Prologue: Gears Set in Motion

Kaito stared at entry in his father's heist notes dating back to before the search for Pandora. One entry was different from the rest. The stone, The Legacy of the Black Feather, was scratched off. There were no notes on it, just a name.

"Puzzling," he murmured. Even curiouser, it was not listed as one of the stones his father had stolen or even pursued on the official police reports Kaito owned. The jewel was a black hole when it came to information.

And it was in town.

Kaito chewed on the eraser of his pencil. True it was an early target. One of those from before his father even was assigned the number 1412. It might not have been linked to him. Some of the other heists still had not but not this one.

I wonder why dad has no information on it? I wonder why he didn't go back and check it out to see if it was Pandora? All the notes Kaito had on the stone indicated that it was something else. That it actually had some sort of power.

It would make an ideal target, if not for the fact that he got a funny feeling thinking about it. It was not a bad feeling, just an odd one.

He grinned, "I'll take a feeling as a good sign." Pulling out his notebook, he began the process of penning the appropriate heist notice.

Kaitou Kid threw off a mad laugh as he ducked behind a display case. The laugh echoed through the massive room, driving the police officers nuts. He could hear them cursing him out, his parentage, and the architects who designed such #$ buildings.

He slipped from that room to the next, which was just as large but was empty of officers because it cordoned off and because the police had misjudged his true target and were guarding the wrong jewel. He laughed to himself, Guess the clue almost could fit the other jewel and I might target it later…but not tonight.

The clear stone displayed beautiful silver rutile running throughout the quartz. The Legacy of the Black Feather. There the jewel laid in its case, a fine example of reusing an old stone in modern jewelry. Working quickly, he undid the security features holding the glass down. Carefully, he placed the glass hood on the floor and reached down for the jewel.

When his hand was inches from the stone, there was a blinding flash of light. Kid spared a few precious moments to blink his eyes clear. When his eyes cleared, he had to blink again to make sure he was not seeing things.

"What the hell?!" Kid said his poker face dropping away as he looked around the room. I wasn't here a moment ago! Quickly, his slid his poker face back on but inside, he was still shaken.

The contrasts between the museum he had been in and the room he was in now could almost not be anymore different from this room. The museum had been open and airy. Some sort of modern art museum, which had included a tour of old stones used in modern jewelry styles. This room… well, castle dungeon would not be far off the mark. In fact, it looked a bit too much like some of the illustrations he had seen in books on medieval castles, down to the rack and iron maiden. He did not think that the brown and rust colored stuff on the floor was dirt and rust either. A chill ran down threw his spine.

He whipped around as he heard a voice issue from behind a solid looking wooden door. Frantically, he looked around the room for a place to hide before he ran to the door and hid behind it just as it swung open.

"Ah can't wait to interrogate our latest visitor." The voice, now identified as black-hooded man, laughed, which abruptly cut off as he noticed that there was no one else in the room. Kid decided to make like a river and run out of the room. Reactions like that did not bode well for anyone. Especially white suited thieves.

A roar of rage echoed down the hall that Kid was running down. He flew up the stairs to the next level and down a random hallway. His mind did a loop as his feet touched the floor. Flight was nothing new but this was a whole different kettle of fish. Literal flying was not something he expected to do without his hang glider.

Collapsing again the wall, he tried to wrap his mind around what just happened. First, I'm obviously no longer at the museum. Second, I appear to be in some sort of castle. Third…I flew. Flew up the stairs and down the hall. Without my cape.

…What the hell is going ON?!he thought, as he made a strangled sound in his throat. He swallowed nervously as he heard thudding footsteps coming up the stairs. Noting multiple doors in the hallway, he slipped into the first one. A moment passed before his mind could register what he was seeing. He scampered back out of the room and away from the horror it contained. That person looked like he had a really close encounter with at least one thing from the dungeon. He slipped into a room further down the hall and said a quick prayer to the powers that be that they would stop mocking him and let this room be boring and offer places to hide.

"There have already been too many surprises in too short a time. Even a cluttered storage room would be nice," he muttered. He took in the room and gave a sigh of relief. Noting that it seemed to be a room for storing supplies, most of which did not bare thinking about, he located a good hiding spot behind a large chest. The whole path to the chest was blocked by precariously balanced objects. Of course the best place to hide is the hardest to get to, he sighed mentally.

"Now, how do I get over there?" he asked himself. He looked down at the ground and asked himself, "Wonder if that flying thing would work if I tried it right now?"

He focused on the spot he wanted to get to and began to walk to it. Looking down briefly, he found himself floating over the clutter. Kid sighed softly as he settled himself behind the large chest. At least that worked, he thought. I just hope that they don't find me. "I'm not here," he muttered as lethargy settled over him. "I'm invisible." He continued to mutter like that until he fell asleep.

Kid jolted upright despite the crick in his neck. He looked around wildly as he tried to regain orientation in the waking world. Taking a few deep breaths, he recalled what happened and where he was. Tentatively (and painfully because his butt had fallen asleep), he stood and looked around the room.

The place was a mess. It looked like a bull had run loose through the room. Even the area around his hiding place displayed the same level of mess. But the spot where he slept was untouched. It was if it, and he, had not even been there.

Kid felt cold. He licked his lips nervously. "Oh boy. Magic. It has to be magic. Real magic," he mumbled. "Either that or I'm dreaming."

Cautiously, he climbed over the mess, which was far more stable now that everything had fallen over, and walked to the door. Cracking it open, he noted that the hall was empty.

Slipping out of the room and carefully closing the door, he walked down the hall to the stairs. At the stairs, he stopped and listened. The only thing he could hear was his own breathing and the crackle from the sparsely spread out torches that burned along the length of the hall. This area must be used often enough to leave torches burning. Standing here is not a good idea.

Quietly, he ran up the stairs. The next level, to his relief, was at ground level. From a window, he could see that it was night. He glanced out it and noted the landscape. It was very flat and the clear. The stars seemed to coat the sky in a glittery blanket. His breath would have been taken away if not for the fact that his stomach took that moment to let him know that it was hungry.

Kid reached into his coat and discovered that the energy bar he usually carried was not there. He smacked his forehead, "I forgot. I ate it right before the heist. I wonder were I could get some food?"

He turned from the window when he felt like something tugged his sleeve. Turning, he saw no one. But the feeling remained and it was drawing him down the dark hallway.

Following a strange feeling is probably not a good idea especially since a strange feeling got me into this whole mess. But, he looked around, I don't think I have any options.

The feeling ended once he opened a door. Beyond the door was the kitchen. The fire in the fireplace was a pile of embers, glowing orange. Over it was a pot. The next moment, Kid realized he was standing next to the pot and pulling it off the fire. Lifting the lid, the delicious smell of stew wafted upward.

Kid started when he realized that he was now holding a bowl with a spoon in one hand and a ladle in the other without an idea as to how they got there.

"I think I need to sit down," he said quietly to himself. A gentle 'thunk' came from behind him. Fearfully, he turned around to see the source of the sound. The only thing he saw was the kitchen stuff and a chair. A chair, which had not been there before.

Deliberately, he sat down on the chair. The stew beckoned as his stomach growled. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he said, ladling up some stew.

His stomach settled and no immediate danger, Kid found he could clearly thing about his situation. And he came up with a few conclusions. In the words of Dorothy, he was not in Kansas in more. Magic was real. Very, very real. And he was a real magician. Or something like one.

I wonder if that jewel had anything to do with the mess I'm in now? It would, in a twisted way, make sense. Magic jewels are bad news. Since there is a stone that grants immortality, why not one that can transport me to another world? He leaned back in the chair, "I wonder if that stone is here?"

He would be lying if he said he was not expecting what happened was about to happen. It seemed like everything he wanted or did not want to happen worked for him. So, when the leading feeling returned, he was not surprised.

Note to self: be careful what you wish for. Be very, very careful.

Out of the kitchen, he followed the feeling. A surreal quality surrounded everything. It was as if time had been put on hold for everything except Kid. That was the only way he could explain the way everything felt and why there was no one around as he walked up and down stairs and down hallways.

Like before, the feeling vanished as he opened another door. He entered the windowless room. It was empty save for the torches that lined the walls. Kid closed the door and took a few steps in.

The torches, as if someone flipped a switch, winked out, leaving the room pitch black. He turned and grappled for the door but met only wall.

Panicked, he felt the whole length of the wall but come up with no door. He felt his way around the room but still all he got was wall.

What am I doing? he asked himself, mentally slapping his forehead. "I wish there was a door." Feeling around, he came up with nothing despite doing another circuit of the room. Panic threatened to surface again. He took a few steadying breaths and decided to try another tactic. Clearly, Kid said, "It would be nice if there was some light."

Slowly, motes of light began to form in the air. The little fairy lights floated around. Kid was reminded of dust motes in a beam of sunlight. He stared at them in wonder. They winked in and out slowly and began to drift together. The fairy lights formed two rows, creating a light lined path. At the other end of the light path, they formed a halo around something on a pedestal.

"What's going on?" he asked and began to walk down the light path. The lights seemed to absorb the sound of his footsteps as he neared the pedestal. He stopped in front of the pedestal. Resting on it was a familiar jewel. Its setting was different but it was the stone from before.

A deep woman's voice seemed to come from the stone and everywhere at once, "A fair question. Kaito, son of Toichi "

Kid shivered. He wanted to back away and run like the dickens in any other direction but found that his feet were rooted to the ground.

"I welcome you to your next phase of training."

"Training?" he barely squeaked out. Kid cleared his throat, "Training? What training?"

"Your magical training."

"You mean like I've been doing since I got here? It seems I don't need any help there," he almost snapped.

The voice chuckled, "That power was from the initial transference here. You used it well and got here with less fuss than those before you. You handled the test well."

"Test? You sent me into a dungeon with torture devices. Not to mention the poor person I found who was a victim of that place!" Kaito snapped.

"Like I said, you handle it well. Any more than what you did and you would have used all the power up at the wrong time. I really do loathe bailing out trainees."

"You don't have to worry about that. I want to go home," Kid stated. "I've been doing just fine without real magic."

Now the voice really laughed and it was not an entirely kind laugh, "Perhaps, perhaps. Just like your father thought he 'didn't need real magic.'"

A chill overtook Kid. "What do you mean?" he asked, almost in a whisper.

"If your father had trained in real magic, he would have found Pandora. He would probably still be around."

Swallowing, Kaito said, "I sure he had a reason to turn down learning magic. I've learned that everything has a cost. What would be the cost of learning magic?" he asked harshly.

He could hear the voice give a predatory smile, "Dealing with likes of the witch you know. Guarding yourself from those who would want your power, for many creatures are drawn to a magician's power. Demons, fae, and other creatures whose names are lost to mankind. " The voice paused in a contemplative manner, "However, the task of locating Pandora is easier with magic. You would also have the means to destroy it, once you have it. The power, once learned, is limited almost only by the imagination."

"You'll have to excuse me if this offer still seems too good to be true." He frowned at the stone, "But what's in it for you?"

"There is nothing in it for me. I am bound to teach magic to those of your blood. I always have and always will be. That is why I was created. This is so as long as you stay here and learn. Time has no meaning in this room. It exists outside of the rest of the world. You may leave at anytime but you will never be able to return."

Kaito closed his eyes and bent his head in thought. Minutes of silence passed as he weighed the responsibility of wielding magic with the benefits.

Kaito straightened and looked straight at the stone with a steady eye that relayed nothing of what he thought.

"Have you made your decision?" it asked.

"Yes." Resolutely, Kaito said in a steady and unwavering voice, "I'll do it. I'll learn magic."

The End?