Detective Conan and Magic Kaito characters, settings, and ideas do not belong to me but to Aoyama Gōshō.

Undefeated

By Taliya

I: Deterioration

He held the Midnight Tear up to the light of the full moon and sighed quietly when there was a distinct lack of crimson in its depths. The drop-shaped blue diamond winked tauntingly, a delicate but sturdy platinum chain wrapped about his fingers. He tossed the necklace into the air and caught it deftly with a white-gloved hand before secreting it in a pocket on his person. Eight years. Another bauble to return to its owner, he thought, and another failure for me. His shoulders slumped ever so slightly and his top-hatted head tipped a hair forwards as the ever-present prankster's grin slid from his lips. Eyes gazed out beyond the edge of the hotel roof in melancholy thought as a gentle breeze tugged gently at his cloak.

"You look a little weary, KID-san." The voice drifted to him from behind, muted in the lukewarm September night air.

His trademark puckish smirk snapped instantly back into place as he snickered lowly. "Perhaps," he replied, acknowledging the other's keen observational skills. "Or maybe," he suggested in a conspiratorial tone, "I'm just getting old." KID twisted around to bare the eye not hidden behind his monocle and winked impishly, and the other could not help but chuckle. Turning to fully face his audience of one he said, "Fancy meeting you here, Meitantei," as he swept his cape out in an overly dramatic bow.

The detective smirked in return. "Normally there are other matters that command my time and attention, but as there was a case not too far from here that I'd solved not all that long ago, I figured, 'Why not?'" He tilted his head as he watched the thief, hands in his pockets and one foot resting easily on a grass-stained soccer ball.

"Why not indeed?" KID pondered aloud. Their relatively peaceful conversation was shattered by the sound of pounding feet and a muffled roar of, "I'LL GET YOU THIS TIME, KAITOU KID!" from somewhere in the stairwell that led to the rooftop. The thief snorted softly and said, "I suppose that's my cue to exit, stage left." He flicked his cape theatrically, tipping his hat at the detective. "Well then…"

"Not if I catch you first," the detective retorted half in jest and half in all seriousness. The thief was too far away to use his dart watch, so he unwound himself, leg swinging backwards as he aimed the football at the thief. The ball shot from his kick like a bullet out of a gun, his aim just as true. And yet he missed, for KID had ducked at the last second, using the movement as the impetus to spring off the roof into a twenty-story freefall. The door to the stairwell burst open as policemen from the Kid Task Force piled on each other. Inspector Ginzo Nakamori, at the head of the team, barely caught a glimpse of KID's long white cape disappearing over the edge of the building before he was forced under the pile of officers, his howl of outrage muffled under the bodies.

The detective, upon seeing that he had missed his target, opted for another method. Unloading a soccer ball from his belt he kicked it after the thief, who simply laughed and looped lazily over it with the glider. Damn it, he thought, scowling at the retreating KID even though a grin tugged a corner of his frown upwards. Glancing at the Task Force, he shook his head at their antics before returning his gaze to the Tokyo skyline and the white glider rapidly disappearing from sight. A frown wrinkled his brow as his gaze turned introspective. He had not been lying when he said the thief looked weary. There was the subtlest bend to his frame, as though a weight hung about his neck and shoulders that someone less observant than he would have failed to catch.

The frown deepened as he rubbed his chin. You've avenged the death of your father with the downfall of the Black Organization, so what are you still looking for? He raised his eyes to the full moon, as though the celestial orb contained the answers he sought. Another night then, Kaitou KID.

"Kaito! Kaito!"

Blearily he pried his eyelids open, groaning as he groped for his tablet. 07:42, it announced, and he moaned loudly as his neighbor called for him once more.

"Kaito!" she yelled from her balcony, annoyance coloring her voice. "Bakaito, get up!"

He rolled off the bed to his feet, shuffling to his own balcony as he hid a yawn behind a hand. "Ahoko!" he whined back, voice thick with sleep. "It's Sunday! Sunday is sleep-in day!"

His childhood friend huffed. "Breakfast is made if you want some. Though why I even bother…" She grumbled the last part to herself as she slid the glass sliding door shut behind her, cutting off her rant. Kaito grinned at his friend and returned to his room. At last night's heist he had encountered quite a few snags and had nearly been outwitted by his archrival. He had been forced to flee, but he was still pleased with how the night went. Despite his earlier-than-expected departure, he had thoroughly enjoyed the adrenaline rush and the challenging game of cat and mouse. There had definitely been moments of panic, but he would not have traded the experience for anything—the battle of wits in order to keep barely one step ahead had thrilled him like little else as of late. He only hoped that the detective would return to his next heist, and yet…

Time had tamed his civilian persona. While he was still cheerful and happy-go-lucky, he no longer pulled as many pranks as he once did, nor did he host impromptu magic shows for passersby on the streets. Magic now was more a means to an end, and he was more than a little bitter at the realization that his passion had been twisted by his self-imposed obligation into something he no longer enjoyed nearly as much as he used to. Although the Black Organization collapsed and its members, including Snake, had all been caught, tried, and sentenced over five years ago, his own drive to ensure his father had not died in vain, his need for the absolute certainty that Pandora either never existed or was destroyed by his own hands, kept him from doffing the iconic top hat and cape forever.

Truth be told, Kuroba Kaito was tiring of wearing the mantle of Kaitou KID. His life, ever since he had first donned the white ensemble in high school, had come to a metaphorical standstill. Sure, he had gone to college and graduated top of his class at Touto University, earning his dual Bachelor of Engineering degrees in Applied Physics and Information, and Communication Engineering. He even worked fulltime at an international security firm as one of their best hardware and software developers, building, implementing, and testing the most cutting-edge systems for banks, museums, and the like around the world. It was the ideal job for him since he frequently traveled to the various sites for testing and implementation, and it made his work as Kaitou KID just that much easier. But nowadays he felt that was all he ever did. His life revolved around his work and his heists, and his personal relationships had fallen to the wayside. He had a large circle of acquaintances, but there was no one he trusted enough to consider a friend—not the way he used to view Aoko. She was still the closest friend he had, though all things considered that really was not saying much.

Nakamori Aoko—now Hakuba Aoko—had pursued a Bachelor of Laws in Public Law at Beika University in order to become a forensic scientist. She had married Hakuba Saguru two years ago, much to Kaito's immense dismay. The couple had moved to an apartment in the Haido City District and worked for Division One of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police under the guidance of Senior Superintendent Megure Juuzou and Inspector Satou Miwako. Kaito had elected to remain in his home in Ekoda as his mother Chikage still preferred to spend her time abroad, and his office was a thirty-minute commute on foot. It was convenient, and also allowed him to plan his heists in peace, considering it was the base of all of KID's operations.

Morning ablutions done, he changed into slacks and a thin sweater and fed and watered his doves before wandering next door to the Nakamori household. He let himself in with a quiet, "Pardon my intrusion." Entering the kitchen, he found Aoko frying eggs. Toast and coffee were already set on the table. Inspector Nakamori had already left for work, leaving the two young adults to their own devices. The two of them were now twenty-four years of age and Aoko was visiting home for the weekend, Saguru having opted to stay at the apartment so as not to upset his wife when he inevitably argued with Kaito over Kaitou KID's identity.

Kaito blinked over the steam rising from his cup of coffee when a plate of eggs was set on the table, Aoko taking her place opposite him. She grinned brightly at him, and he smiled back, noting how abnormally happy she seemed. "I gratefully receive," they both chimed before filling their plates with eggs and toast.

"So?" she started, fairly vibrating with barely restrained excitement. "How's work been? We haven't seen each other in months!"

"Has it been that long?" he asked, scratching his cheek in thought as he set his cup down. "I guess it has, huh?" He nabbed a slice of toast and took a bite. "Well…" he eyed her again, knowing that she had something important to tell him. "I'll get back to that in a moment. Now spill."

She needed no prodding; there was a sparkle in her eye that brightened at the directive. "Oh, Kaito, Aoko's so excited! I'm—Saguru—we're going to have a baby!"

It took a few seconds for the words to process in his brain, but when it did, he registered the idea with mixed feelings—undeniable elation and excitement for her, and a sense of something in his chest curling up and shriveling within himself. Deciding to parse out his emotions later, he allowed a genuine smile to curve his lips as he stepped around to table to wrap his best friend in a hug. "Congratulations, Aoko," he murmured into her hair, sincerely happy for her. He pressed a chaste kiss into her hair and pulled back, watching her eyes fill with tears of joy. "How far are you along? When's the due date?"

"I'm two months along. The expected due date is April first." She wiped her eyes and gazed down at her still flat belly, sliding one hand cautiously on it. "Some days Aoko still can't believe it," she whispered.

"So it's too early to tell if you'll have a boy or girl." Kaito stuffed his hands in his pockets. "April first, huh?" He grinned. "A regular little prankster then!" he exclaimed with a laugh and ducked the playful swipe to the head from Aoko. "I shall have to train him or her well!"

"Kaito!" she admonished in amused exasperation, "you'll do no such thing!" She sat back down at her place at the table and reached for an egg, only to be thwarted at the last minute by his hand grasping her wrist. Looking up in confusion as she clacked her chopsticks questioningly she asked, "Kaito?"

His eyes gleamed with excitement. "We need to celebrate, Aoko! Breakfast and dinner on me. Let's clean up and get going!" He immediately began stacking up the barely-used dishes, setting them in the sink. The eggs and toast were covered in wrap and stored in the refrigerator before Aoko had a chance to protest.

"K-Kaito!" she objected, but he was already on the phone, making a reservation for dinner.

He grinned at her as he ended his call. "Dinner tonight at Hamadaya; our reservation for three is at seven-thirty. And before you ask, the third person is supposed to be Hakuba," he added with the slightest grimace.

Aoko felt herself tear up. She had no idea what kind of strings Kaito had just pulled to reserve a spot that evening at one of the scattered three-star Michelin-rated restaurants in Tokyo considering restaurants like those were usually booked months—if not years—in advance, but the fact that he had willingly invited her husband spoke louder to her than the choice of venue for dinner. She flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he let out a strangled and surprised, "Aoko!" She kissed him soundly on the cheek before letting go, her eyes communicating more than words could do justice to him how happy and proud she was at his concerted effort to celebrate this special occasion with herself and Saguru as a pair. She hugged him again, and he returned it wholeheartedly. "Thank you so much," she said, her words muffled by his shirt, but he nonetheless heard them.

"It's nothing. You're worth it," he replied before leading her out for a meal with just the two of them.

Kaito sighed as he collapsed on the couch. Dinner had gone better than he had expected. He had valiantly refrained from prodding the half-British detective too much, and in return Hakuba had abstained from accusing him of being Kaitou KID. Aoko had been almost deliriously happy with how well the two of them had behaved. Now, stuffed with amazing food and 152,000 円 poorer, he finally had time to reflect on the day.

Breakfast had consisted of a patisserie whereupon he had treated Aoko to various pastries, quiches, and coffee, followed by an impromptu window shopping session in which they argued over the color of the baby blankets and clothing—Kaito preferred blue regardless of the gender while Aoko favored blue for a boy and green for a girl. They looked at crib designs, toys, bottles, and even diapers. The pair parted after lunch and another couple hours of window shopping, upon which Kaito returned home only to receive a call from his mother that somehow managed to eat away the rest of his afternoon. When the shadows began to grow long he bid his mother farewell and mentally prepped himself for another encounter with Hakuba.

Loosening his tie, he opened the topmost button of his shirt as he absently stared at the ceiling. He was thrilled for Aoko and Hakuba, he truly was. But his happiness was tainted with envy because he wanted what they had and yet he knew he never could, not when he still had to find and destroy Pandora, and he felt ashamed of himself. The Black Organization had been taken down with the help of Edogawa Conan—or rather, Kudou Shinichi in child-form, and Hattori Heiji, the up–and-coming detective from Osaka. Between the three of them they had gathered enough clues and evidence to bring the full force of the ICPO, FBI, CIA, and MI6 to bear, including a select number of PSIA and TMPDPSB members. Kaito had mostly remained in the background during the planning phase of the whole operation, only adding input when he spotted more out of the box options to better handle particular situations. It had certainly been a learning experience, watching the people on the right side of the law plan a major sting operation. That they had called a temporary truce with him in order to deal with a much more dangerous threat had helped ease his anxiety by a little, since he was wanted by every agency represented at their planning sessions.

The execution of their plan had been swift, meticulous, and merciless. It was a well-known fact that Kaitou KID did not cause harm to anyone—minus their ego, perhaps. But just this once, Kaito had aimed his card gun with the intent of incapacitating his opponents. His jaw had ached for days afterward from clenching his teeth as card after card had sliced cleanly through tendons and tissue, leaving behind crimson splashes, pained hisses, and broken bodies. He still had nightmares of that night, where in his dreams he had not only debilitated, but he had killed.

He blinked, and the memories receded into the dark recesses of his mind. He glanced at the clock in the kitchen. Its hands indicated it was one forty-two in the morning. With a sigh he got up, heading for a shower and then bed. Yet even as he rolled under the covers his mind was still busily churning, though now his thoughts had wandered off to the two detectives who had helped bring his father's murderer to justice. To date he still puzzled over the fact that neither detective, though in particular the Great Detective of the East, had not bothered to turn him in after the Black Organization's downfall, considering how he knew the both of them resided within the Tokyo metropolis. Kaito knew he had spent enough time around Kudou, despite being disguised as KID, for the detective to have come to some conclusions as to his true identity. His fervent desire to bring down Snake and his associates was too large of a clue to miss—it was not difficult to deduce that the current Kaitou KID was the son of the first, not after he had straight up told him. However, he had kept the truth of Pandora from the detective. There was no need to send Kudou haring after what could be a nonexistent gem. Kaito rolled over and eventually nodded off, his sleep a fitful mélange of regrets from his past and his pessimistic outlook on his future.

Morning arrived sooner than he would have liked. He crawled out of bed at a respectable 06:34, noting the dark bruises under eyes set in a face with a wan complexion in the mirror as he began to clean himself up for the day. A few dabs of concealer and he looked as though he had actually slept for more than two hours. He made a mental note to buy more seed for his doves as he fed them and changed out their water. Checking to ensure he had all the equipment he needed for work, he stepped out onto the streets, making a quick stop at a small pet store before sinking into a chair at a small café. He ordered himself a bowl of rice with sides of tamagoyaki, miso soup, natto, and green tea, studiously avoiding the grilled or broiled slimy-scaly-creature option for breakfast. As he waited for his meal, he flipped through the morning news on his tablet. A serial murder case in nearby Toyotamakami from two days ago scrolled past his fingertip, the deaths linked to two other cases in Minamicho and Koishikawa.

The door opened to admit another customer, who was greeted courteously with a gentle, "Welcome!" The customer was led to another table behind him. Kaito kept a constant peripheral awareness of people and objects at all times. It was imperative he knew what his situation was at any given time, considering his nighttime occupation, and now it was simply habit. His idle browsing stalled as his ears picked up the voice of the man behind him. He recognized it immediately, though just to be sure Kaito discretely peered behind himself with a small mirror. Meitantei, he thought, what brings you to Ekoda? Then his eyes narrowed in closer observation as he recalled the Toyotamakami murder case, Have you slept at all last night?

The detective—who also worked for Division One of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police under Inspector Satou immediately after graduation from Touto University—definitely looked worse for the wear. More like death warmed over, actually. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was as unkempt his own naturally was, and his clothes were wrinkled and creased. He slouched in his seat as he waited for his coffee, looking more than ready to take a nap right there on the table. Kaito hid the mirror as his tea was brought to him, shortly followed by his meal. Before his server left, he told her to put the detective's coffee on his tab and to order him a bowl of okayu as well. No, no need to tell him who paid for his breakfast. Feeling slightly better now that he knew the overworked man would have something more substantial than just caffeine for breakfast, he muttered, "I gratefully receive," quickly tucked into his meal, paid, and left, intent on making it early to work.

It was easy to weave his way through the morning commuter foot traffic that flooded the sidewalks—peripheral awareness notwithstanding, it was nothing compared to the Task Force running pell-mell at him in all directions trying to dog pile him, after all—and so his attention was mostly focused elsewhere when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. Kaito instinctively twisted out of the grip and pressed his back against the adjacent building, barely managing to restrain himself from reflexively dropping a smoke bomb in surprise. Startling thieves, even gentlemen thieves, was generally a very bad idea for one's health. That and it would not do to cause unnecessary panic in downtown Tokyo.

The thief blinked as he stared at his pursuant, who turned out to be none other than his favorite critic. Donning a confused expression he asked, "May I help you sir?" So much for getting to work early.

The detective, having scooted his way out of the main path of traffic, simply grinned and said, "Thanks." When he received nothing but a continued perplexed stare he expounded, "For the meal."

"Ah—it was nothing!" Kaito replied while holding his hands up and waving them before him, dumbfounded that the man had chased him out on the streets just to thank him. He reached a hand up to scratch the nape of his neck, as though embarrassed while a kind smile curved his lips. "You looked like you needed it." There was a pause as actually took a good look at the detective before blurting, "Why do you look like me?" Of course Kaito knew who the man was, but in his civilian persona, he had never met the famous detective and so had to keep up pretenses.

Kudou barked a laugh. "That bad, huh?" he murmured half to himself, ruffling his hair even more before folding his arms across his chest. "Well, I guess nothing really gets past you…" His eyes sharpened on Kaito's features as he finished, "Ne, Kaitou KID-san?" with a razor-edged smirk.

Kaito could swear that he felt his heart leap up into his throat. But years upon years of Poker Face mastery kept him from outwardly acknowledging his shock. He chuckled easily, rubbing the back of his neck. "I think you have the wrong person," he said sheepishly, inching slowly away from the detective. He made a casual show of glancing at his watch, gasping at the time. "Ah! I'm going to be late!" he yelped. "Excuse me!" and so saying, Kaito hurried off, burying himself in the throng of commuters.

He barely caught the habitual response of, "Take care then."

Kaito spent the rest of his day with his mind partially pondering the detective's peculiar behavior as he went about his work. His current project was an upgrade to the Singapore Museum of Natural History security system, where construction of the upgraded security system was nearly completely installed. The museum, in the next month, was going to exhibit a collection of gems and jewelry on loan from the Smithsonian Institute, among the jewels the Star of Zanzibar. The 118-karat rectangular cushion-cut gem was a beautiful tanzanite that possessed the rich blue, burgundy, and violet pleochroism characteristic of the stone. It was a possible Pandora candidate; the tanzanite had passed many hands oftentimes through violent and bloody methods. Kaito sighed mentally. Would this jewel finally be the one? He dearly hoped so. In five weeks' time he would be on site, to supervise and test the completed installation of the security system of his design.

He mentally wrote, discarded, and edited his next heist riddle on the walk home, stopping at a local diner for dinner. He let himself in, depositing his laptop bag on the floor by his desk. Plopping down on the swivel chair, he gazed at the portrait of his father, Kuroba Touichi. "Oyaji," he whispered, exhaustion and wistfulness lacing his words. Turning back to his desk he leaned back in the chair, allowing his head to loll backwards while he waited for his computer to boot up. He checked the evening news before slipping through his father's portrait and into Kaitou KID's lair. The lights flooded on, and Kaito gazed longingly at the old jukebox. It had been years since the machine played automatically whenever he entered the room. He would occasionally turn the jukebox on himself just to listen to his father's voice, allowing the man's warm, mellow tones and now well-learned lessons to wash over his ears.

The evenings of the week prior to his trip to Singapore he spent cleaning and reassembling his gear and replenishing his supplies in preparation for his Singaporean heist, alone. Kaitou KID no longer had an assistant, not since three years ago with Jii Konosuke's passing. The elderly man had lost a brutally swift battle with Stage Four pancreatic cancer that had been diagnosed far too late. Kaito still mourned the man's passing, as Jii had been the only other link to his father besides his mother. In addition he had been a tremendous friend, confidant, and mentor. Kaito had been willed all of the man's worldly belongings, as Jii had no living family of his own. The Blue Parrot had thus fallen into his hands, and Kaito had kept the place running in his spare time with the Legendary Cue displayed proudly in the well-loved pool hall. Oh, the irony—Kaito still sometimes laughed at the fact that an internationally-wanted thief who could barely hold his own in a game owned a billiard hall and the Legendary Cue.

With the blueprints of the museum given to him for work, it really was child's play to plan out various methods of entry and escape. The only way to liven up his heists would be with the presence of his favorite critic, but the thief had his doubts that Kudou would travel overseas to Singapore just for a KID heist.

The riddle had been sent, and the Kaitou KID Task Force had already flown in and was setting up preparations for the night's heist in conjunction with the aid of the local police. Kaito watched the preparations from his place in the security room alongside the two museum security guards. For this particular heist, he would have to dose himself with his own knockout gas after he escaped as KID, since he preferred to keep his actual job as a security developer and tester. As midnight crept closer, he felt the tingle of adrenaline begin to course through him. Since he had seen neither hide nor hair of Kudou, Kaito was fairly sure the detective would not make an appearance to this heist. Tonight's heist, though simple in execution, needed to be timed exactly. A second too late and he would be trapped in the security system of his own design with no alibi. He knew the ins and outs of the security—of course he did—but anything unexpected would force him to think on his feet instead of executing as planned. He almost wished that Kudou would show, even though the addition of the detective meant it was almost a certainty that he would be caught. As the clock in the security room counted down the seconds, the thief scooted to the back of the room.

Thirty.

He ensured the door to the security room was locked. The gas was deployed in small marbles, releasing the pink smoke two seconds after impact with the floor.

Twenty-nine.

He slid a gas mask over his face, switching easily out of his daytime work attire of pressed three-piece suit and tie.

Twenty-eight. Twenty-seven.

The gas flooded the room and he laid the sleeping guards on the floor and bound them, where they would be in no danger of falling out of their chairs.

Twenty-six.

He rerouted all audio communication in and out of the security booth to his own headset.

Twenty-five.

Checking his gear, he slid his top hat on, waiting until he was out of the room before he took of the mask and replaced it with his trademark monocle.

Twenty-four.

The security room was empty save the bodies of the two slumbering guards. Kaito vaulted easily into a ventilation shaft from the security room, knowing he had exactly twenty seconds to reach the main exhibition hall. Four seconds to spare, and he eased himself out of the vent onto one of the steel I-beams that crisscrossed the glass-top ceiling. A pre-loosened glass panel would cover his "escape", along with a dummy on a glider.

Four.

He secured a thin, nearly invisible wire to a belt beneath his jacket, tugging the pulley system he attached to the beam to double check.

Three.

The lights in the entire museum cut out, right on schedule. He dropped a flash bomb and a smoke bomb in quick succession and waited a breath before following down to the ground in the darkness, flipping his sunglasses on and twisting and distorting his downward path as he fell. He knew exactly where the lasers were despite not being able to see them, and even with his flapping cape he made it through the maze of invisible beams.

Two.

He felt the pulley begin to slow his descent as Inspector Nakamori snapped why the backup generators had not kicked in yet in the darkness.

One.

The two bombs detonated, temporarily shorting the optic nerves of anyone who had their eyes open just as he landed to the side of the case.

Showtime.

Within five seconds he had swapped the indigo gem for a square note containing just his signature doodle, and had replaced the glass case as the flare faded away. He yanked his sunglasses off and took a moment to admire the stone in the dying artificial light before stowing it securely in an inner pocket. The Task Force members were blinking watering eyes, trying to recover from their passing blindness.

Part One: goad the Task Force into a frenzy. The strobes that were meant to highlight the display case blinked on per his preprogramming, revealing Kaitou KID as he stood upright on the case, cape fluttering gently behind him and brim of his top hat tilted to cover the upper half of his face. "Miss me?" he asked with a teasing tone as he stepped back off the display into the one spot just large enough for him to stand straight in without setting off the alarms.

"KAITOU KID!" roared the inspector, "GET HIM!"

KID jumped just as the front line of Task Force members lunged for him, easily flipping over the pile of bodies while dodging the laser beams. The Task Force, despite having prior knowledge of the laser labyrinth, set the alarms off anyway. Steel doors slammed down from the doorways—each one ten centimeters in thickness and completely isolating them from the rest of the museum. The other part of the security involved the steel beams near the ceiling rearranging themselves from something that appeared to be there for both structural integrity and artistic design into a tightly-gridded cage under the ceiling. "Lovely footwork, Keibu!" he sang, watching as Nakamori squirmed and pulled his way from under the pile, red-faced and scowling.

Time for Part Two: the merry goose chase. Turning on the balls of his feet, he sprinted out into the vast arena of the still dark exhibition hall, heels clicking and laughter echoing in the enormous chamber as the thunder of the Task Force followed him as he wove his way between displays. The moonlight from the ceiling illuminated his white form, and the Task Force members could not help but feel as though they were chasing a ghost—figuratively speaking, though literally might just as well apply. As the doors were already activated, he no longer cared about the lasers.

Sixteen seconds into the chase and commence Part Three: the logic-defying escape. He threw a smoke bomb down, instantly covering himself with a black cloak as he pressed the release button on the pulley wire attachment. He barely held in a strangled, "Grk!" as the wire wrenched abruptly on his belt, yanking him off his feet and reeling him up into the air towards the ceiling. Three seconds.

The beams took thirty seconds to reconfigure themselves once the alarm had been set off. KID landed on the rotating beam and detached his pulley, stashing his black cloak and "reappearing" in a blast of smoke. Ten seconds before the cage completed itself he pulled the Star of Zanzibar from his pocket and viewed it in the full moon's light, barely keeping himself from tripping when his eyes traced the outline of a secondary gem within the tanzanite that refracted an undeniable crimson instead of the expected cooler shades. I—I've got it… I've finally found Pandora… Shaking himself he pocketed it, attempting to calm his now racing heart. Five seconds before the cage completed, he slid the glass panel aside as though to escape. "Well then…" he said with a jaunty grin, and with another smoke bomb launched the dummy attached to the glider and disappeared into the ventilation shaft.

He landed in the security room with his gas mask on. The air was still misty from his opening salvo. He swapped out of his KID outfit and stashed it under the false bottom of his laptop bag, finally taking the gas mask off. He held his breath as he tied himself up and lay down with the other guards before exhaling, inhaling deeply, and drifting into unconsciousness.

Of course, Kaito was obligated to kick up a fuss at the fact that KID had managed to slip through his security design when he came to. He had huffed, snapped, and snarled as was appropriate before he was told by the police to pack his bags and head home, which he did with unmasked fervor. His jobs in Singapore—both official and unofficial—were done. He arrived home exhausted, having been too much of a jumble of emotion to sleep on the plane. There was happiness—oh yes, there was definitely giddiness—but there was also a sense of accomplishment, relief, wistfulness, regret, and nostalgia, along with too many others to name. He shucked his clothes and headed straight for the shower, rinsing off the unclean feel that traveling always gave him. Despite the fact that it was just past three in the afternoon, Kaito burrowed himself under his bedcovers to sleep.

He woke up hours later. His bedside clock glowed 22:48 in the darkness, and he yawned and stretched. His eyes fell on his duffle, where inside the clothing lay the carefully concealed Pandora. He got out of bed and rummaged through it to find his socks. Peeling away two pairs, he squeezed the tanzanite from its hiding place in one sock, the gem heavy and cool in his palm. The full moon had been last night and so he would not be able to confirm it truly was Pandora for another month, but he believed what he had seen last night. He would wait until the next full moon for confirmation before he destroyed the gem. He stashed it safely in the KID workroom before ambling into the kitchen. Finding nothing that was really considered palatable, he grabbed his wallet, threw on a jacket, and headed out for Shibuya in search of a decent meal at this hour of the night.

Sitting on the train, he considered exactly what his plans were now. The Black Organization was gone. Pandora was his. His father's ghost could finally be put to rest. Kaitou KID could retire. The idea that his days of thieving were over was both relieving and terrifying. He could be just another average Japanese citizen. He could breathe easy knowing that he would not have a need to tangle with the enforcers of the law. He would not have to lie to anyone about his evening plans because he had no more heists to plan. He would never need to put on Kaitou KID's white suit and cape any more.

And that was the root of his disquiet. Kaitou KID had been a part of his life for so long, had become an integral part of who he was, that without it he felt oddly bereft and exposed. He knew logically that now, he was free to pursue a girlfriend, join new social circles, to get on with his life. He also understood that it would take time for him to break the habits that had kept him from being behind bars. There was no need for him to manipulate people, not any longer.

Alighting from the train, he exited Shibuya Station, craving noodles. Ichiran caught his eye and he entered, ordering a bowl of Hakata ramen and seated himself inside one of the secluded booths, relishing the comparative quiet. He leaned his head back against the wall, staring contemplatively at the ceiling until his meal came. He ate with gusto before paying and leaving the restaurant, wandering aimlessly in the throng of clubbers and bar hoppers.

Where to now? he thought, feeling like a ship that had lost its bearing in the dark, wide ocean with no stars to guide the way.

Author's Note: So… this turned out to be one monster of a twoshot—I hadn't expected it to grow as long as it had, though I had been aiming for a more introspective look into Kaito's thoughts after his final heist and the initiation of a genuine friendship with Shinichi. It's all sorts of angsty, and while that was my intention I actually did not mean for it to become as heavy as it did. That and it is not a particularly fast-paced story. So my apologies in that regard, but there was too much background information that needed to be mentioned somewhere. The degrees listed are actual degrees offered by Tokyo University—just so you know I'm not making them up. The yen symbol (円) I used here is what the Japanese use locally; this symbol (¥) is what is used internationally to denote the yen. And 152,000 円 translates to roughly $1,270 US. I hope you enjoyed it.

Completed: 06.04.2015