Chapter 5: The Fishy Magician

Kaito was so glad that he'd come! He knew that seeing magic performed up-close and in-person was far better than seeing it on a screen, but truly, with the visually stunning appeal the Fishy Magician brought to the stage, magic had taken on a whole new light for him! Never-mind the fact that it perhaps wasn't even the magic that impressed him, seeing as he'd observed his father making both bigger and grander things appear and disappear before... Regardless, Kaito was downright giddy!

He chatted with the other children after the show, showing off a trick or two of his own, though he barely knew a handful.

The adults which were observing them seemed impressed all the same, surprised to see any tricks at all from one so young. Though, to be fair, he was the son of the greatest magician yet-to-date, and they had no doubt that one day the boy would be a marvelous magician himself.

Kaito was pleasantly surprised when none other than Minamoto Futsuji approached him, still wearing his purple magician's outfit with comical fish-decorated lapels. Kaito's eyes bugged-out and he instantly gave the man his undivided attention.

"Hey, boy, those are some nice little tricks. Let me guess: You're the son of Toichi-kun, aren't you?" He asked, and Kaito instantly nodded, gaping at the man like a fish out of water.

"Y-you!" Kaito finally managed, stammering in excitement. "You're one of my favorite magicians!" He exclaimed suddenly, with no regard for the volume of his voice. Luckily for him, his was one of only many loud child voices at the party, seeing as it was the birthday of a by-then six-year-old. "I have your poster on my wall! Three of 'em!"

The man laughed boisterously, a smile evident on his face. "Oh? I'm glad to hear it!" He glanced around, looking for Toichi. "Your father is around, I presume? I thought I saw him earlier..."

Kaito nodded, glancing around the room himself for a moment but all-too-quickly re-focusing on the elder man before him. "I don't know where he went, but I'll find the old man later! He's around all right! He definitely wouldn't leave me here because he's always getting mad if I run off! But now look, it's him who did it this time!" Kaito exclaimed triumphantly, as if he had just proven some all-important point.

Minamoto nodded. "Of course, of course. He's a responsible fellow: We'll find him later. What about your mother though? I'd like to say hello. It's been quite a while since last I saw her..."

Kaito shook his head. "'Kaa-san isn't here! She was busy going somewhere else," he clarified.

Minamoto nodded and his smile grew. "Oh? I see. That's too bad." He looked around again, noting that the other children had been distracted by the cutting and serving of the birthday cake which was currently taking place. "Say, boy... What's your name, lad?"

"Kuroba Kaito!" Kaito answered dutifully.

Minamoto nodded. "Right. So, Kaito-kun, I take it you like fish?"

Kaito nodded vigorously. "I love them! They're so pretty!"

Minamoto chuckled. "Well then, how would you like to see all of them?"

Kaito's eyes widened. "ALL of your fish?" He nodded vigorously at the offer.

Minamoto chuckled and motioned for Kaito to follow him. He did so happily, trotting along behind the man. Thus-far, this had proven to be one of the most exciting and happiest nights of his entire life!

Minamoto lead them down the service hallway and out of the back exit. Kaito hesitated for a moment at the back entrance to the outdoors, gazing at the dimly-lit parking lot before him.

Minamoto, sensing his hesitation, pointed to a large luxury RV towards the back of the lot. "I keep them in there with me, where I usually sleep and live while out and about. The walls on either side on the inside are lined floor-to-roof with lit-up fish tanks!" He said enticingly, and Kaito grinned, instantly hopping off the step that lead down to the parking lot's asphalt and catching up to the older man in a few quick, short strides. They continued along to the vehicle, Minamoto opening the door for him. Kaito thanked him and stepped inside, taking his shoes off by the stairs as Minamoto came in behind him.

Kaito's eyes widened as, true to his word, nearly the entirety of the whole RV was lined front-to-back, top-to-bottom, with a glass-wall type fish-tank on either side, each one coming about a foot outward into the cabin of the moveable home. Besides just the fish in the tanks there were cute cartoony fish imprinted onto the sofa which was present in the room, and colorful fish mobiles hung from the center of the ceiling, leaving fish characters suspended in the air above them.

Kaito found it all wonderful, the fish tanks most of all as he peered into them, noticing briefly his reflection in front of him due to the mirrors which were set behind the tanks and against the walls of the RV.

"Do you grow these fish yourself?" Kaito asked as he began to walk around, staring up at all the different kinds of fish.

Minamoto nodded, his eyes never leaving Kaito's small frame. "Of course, Kai-chan." Kaito didn't notice the nick-name, too distracted by the breathtaking sights before him.

"My 'Tou-san does that with our doves! He lets me help, too! I get to feed them sometimes and pet them! They really like to land in my hair: 'Kaa-san says it's because my hair is messy and soft like the inside of a bird's nest!"

"Is that so?" Minamoto said quietly. "You have wonderful indigo eyes," he commented as he strolled closer, stopping just behind Kaito.

Kaito smiled at him briefly in the mirror before returning his gaze to the fish. "Everyone says that!" He announced proudly. "Mommy and Daddy love 'em too! They talk about it all the time!"

"I can imagine."

Kaito shrugged, eyes averted upwards as he watched a particularly white Koi swim near the top of the tank, as if it were gliding through the air above him like the fish on the mobile. Watching it, for some reason far beyond his field of comprehension, reminded him of his father... Elegant and larger than life itself….

Kaito's smile faded a tad. "We should get Dad. He'd love to see this!" Kaito commented, his grin expanding once more at the thought of showing all this to his father.

He opened his mouth to say more, but words never came out as a sickly-sweet smelling cloth covered his nose and mouth, held into place by a bruising grip. His eyes instantly fluttered as he took in a deep breath out of surprise, entirely non-comprehending of what was going on. He fell unconscious within moments.

The Fishy Magician lifted the boy before laying him down upon the sofa. He proceeded to the front of the RV, climbing into the driver's seat and turning the ignition switch. The engine cranked and hummed to life, the sounds reaching neither the unconscious boy on the sofa nor the guests across the lot and inside the building.

Within a few moments they were off, down the road under the cover of night, towards a pre-determined location known only by one man on the whole of the Earth.

And that man was not Kuroba Toichi.

A/N: Reviews appreciated!