A/N

-Apologies for OOCness

-I have no knowledge of legal procedures in-verse nor IRL and I guess it shows :/

~•~

Hakuba was running up the stairs to the roof almost losing any hope of catching up to the thief, let alone catching him.

He opened the door to find out, for his surprise, that not only was it unlocked, but the phantom was still there setting on the rails, and facing the door.

Who is he kidding? This is Kid. Of course it would be as easy to him to throw himself backwards to the wind as any other method of escape.

Kaitou Kid silently tossed the gem his way. Hakuba caught and stashed it absentmindedly while keeping an eye on the elusive thief who, by the looks of it, was not elusive at all tonight.

"Kid!" Hakuba declared by way of greeting and acknowledgement, but did not approach. He was impatiently waiting for the thief to make his move.

Kaitou Kid took off his monocle and hat, flattened the latter, and tucked them into his jacket's breast pocket.

"It's your lucky day, Tantie-san." He looked uncharacteristically serious and somewhat melancholic as he put his hands forward for cuffing.

Hakuba looked at his friend in shock. He always knew it was this face behind all the masks and tricks and phantom-ness, but he was never prepared for such an easy surrender from either of the boy's personas.

He finally walked up to him, "Very well, then."

He put the cuffs on the offered hands, knowing too well they placed no restrictions on the escape artist if he really wanted to get out of them.

The detective took out his phone with a deep sigh and held it to his own face, "This is Detective Hakuba Saguru making an arrest by the authority extended to me by Inspector Nakamori Ginzo, Head of the Kaitou Kid Task Force."

He switched the camera to other boy's face "Kuroba Kaito. You are under arrest", here he panned down to the cuffs, then back to the face "for frequent offenses of: Theft, breaking and entering, damage to public property, impersonating several civilians and police officers, and wasting police time; all under the guise of Kaitou Kid AKA Phantom Thief 1412. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney."

"Wow! You sounded so legally there, Mr. Detective." Commented Kaito without mirth after the recording ended.

"Can't say the same about you. You sound nothing like yourself"

Kaito shrugged, "Well, contrary to common belief, I'm not all made of magic and dreams and moonlight. Reality does catch up, after all."

"Never picked you for a quitter."

"Neither did I, but here we are."

"Kuroba. What is all this about? Talk to me." Hakuba's tone turned from disappointment to earnest pleading with hints of anger.

"I thought I told you to figure it out on your own."

"I have a theory but I want to hear it from you, plus you have the quitting part to explain as well."

"I also thought I had the right to remain silent."

"If you can't see I'm trying to listen as a friend not as detective, then forget I even offered."

"I will explain everything once in custody, not enjoying this story enough to repeat it. But, short version is.. the peaceful little dove realized it is no match for a whole flock of evil crows. Not to be the man that reminds an English man what's another name for a flock of crows."

"Murder.. Forgive me for saying this, but the odds were never in your favor to begin with. So why now? What changed?"

"I changed. I'm tired of all the secrecy and the memories and hurting Aoko and chasing after a mirage."

After a long pause in which Hakuba wished he was capable of providing emotional support, he held his phone and deleted the arrest clip.

He then un-cuffed Kaito, feeling it only necessary because the magician showed no sign of trying to slip out on his own.

"The dove might had its wings clipped by darkness, but there is no need for it to walk willingly into a cage. I know of at least three hawks who can and will chase the crows to the end of earth, not counting Watson." he offered a thin smile as he nudged Kaito toward the door.

Kaito chuckled lightly, "Oh God! Not the three egotistic stooges. I'm already missing Nakamori-keibu and his goons."

Hakuba walked to the door with Kaito in tow. He readjusted his deerstalker theatrically, "The hunt is afoot."

~•~