D. N. Angel Fan Fiction ❯ Who is the Greatest Thief? ❯ Turnabout is Fair Play ( Chapter 4 )

Who is the Greatest Thief?

 

Chapter 4—Turnabout Is Fair Play

 

A/N: For reference's sake, this story takes place roughly in the middle of Volume Five. So right after the class trip to the island where Krad first emerged, but before the whole “Ice and Snow” and “Second Hand of Time” scenario.

 

Note:::

 

`. . .' is Daisuke speaking to Dark

 

:. . .: is Dark speaking to Daisuke

 

---

 

“Lemme get this straight,” Korazuma said. “Daisuke Niwa. Nicest guy in the world—”

 

“—Poster boy for all things good and wholesome,” Aiko put in.

 

“. . .is Phantom Thief Dark.”

 

“Yes.” Ginryu looked at her two friends. “I know it sounds crazy, even for me, but it's the truth. I saw Daisuke run into the girl's washroom, and when I went in, Dark was standing there with no Daisuke in sight. Knowing what we do for a living, how we have alter egos, it shouldn't be that hard to believe.”

 

Aiko thought for a moment. “Yeah, okay. Given the situation, it shouldn't surprise us. But really. . .Daisuke?”

 

Korazuma snorted. “Yeah. Next thing you know, Satoshi will be the alter ego for some vengeful, homicidal psychotic.”

 

The three of them laughed, which was followed with a rather uncomfortable silence while they stared at each other.

 

“You don't really think—” Ginryu started.

 

“Don't go there.” Aiko walked over to one of the computers set up in their apartment. It was only a few blocks from Azumano High School, with four bedrooms and a spacious living area. Most of the free space was filled up with technical equipment. “Are we ready for tonight?”

 

“You tell us, Kitsune,” Korazuma said, flopping onto the couch. “Break it down.”

 

Aiko grinned. “Our target is known as Athena's Divine Star. It is thought to be a mere sapphire, and was donated to the Azumano Museum last week.”

 

“What's the museum set-up?” Ginryu asked, joining Korazuma on the couch.

 

“Seven fifty-five, I'll be in the control room. That's the same time the e-mail I sent to the police chief will open. I'll shut down the alarm on the Divine Star, and at eight o'clock, Akkiko will take the jewel and exit the museum through the skylight. You'll pass it off to Tenshi, who will fly to the arranged rendezvous. I'll slip out through the ventilation system, meet up with Akkiko, and we'll shift to our alter egos and take a cab to the rendezvous. There shouldn't be too much security, so that won't be a problem. And by the time the police receive the e-mail, they'll have little to no time to get to the location.”

 

“But that plan only works if there's not much security, right?” Korazuma asked, eyes on the TV screen. She grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.

 

“. . .note said that tonight at eight o'clock, Phantom Thief Dark will steal the Mikomi no Koden, the Legend of Hope.” A picture of an old carved flute flashed on the screen. “This piece is a part of the collection of musical instruments the Azumano Museum is showcasing this week. Police are already on scene to try yet again to apprehend the slippery thief.”

 

Inspector Saehara appeared on-screen, a microphone shoved in his face. “Inspector, how are you feeling about tonight, especially after getting out of the hospital this afternoon?”

 

“Dark won't get away tonight. He will answer to the humiliation my people have undergone time and time again. Excuse me.” The screen flashed back to the newsroom.

 

Ginryu cackled. “Looks like Dark has thrown a wrench into your plans, Ai-chan.”

 

Aiko muttered some expletives under her breath. She turned to the computer and began pulling information from satellite images over the museum. “I hate sharing a city with another thief.”

 

“Maybe we can call up Daisuke and compare schedules,” Korazuma suggested, laughing. She looked over at Ginryu. “By the way, what happened after you walked in on Dark?”

 

Ginryu shrugged. “I handled it.”

 

---

 

(flashback)

 

“Uh. . .” Ginryu stared at Dark. Dark stared back. “Hi.” What the hell am I doing??

 

“Hi. . .Ginryu right?” Dark turned the charm on, smiling and casually leaning against the counter, as if he was supposed to be in the girls' washroom at a local high school. Then he stuck his foot in his mouth. “Or do you prefer `Akkiko'?” :What the hell am I doing??:

 

`Got me, you idiot!!' Daisuke cried in his mind.

 

Ginryu blinked a few times. He knows too?? she thought, nearly sighing. So much for secret identities. . . Speaking of which. . .

 

She put on a smile. “Ginryu's fine. Do you want me to call you Dark or Daisuke?”

 

Dark nearly fell over. So she had noticed. . .damn.

 

“Dark, obviously,” he shot back. They stared at each other for a few moments. The bell rang and both ignored it.

 

“I guess we're at an impasse, huh?” Ginryu finally said.

 

“Guess so.”

 

“. . .Well, later.” Ginryu turned and began to exit the bathroom.

 

“What? Wait!” Dark jumped forward and grabbed her arm. “You won't tell anyone, will you?”

 

Ginryu looked up at him. “Tell anyone what?” She winked at him, pulled out of his grip, and left.

 

(end)

 

---

 

Daisuke sighed, thoroughly depressed. Someone else had learned his secret. . .and he tried so hard.

 

:Get over it,: Dark groused. :I don't think we have to worry about those three telling.:

 

“Still!” Daisuke pulled a pillow over his face. “If Mom finds out, she's gonna freak!”

 

“Daisuke!” The Towa no Shirube, aka To-To, knocked on his bedroom door. “It's almost time for you to go!”

 

“Oh yeah. . .C'mon, Wiz,” Daisuke called to his rabbit-like companion, who jumped onto his shoulder with a soft “Kyu!” The teen went downstairs where his mother was waiting with that evening's costume.

 

“Remember to be extra careful, Daisuke,” Emiko Niwa said to her son,, cheerful as ever. “The Mikomi no Koden is a very delicate instrument.”

 

“Right, Mom,” Daisuke said. “Let's go, Wiz!” Running out the backdoor, Daisuke sprinted through the back alleys until Wiz grew his wings and boy and creature took to the sky.

 

“By the way, Dark,” Daisuke said, gazing down at the town. “Why did we turn back right after you talked to Ginryu?” He closed his eyes and remembered the picture of Riku he had seen that afternoon.

 

Dark shrugged. “You should know why by now, Daisuke.”

 

---

 

Inspector Saehara walked down the hall of the museum, thinking about the previous night. Whatever he had said to the cameras, it didn't matter. Something wasn't right about what had gone down. That hadn't been Dark who had set off whatever gas that had filtered through the museum. It just wasn't his style, to knock out all witnesses.

 

For that matter, Dark didn't work with foreign substances either. Any props he used could be found at any hardware store or science class. The doctors had done blood tests on all of the security who had been knocked out—and no results had come back, because they just couldn't tell what kind of knock-out gas it was. Whatever it could be, it had never been used, and the components certainly weren't on the Periodic Table.

 

Commander Hiwatari came around the corner, and Saehara started, lost in his thoughts.

 

“Good evening, Inspector,” Satoshi said, cool as ever. Before Saehara could reply, the youth continued, “Perhaps it might be better if you waited outside. Given last night's occurrence—”

 

“I'm not running,” the Inspector snapped, “not from Dark or anyone else who wants to break into this museum.” The Commander's face remained blank, and yet Saehara caught the slightest glint in his eyes. . . “You know something, don't you?”

 

Satoshi turned away, a small smile on his face. “I suppose that question is relevant, since I was the only one left conscious last night.”

 

Saehara growled. “If you're withholding information, so help me—”

 

“I am not.” Satoshi pierced the Inspector with his stare. “Concentrate on Dark, Inspector Saehara. He is the one attempting to steal something tonight.”

 

At that moment the lights went out.

 

Saehara spun around, cursing. “He's early again!” It was 7:57. Dark was never early. He was never late either, except for the first time he had shown up.

 

Satoshi grabbed his arm and started running for the front of the museum. “No, Dark isn't.”

 

The two entered the museum's lobby. An officer ran up to the Inspector. “Headquarters just called us,” he panted. “An e-mail just opened up on the chief's computer—another thief is stealing something tonight!”

 

“What?!” Saehara grabbed the front of the officer's uniform. “Who?”

 

“We don't know, Sir! The e-mail wasn't signed! And someone's locked us out of the control room. . .”

 

Satoshi ignored the two; he saw shadows move in the next room and bolted.

 

---

 

Kitsune stood in the control room, once again surrounded by unconscious guards. She was watching one of the live feeds from a TV camera she had tapped earlier. A huge crowd was gathered outside the museum, complete with policemen to hold the curious and over-enthusiastic back.

 

Her eyes flicked over to the security screens. In one area of the museum, Dark had just picked up his prize for the night: the flute she had seen on TV earlier. On another screen Akkiko had the Divine Star and was streaking through the halls. . .to crash into Dark. Kitsune facepalmed. That idiot. . . Whatever. It was Akkiko's problem. She could deal with it.

 

Gathering her gear, Kitsune gracefully leapt up to the open ventilation shaft and started crawling along. Her mini-computer went off. Rolling her eyes, Kitsune rolled onto her back and held up the machine. An e-mail from Headquarters waited; she had wanted information on the Divine Star before carting it to its owner. Of course, HQ was so chaotic that it had taken hours for them to respond. Akkiko had insisted they keep up appearances and steal the sapphire anyways, although all three of them had a bad vibe on this one. . .

 

Open the e-mail with a few clicks, Kitsune covered her mouth to halt the barrage of curse that threatened to echo down the shaft. She turned off the com, re-hooked it to her belt and started crawling, faster than before.

 

---

 

Slowing for a moment, Satoshi squinted into the darkness. Chasing after Dark had taught his eyes to see through most illusions, and he caught a glint of silver in the darkness. Following it, he jumped forward and tackled the figure.

 

Tenshi hit the floor, and her mask fell off. Satoshi stared down at her back; her wings were smaller—less than a quarter of the size they had been—and flapping uselessly in the air.

 

“So, they come in travel size,” Satoshi said, smiling. He swiftly handcuffed the girl

 

“Of course. It's all the rage in America,” Tenshi said, sitting up and grimacing. Unlocking handcuffs was not her forte.

 

Satoshi walked around her and picked up her mask. He looked from it to her face. “You know,” he said, leaning in, “if someone knew what to look for, they could tell that you and Korazuma Shido are one and the same.”

 

“I guess you'll be passing that information along to your fellow policemen, hmm?” Tenshi avoided his gaze, and jerked away when his fingers caught her chin. “What're you—”

 

“Hold still.” Satoshi gently placed the mask back on her face. Tenshi stared at him, shocked; he stared back, face expressionless.

 

“What kind of game are you playing, Hiwatari-kun?” she asked, an edge to her voice.

 

“I'm not here to capture you. I am here to capture Dark. You are a distraction, and I feel it necessary to keep you and your companions out of my way.” He grasped her arm and led her toward a side exit. “Although I am curious as to what you are doing.”

 

“Sorry, I can't divulge that information without an attorney present,” Tenshi said as he led her into the cool night air. Satoshi chuckled.

 

They came to the corner of the museum. Both could hear the crowd talking, policemen shouting. . .and glass breaking.

 

Two dark shapes rose from the skylight. The crowd went wild, cameras going off, people calling out, policemen frozen by the sight.

 

Tenshi grinned and pulled away from Satoshi. “For future reference,” she called back, pushing off, “I serve as the distraction.” Her wings suddenly grew, catching her weight and lifting her towards the sky.

 

Feathers floated down to Satoshi, who caught one. “You certainly are that.”

 

---

 

Okay. . .I foretell that this story is going to on for a very, very long time. . . T.T It's probably because I have way too much dialogue going on and it's slowing things down—shizah. Oh well—something to work on I guess ^^;;

 

Bear with me, I do have the next four or so chapters mentally planned. . .it's just a question of when I'll write them. Until next time, minna-sama!!

 

Disclaimer: D.N.Angel, its characters, scenarios and settings, all belong to Yukiru Sugisaki. ::hugs entire manga collection to chest:: I just buy the merchandise!