashi's friend; he was the Kaitou Kid on reconnaissance. He was currently in disguise and this persona, Ueda Tarou, had a deeper voice than his own. Answering the phone in Ueda's voice was out of the question, because Hayashi would think someone else had Kaito's phone. However, answering as himself would alert anyone who might be watching that Ueda Tarou could change his voice easily. The other alternative was not to answer at all and let the call go to voicemail. He had six more rings to make up his mind.
The part of his mind that was Kid and analyzed situations with a mere glance told him to let the phone go. It likely wasn't anything that couldn't wait until tomorrow when they were in school. Kaito couldn't jeopardize his and his father's work because of an ill-timed phone call during preparations.
The other part of Kaito's mind, the one that wanted to make people happy and felt strongly about the people in his life, was diametrically opposed. Friendship was important and the heist was weeks away. So what if he had to trash one disguise? He could use the individual costume pieces for other personas. He'd known that he didn't have to show any kind of identification here if he bought a ticket with cash, so Ueda Tarou wasn't someone he'd put effort into.
He flipped the phone open and cleared his throat. "Hey, Raito. What's up?"
"I've got a question for you about Hamasaki's costume. Is this a good time to talk?"
"Sure. I could even swing by if you're home, but I have somewhere to stop off at first."
"It shouldn't take that long. By phone is fine."
"Okay." Kaito made use of his ability to multi-task and chatted with the brunet about color schemes for costuming while taking in every detail about the gallery. "Hey," Kaito began after they'd worked out the costume troubles, "I remember that the soccer match on Friday is an away game in Shibuya. Because your girlfriend is from there, I was wondering if you were still going to sit with us?"
"Yeah. About that." He laughed. "I'm not sure. She wants to meet everyone, but Mariko-chan is incredibly passionate about her school. As much as I want to support Saiki-kun and the other players, I don't think she and I should sit on the Ekoda side."
"I'm sure our boys won't take it personally if you sit with us but cheer for Shibuya High just this once. Especially if she's hot. They'll totally understand."
"Ah, I hope so. Good night, Kaito-kun."
"Good night." Kaito hung up and made one last circuit around the room with the Sun-drop before leaving the museum. He hadn't been lying when he'd said he had an errand to run, and it was almost time for it. Kaito found a convenience store to change out of his disguise and bought a mixture of sweets. After that, he took the train over to Ueno.
"Kuroba-san!" The little girl shouted when he knocked on the doorframe of the hospital room.
"Kyou-chan!" Kaito cooed. "How are you holding up? Is your daddy doing better?" Yamaguchi-san was sleeping at the moment.
"Yeah. The police caught the monster that was hurting Daddy." She lowered her voice. "It looked like a person, but I know better."
"Oh, you do, huh?" He pulled the bag of candy out of his sleeve with the flair of a performer and offered it to her.
"Thank you!" She pulled off the wrapper on a lemon candy and popped it in her mouth. "I'm so glad I met you, Kuroba-san. Lots of grownups are too busy to play."
"Well, soon enough you'll have your father back to play with you."
"Yup! So, what happened to the jack of clubs after he kissed the king of hearts?"
"Ah, the story! I don't know; I haven't thought of the ending yet. I'll come back soon with more stories about the tricky jack of clubs, Brontosaurus-chan."
"What about the pretty blond man who found the monster? Will he come too?"
"Pretty blond–? Oh, you mean Hakuba. I could ask him at school."
"Good." Kyou persuaded him to do more magic tricks and he taught her how to do the Sudoku in the newspaper so she'd have something to do while waiting for her aunt to pick her up. He left for Ekoda smiling.
xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx
SAGURU
After school on Thursday Saguru sat at his desk thumbing through the sketches and lists of materials he'd made up for his challenge. He just knew that Kid was going to take advantage of his suggestion about holding a Halloween heist, so Saguru figured he had until then to complete his challenge. That left a little over three weeks to plan and actually execute said plans. He'd been nervous at the initial prospect of this challenge, but Kid's taunts had poked at his pride. Kid didn't think that Saguru could do it and that if he did go through with the challenge, it wouldn't be done well. Well Saguru would show him. The thief apparently hadn't done his research into Saguru's family beyond the Hakuba bloodline and their connections with law enforcement and politics. His mother was a world-renowned make-up and fashion designer and owned her own company, Beau Vous, which had offices and studios all over the world in major cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Beijing, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Sydney, and of course in Tokyo. And it just so happened that her favorite holiday was Halloween. Sales in the company's makeup and costuming departments skyrocketed around this time of year.
After giving his supply list another quick review, he nodded in satisfaction and headed out. He knew that he would have to fabricate some appliances to pull this off successfully, and that would take time and resources that he didn't have readily available at home. He had an appointment with his mother's Tokyo branch manager of Beau Vous. He took a train to Shibuya and got on a bus that would drop him off a few blocks from his destination. When he entered the pristine office department, the secretary greeted him warmly before buzzing him in to see Tahito Kikyo, his mother's right hand woman in Japan. She also happened to be his father's youngest sister. She was the black sheep in the Hakuba family for not becoming or marrying an officer, lawyer or politician.
"Sa-chan!" Kikyo beamed as he entered her office. "It's so lovely to see you! I was surprised to get your call. I don't normally see you in here unless your mother is dragging you in by the collar."
Saguru laughed, smiling warmly as he embraced his aunt after she'd scurried out from behind her desk to give him a hug.
"Now!" Kikyo grinned. "What can I do for my favorite nephew?"
"I'm in need of your resources," Saguru told her. "Is it possible for me to rent out a work space at one of the studios? I've got a rather… unique project that requires me to alter my appearance. Not a case, mind you, it's rather… lets call it a social experiment. And it requires the utmost discretion, especially from Mum. …And Dad. I'll never hear the end of it if certain persons were to find out what it is I'm… uh…"
"Say no more," Kikyo giggled. "I'll put in a request for Workspace 7 in Studio Two to be cleared. It's at the end of the hall and should be private enough, but that's because it is the farthest workspace from the molding and fabrication rooms. Will that do?"
"Don't worry," Saguru smiled. "That will work out just fine. How soon can the space be ready?"
"Oh… a day? Maybe two if someone is currently utilizing it. I'll give you a call when the space is ready. How long should I reserve it for you?"
"Two weeks should be fine. Maybe two-and-a-half."
"How about three weeks, just to be safe?" Kikyo smiled. "I'll put in the request information this afternoon."
"And not a word to either of my parents?" Saguru asked.
"Mum's the word, my dear. But only if you promise to stop by more often. Maybe help with this November's show?"
"Perhaps, if I'm not loaded down with school and casework," Saguru smiled. "But I will stop by whenever I have the chance."
"Good boy," his aunt smiled. "I'll see you later, Darling."
"Good-bye, Kikyo-baa-chan."
xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx
KAITO
Kaito rapped on the glass door three times and waited. He looked around to see if the guards were circling this way. He'd been careless once and had been spotted on the balcony, but tonight it looked like Kaito had gotten the timing right.
Since there hadn't been a sound of protest from inside, he picked the lock and opened one of the double French doors, drawing the curtains aside. "It's been absolutely ages, Sono-chan. You haven't been online much."
"Kid-kun!" Suzuki Sonoko squealed, rushing forward to squeeze him in a hug. "How've you been? I heard the alphabet heist was eventful."
He squeezed her back. "It was an absolute riot. I almost cried laughing."
"I wish I could have been there. Makoto-san was in town, though, so we went on a date. I'll be sure to make the next one."
Kaito coughed as they separated. "Speaking of your boyfriend, Sonoko-chan, he was really intense. What he did with martial arts during the Green Emperor heist was borderline impossible."
A dreamy smile took over her face. "Yeah. He was pretty cool." The only time to date that Kaito had been caught sneaking into the Suzuki residence was during prep for the Green Emperor heist. However, since Kid had delivered a heist note earlier that day and made a bet with Sonoko which she later acknowledged publically, it was easily explained away as a one-time occurrence. She hadn't been expecting him that particular evening – they usually communicated through a pro-Kid forum with chat messages – and he'd been forced to cut short her conversation with the Mouri girl. Who knew if that little terror with the soccer balls had been listening?
He rolled his eyes good naturedly. "Whatever. I have a favor to ask of you this evening."
"A favor from Kid-sama. How could I resist?" She settled onto the carpet, cross-legged, batting her eyes dramatically.
He joined her on the floor. "Goof. I do remember specifying that when you're not pretending to be smitten with me, you refer to me as a friend."
"Who says I'm pretending?"
"Oh, stop it already."
She laughed. "Okay. It's just, I have to be over-the-moon obsessed with you outside of our private conversations because it's the only way I get into heists. It's a habit."
"Mmm, but it's not much of a stretch," he teased.
"Excuse me for getting excited about everything in my life."
"If I judged you for your enthusiasm, Milady, I would be a wretched hypocrite. However," he added, "I do remember the days when your zeal rather countered my goals. Sending Mouri-tantei to capture me for you wasn't very nice."
"I used to be pretty infatuated with you," she admitted with a grin, waving the thought into the past, "but since you revealed yourself during that murder case, and we continued talking as us rather than just the screen names RedHerring and SpellMagician, you've dulled a bit as a passionate, mysteeeeeerious figure." Even sitting down she managed to strike a dramatic pose, making a circle out of her fingers and wiggling her eyebrows as she covered one side of her face with it.
"That's the wrong side for the monocle, dear, and I could never be dull." Kaito thought the decline of her fixation might have had more to do with the fact that one of his conditions for their continued contact was that she was not to make any amorous advances. At first he'd been worried, since she'd taken a long time to agree when he'd named the condition. After three or four visits, though, she seemed to understand that he really wasn't interested in her in that way. They spent most of their time in person and online being silly and talking about expensive art and clothes. A couple months later, Kaito was comfortable enough to ramp up their outrageous behavior to include fake flirting without worrying that Sonoko would get the wrong idea. She'd talked glowingly about Kyougoku Makoto before she started dating the martial artist and Kaito had found himself running surveillance on the teen to make sure he wasn't going to hurt Kid's friend.
Kaito got back on topic. "Well, your fervor is exactly what I need this time, my darling amateur magician."
"Oh yeah?" She perked up in interest.
"What would you say to holding a costume party on All Hallows Eve?"
"A Halloween party? Sounds fun. Details, please."
"Mmm, I have a location for you: the Mori Art Museum. Everything must already be in place – reserving the space for the evening, sending the invitations, et cetera – before I can send my note to the wonderful law enforcement officers of our city."
She clapped her hands. "Let's do it. I'm sure my father knows someone who works high up in the museum. I'll need an excuse to hold it there, though."
"I'm confident you can come up with something."
"Of course. Why do you need a Halloween party to steal this heist target? Is the art museum especially hard to get into?"
"Not at all. I just happen to have some special constraints this time, nothing to worry about."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. Ah, just so you know, I'm also planning to record the entire heist, from my entrance to exit. I'm afraid telling you why would break a promise, but if by some chance we have the opportunity to converse during the evening, it would be better if our friendship was not revealed." Editing out a conversation with Sonoko would cast suspicion on her if Hakuba was late to the heist or distracted and insisted on watching the whole thing during their clandestine meeting.
"Ooh, now I'm curious. As soon as you're allowed to spill the details, let me know. I can't wait."
They chatted for a while longer before Kaito smoothly stood up and held out a hand to her. "Make sure to dress up in costume for the occasion."
She took the offered hand. "What about you? Are you dressing up?"
Kaito grinned. "I always come in costume, Sono-chan. You shall see."
"Tease." He laughed as he shut the glass door behind him and snapped open his glider, jumping off the balcony into the night.
With that taken care of, Kaito felt much better about the challenge. He even took it easy on his classmates the next day. It was a noticeable enough difference that Hakuba commented on it after the bell rang for the start of lunch. "Are you feeling well, Kuroba-kun? Your penchant for public disturbance seems to be subdued today. Not that any of us are complaining, of course."
"I'm in a good mood," Kaito shrugged. Then, feeling the need to offer an explanation, he added, "I'm going to Saiki-kun's soccer match this afternoon in Shibuya with Aoko and Raito-kun." Oh, that was a thought: Shibuya was near Ueno, where Kyou's father was hospitalized. Kaito made good on his promise to the little girl. "Would you like to come with us?"
Hakuba's expression betrayed his surprise, but he recovered quickly. "It would be a pleasure."
"You sure about that? You look shocked."
"The invitation was unexpected, but not unwelcome."
"Well, I aim to be unpredictable, so that's good to hear. Listen, I was visiting Yamaguchi Kyou-chan and her father at the hospital the other day and she was wondering if you were going to stop by. Since Ueno's not far from Shibuya, we could pop in after the match. She's precious."
Hakuba softened. "I'd like to see how she and her father are faring. I always –" he broke off for a moment, then continued: "I always feel better about the cases with no casualties." He looked resolutely over at the window, away from Kaito.
Kaito thought of the Nightmare heist. "Understandable."
"Kuroba-kun."
If Kaito had been anyone else, he would have jumped a mile high at the sound of the witch's voice behind him. He turned around. She was poised, as always, hands clasped behind her.
"Yeah, what is it, Koizumi?"
"Is everyone taking the train over to Shibuya together?"
Kaito opened his mouth to say no, but decided it would be worth it in the long run not to get on her bad side again. "Yes."
"I haven't been to a sporting event in a long time," she mused.
Hakuba spoke up. "Of course you should come too, Akako-kun."
"Yes," Kaito agreed through gritted teeth, "of course you should come too." Koizumi just gave him an amused look, like she knew what he was thinking anyway.
xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx
SAGURU
Saguru hadn't missed the strain in Kuroba's tone or the humor in Akako's expression, but he ignored it. Whatever issues there were between Kuroba and Akako, it was their own business.
"So is everyone meeting at the train station at a certain time, or are we all meeting up after school and going there together?" Saguru asked.
"Ask Aoko," Kuroba sighed. "Come on, you two might as well sit with us for lunch so that we can coordinate better." Akako and Saguru nodded, following Kuroba up to the roof where Aoko was waiting with Hayashi, Takumi, and Keiko.
"So I take it you two are going to join us for the game this afternoon?" Hayashi asked.
"If you don't mind," Saguru said, not wanting to step on anybody's toes.
"Of course not!" Keiko and Aoko replied in unison.
"The more the merrier, as they say," Takumi smiled.
The lunch period was spent hammering out plans and details for the afternoon while they ate. It was decided that they would all meet up at the train station around 4 o'clock. The game wasn't until 6, but everyone wanted the chance to meet and get to know Hayashi's girlfriend before the game. That gave Saguru just enough time to head home and change into something warm and more comfortable for the outdoor game. Today was a little on the chilly side so Saguru welcomed the addition of a scarf and sweater to his attire before leaving. He'd also received a call from Aunt Kikyo letting him know that his requested workspace was being cleared and would be ready for his use by tomorrow morning. Beau Vous' offices and its Studios were in Shibuya – where most of Japan's prominent fashion industries were located. It was a shame that the studio space wouldn't be ready by this evening, but since he'd agreed to accompany Kuroba to Ueno to visit the Yamaguchis, he wouldn't have had time to visit the space anyway.
At 4pm on the dot, Saguru met up with his classmates and they all took the train. The trip took 31 minutes and 49 seconds, and a lovely redhead with hazel eyes – Kanami Mariko – was waiting for them just outside the station. Hayashi greeted her with a wide smile and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Everyone, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Kanami Mariko," he said and introduced her to everyone.
"Nice to meet you." Kanami bowed, a soft blush on her face.
"Same to you," Aoko beamed as she bowed in return. "Aoko's so happy to finally meet you! Raito-kun talks about you a lot."
"Does he now? Nothing bad I hope," Kanami laughed, looking pleased.
"Only good things," Keiko assured her. The girls gathered around Kanami and started asking her questions while the boys hung back. Hayashi looked relieved to see his friends getting along with his girlfriend. The group followed Kanami as she showed them around on the way to Shibuya High, stopping at a local convenience store for snacks for the game.
Kanami Mariko was a delightful girl. She had a nice laugh, a witty sense of humor, and a real passion for drama and sports. Saguru thought that she and Hayashi made a nice couple and contrasted well. Where Hayashi was soft spoken, Kanami was a conversationalist. They were opposites, but clearly infatuated with each other and were making a distant relationship work.
At the field they found seats in the back of the stands on the Ekoda side around midfield. The first half of the game was really close, neither side scoring until Saiki made a scrappy move that sent him sprawling as he kicked the ball away from a Shibuya player and allowed one of his teammates to score. Saguru was amused to see the polite and amiable Kanami that they'd gotten to know over the last hour and a half turn into a rabid fan. Hayashi looked equally amused, but a little embarrassed as many of the other spectators in the Ekoda stands stared at them.
When things calmed down as the teams stopped for halftime, Kanami calmed down a bit too, but the passionate fan was still brewing under the surface.
"Your friend, Saiki-kun is really good. Poor Harada-kun had no chance recovering that ball," she grinned. "But the game's not over yet. Takama-kun is just warming up!" The gang laughed amiably, and chatted while waiting for the second half to start. Saguru only half listened to the conversation the girls started up with Kanami, asking her about the players on the Shibuya team.
"What superpower would you want?"
"What?" Saguru blinked in surprise, looking over at Kuroba.
Kuroba shrugged. "I'm bored. I sat still for the entire first half of the game. You want to answer the question?"
"Ah…Mind reading? Either that or having the ability to sense whether someone is lying or not." Saguru frowned. "Why? What about you?"
"You'd want to become a human lie detector, huh?" Kuroba chuckled. "Typical. I'd like the ability to make really good food."
Saguru shook his head. Just where was Kuroba going with this? "That's called cooking, Kuroba. I would have thought you'd want the ability to fly."
"Oh, that's good too," Kuroba mused. "But seriously, even though I can feed myself, I don't have the patience to cook anything that requires a lot of preparation."
Saguru found himself smiling. "The power to instantly make good food, huh? Why not the power to perform actual magic?"
"Absolutely not," Kuroba scoffed. "It wouldn't be as impressive that way."
"Of course. My apologies."
The game had restarted. "Ok, your turn," Kuroba said, bumping Saguru's shoulder. "Ask me a question."
Saguru raised an eyebrow at his classmate, but relaxed in his seat and thought up a question. Seriously. What was Kuroba up to? "What is your favorite game?" he asked.
"What kind of game? Board game? Card game? Party game?"
"…All of the above."
"Let me see…" Saguru watched in amusement as Kaito reclined into the chain link barrier that lined the back of the stands. "I love many, many card games, and being a magician I know many card tricks, but lately I've been playing Canasta online. Twister is my favorite party game – I always win." Kuroba grinned, winking at Saguru before humming as he contemplated his favorite board game. "Hmm… I like lots of board games, but my favorite would have to be Scrabble. I don't really care if I win, but Mom and I like to see who can play the weirdest word. What about you?"
"Well, chess would have to be my favorite board game," Saguru mused.
"Of course it is," Kuroba mumbled under his breath.
Saguru jabbed him with his elbow, eliciting a snicker from the other. "I don't play a lot of card games, but I do enjoy Solitaire. I have Solitaire apps on most of my mobile devices."
"Boooring," Kuroba yawned. "So what's your favorite party game? Monopoly? Or do you not attend enough parties to have a favorite?"
Saguru jabbed him again. "Shove it. I'll have you know I have been to many parties and have participated in many party games – many of which I wish I hadn't," Saguru huffed. "I'd have to say Apples to Apples is my favorite party game."
"Really?" Kuroba asked, looking surprised. "I never would have guessed."
"It's a family favorite on my mother's side." Saguru smiled and shook his head. "My mother got me the travel version for my birthday this year, and then one of my uncles had to go and get me Cards Against Humanity. It's so unbelievably twisted; I think you'd enjoy it immensely. With the right people it can be pretty hilarious despite how horrible and immoral it is. I won two out of the three games my family played before I came back to Japan. Apparently being a detective has given me a rather sadistic sense of humor that plays well within the game."
Kuroba's eyebrows were practically merged within his hairline. "I'll keep that in mind. I've heard of Cards Against Humanity, but I've never played."
"I'm surprised you haven't," Saguru smirked. "It's right up your alley."
"Alright, my turn again. If you had to be a mythological creature, what would you be?"
"Mythological creature, huh? Umm… An elf, perhaps? And I mean the tall elegant Lord of the Rings type elves, not the tiny Keebler elves you see in children's storybooks. They're rather sophisticated and expert woodsmen and warriors."
Kuroba nodded, satisfied with the answer before giving his. "Well, I'd like to be a dragon, because Western dragons can fly and the whole breathing-fire thing sounds like a great time, but honestly, I'd probably be a kitsune. The trickster kind, that is, not the kind that, you know, marries someone until it's revealed that they're not human and then has to leave. Yeah."
Saguru couldn't hold back a chuckle, his smirk sliding back into place. "Oh? And why make that particular distinction? You could have just said trickster kitsune and I would have known what you meant."
"Huh? Oh… well, you specified what kind of elf you were."
"I did, but only because there is a difference between children's fairytale elves and those found in adult classic fantasy literature. As far as I'm aware, there are only two main types of kitsune: the ones who bring good fortune and luck, and the ones that play pranks and bring misfortune."
"There are many stories on kitsune lore," Kuroba defended. "And while it's true that there are trickster and good deity types, there is also the spouse-lover seducing type."
"Ah, but aren't all the seducing kitsune female in the tales? You are not female, so why bother to make that specification?"
Kuroba scowled at him, but didn't deign his question with a response, turning away from Hakuba to watch the remainder of the game. Saguru chuckled, and waited. After three minutes Kuroba jabbed his elbow into Saguru's arm and demanded he ask another question, so for the remainder of the game they asked questions, bantering and teasing over the answers.
xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx
KAITO
The prank with the temporary tattoo during overtime probably was unfair, in retrospect, but Hakuba didn't have to be vindictive and tell Koizumi where they were going after the game. Of course she would decide to tag along to Ueno. Of course Kaito couldn't escape her. He was about ready to strangle someone after ending up between them on the train. The pair of them got along so well it was wrecking his nerves.
Spotting Kyou upon their arrival cheered his mood immensely. He was first into the hospital room and produced a handful of daisies for her. "One blonde detective, as promised, my darling Kyou-chan." He gestured at the two who'd walked in behind him. "I'm sure you remember Hakuba Saguru and this is –" the queen of darkness "– our classmate Koizumi Akako. She was at the museum too, remember?"
"It's good to see that you're looking well," Hakuba said formally. Koizumi murmured her greetings to the girl. Lively as ever, Kyou drew the three into playing with her dolls. It was both a little strange and amusing to see how easily Hakuba allowed himself to get pulled into the game. He really was good with kids, it seemed.
After only about ten minutes, Kaito's phone chirped the chorus to Poker Face. He flipped it open without looking at the caller ID, stepping into the hall and closing the door behind him. "Jii-chan? What's up?"
"Bocchama, there's been someone investigating around one of your aviaries." That was their code word for Kaito's safe houses scattered around the city. "At this point I'm not sure why that person's there, but I wanted to give you a heads up that your aviary in Shibuya might best be left alone for now. I was doing a regular check of the camera feeds and noticed that he's been poking around to see if anyone's inside."
Kaito glanced at his watch: there was still plenty of time to get over there and deal with the problem before the trains stopped running. Back to Shibuya, then. "I'm close by, so I'll take care of it." If the potential intruder had been kind enough to start his mischief a half hour earlier, Kaito would have still been in Shibuya and could have saved the time it took to take a train over there.
"Be careful."
"You too, Jii-chan. I'll call you back later." Kaito poked his head back into the hospital room. "I'm terribly sorry, Kyou-chan, but something rather important has just come up. I'll swing by again another day, alright?"
"Okay. Bye, Kuroba-san!"
"Farewell." He nodded at Koizumi and Hakuba. "See you two in class." Hmm. This early departure had the added bonus of getting him out of the return train trip with his classmates. There really was a bright side to everything, wasn't there?
xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx
SAGURU
Saguru frowned as he watched Kuroba duck back out of the hospital room. Kuroba was a strange one for sure. In any case, Saguru didn't want to overstay his welcome and visit longer than necessary. It had been Kuroba's idea to come visit the Yamaguchis after all and now that the sneaky magician was gone, Saguru didn't feel particularly comfortable staying. He liked children, but he never liked intruding in others' homes or spaces unless invited. Sure, Kuroba had said that Kyou had wanted him to visit, but with Yamaguchi Ryouichi unconscious Saguru didn't feel right staying alone with Kyou. Though he did wonder who was supposed to be watching her until her father recovered from his attack. According to what Kuroba had told him and what he'd seen in follow up reports from the precinct, Yamaguchi had been left weakened and ill even though he'd survived the attack.
"We should probably head home soon as well," Akako commented, as if reading his thoughts.
"Aww, do you have to?" She pouted. "Daddy does nothing but sleep all day because of that monster."
It took Saguru a minute to make the connection. When she'd been concerned at the museum, it was because she thought monsters had gotten her father. "Well, that man is locked up now."
"No, it was a monster," Kyou stated. "It looked like a man, but I know better."
Saguru smiled indulgently at the child until he caught sight of Akako's expression.
"He was an ugly brute, was he?" His friend looked strangely intrigued.
"The ugliest," Kyou wrinkled her nose in a way that made Saguru chuckle at how adorable she looked. "But you knew he was a monster from the start, didn't you, Hakuba-san? You stopped it from killing my daddy. I wanted to thank you."
"You really don't have to, Kyou-chan," Saguru protested as the little girl shot to her feet and raced over to a small Sailor Moon backpack hanging off the back of the visitor's chair next to Yamaguchi-san's bed side. She returned a moment later with an omamori charm in her fist.
"My aunt helped me make this for you," Kyou said, handing the little bag to him. "It'll help protect you against the monsters. Kuroba-san says you see a lot of them, so you'll need it."
Saguru took the charm and examined it. It was white with pink sakura blossoms, green tiles and golden kanji stitched into the silk fabric. He could smell a small hint of herbs coming from within the omamori. It was a yakuyoke – a ward against evil.
"It's well made," Akako commented. "There's ground up fennel, holly and clove leaves inside, right? And you said your aunt helped you make this. Is she a miko?"
"No," Kyou shook her head. "She says my mommy taught her when they started their herb shop. That's one of the strongest protection charms she sells."
Akako hummed, a small mysterious smile sliding into place. Saguru shot her a questioning glance, but she shook her head. "Later," she mouthed. Saguru nodded, his curiosity piqued.
He lifted the string attached to the charm and slipped it around his neck. Kyou nodded. "Now you'll be safe from the monsters. You better wear it!"
"Thank you, Kyou-chan. I will," Saguru promised as he stood up. "Well, we'd better go, Akako-kun." Akako nodded, rising gracefully.
They bid Kyou-chan a good night, leaving just as the girl's aunt arrived. Saguru introduced himself and Akako, explaining that they'd come by with Kuroba – who was apparently already acquainted with Kyou-chan's aunt. Saguru exchanged business cards with the woman and gave a final farewell to Kyou before he and Akako finally left to catch a train back to Ekoda.
"Curious little girl, isn't she?" Akako mused as they took a seat in their passenger car.
"Isn't every child?" Saguru shrugged.
"I was referring to her ability to see monsters, Saguru-kun," Akako corrected.
Saguru frowned. "What?"
"The man that attacked Yamaguchi Ryouichi was not human," Akako said imperiously as she leaned back in her seat, crossing her legs. "It was a kappa. Nasty one too. He reeked of rotting fish and sewage when the police arrested him, according to the witch I know at the station. I'm glad Kyou wasn't there to see him in person. But even still… to have known what he was before seeing his mug shots… the arts must be strong within her bloodline. I wonder who her mother is…"
Saguru started at his friend incredulously for a moment. "Let me get this straight… you're saying Kyou-chan's a witch?"
"No, silly, but her mother probably is. Kyou-chan's too young to be a proper witch. She's just a child, but she has great potential if she's able to sense such things. That kappa was old and his human guise was well formed."
Saguru shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He wasn't sure how much to accept as fact. His logical side was saying that Akako was completely nuts. However, since their conversation at the Kahaku museum, they'd become close. He trusted her and knew she had sound logic and a brilliant mind. He knew that she considered herself a witch and that she practiced the Wiccan arts, but this… this was on a whole other level. Kappas… mythical creatures… Was she saying they were real? This went beyond mere religious belief. Could he even accept the possibility that the existence of the supernatural was real outside of religious context?
"Alright," Saguru swallowed, deciding that he'd just have to trust his friend's judgment and be as open-minded as possible. "So what does that mean?"
"It means," Akako frowned, "that Yamaguchi-san's illness might not be natural. I'm going to have to consult Lucifer. I'll get back to you later about the matter and we can go visit Kyou-chan again."
Saguru nodded, sighing as he slouched back into his seat, not caring for a moment about proper posture and etiquette. His world was being turned on its ear and it wasn't even the bloody Kaitou Kid's fault this time. It was a good thing the workspace in Studio Two was going to be ready in the morning. Saguru needed something to take his mind off of witchcraft and the possibility that logic was about to fly right out the window on a broomstick.
xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx
MG: Alright, that's the first part of the Disguise Arc. I am actually over-the-moon excited because Halloween is my favorite holiday and I get to write Kaito a heist. I'm glad I got to work in my head canon that Kid and Sonoko are buds. They were canonically friends in the Magic Lovers Murder Case (manga ch 192-196). In case you haven't read it (so, spoilers ahead), Sonoko tells Ran about this guy, Doito Katsuki, that she's been talking to about magic on the internet. It sounds like they've had lots of conversations and got to know each other, and he's her favorite person in the chat group. During the case it's revealed that "Doito Katsuki" is actually Kaitou Kid in disguise (lol Kaito, way to be obvious). So despite the almost infinite breadth of the internet, Sonoko unintentionally manages to zero in on Kaitou Kid and make friends with him. I like to think that they continued talking because Kid needs friends and Sonoko's just as much of a drama queen as he is. The Green Emperor heist is much later in the manga (ch 862-864), so I won't spoil it other than what's hinted at in the text.
SR: I know I haven't read that far yet, but I look forward to reading that particular heist. In this chapter I got to introduce Hakuba's aunt, Kikyo, and start to hint at the family life he has on his mother's side. I also got to delve more into what Hakuba is like outside of work, which is never really explored in the canon. We also got to see more of our OCs, and Kyou managed to charm her way into becoming a recurring minor character. I think MG and I had a little too much fun brainstorming and plotting what's in store for her and our main leads. Akako got some screen time and will be getting more in the future. I've been enjoying writing her friendship with Hakuba. And MAGIC IS REAL! Poor Hakuba is going to be in for it.
MG: Oh, we had WAY too much fun brainstorming, definitely. *cue the evil cackle and creepy music in the background* And have I mentioned that I get to write a Halloween heist? (Yes, MG, we heard, stop squealing)
SR: Yes, but not before I get to write Hakuaba's gender-bend challege! *squeals excitedly* GOD I can't wait to write this! And this story has developed sub-plots galore. I can't wait to see where we take Akako and Kyou's storyline and see what's going on in Kaito's Shibuya safe-house. I also look forward to seeing what we can do with Akako and Sonoko's characters. I love that we are taking these important minor ladies and giving them time to shine and expand upon their characters.
MG: Indeed, they deserve some love and screen time.
SR: Please leave a review! We appreciate any bit of feedback you can give us!