Lupin III Fan Fiction ❯ Arsene Lupin IV ❯ Arsene Lupin IV ( Prologue )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

From: pyuthrayar@aol.com (PYuthrayar)
Subject: [Lupin][FanFic] Arsene Lupin IV, Chapter 1


'Arsene Lupin IV' by Peter Yuthrayard ( pyuthrayar@aol.com )


All characters and story elements in this fan fiction are copyrighted
by their respective owners. This story is for the free enjoyment of
fans of Lupin and must not be used for profit. All original characters
and story elements are copyrighted by Pittaya Yuthrayard.

This story is based on the Monkey Punch manga, 'Lupin III'. Especially
the Hayao Miyazaki directed anime from it. I got the inspiration for
this fan fiction from a comment by Miyazaki . He said that he wanted to
do an anime about a daughter of Lupin III who wishes to succeed her
father in becoming a great thief. As might be expected the
characterizations in this story are closer to what Miyazaki might do.
Of course, I'm afraid they are not nearly as good as what he would do.



Chapter 1*********************

In the cavernous bronze ceilinged and black marble walled art
deco lobby of the exclusive Tokyo City Club the night security guard
lazily dozed at his desk next to the main entrance. A furtive figure
glanced caustiously through the glass doors at the guard. This darkly
clad figure (with black cap, gym bag, jacket, jeans and shoes) looked
small and slight especially next to the massive art deco statues
towering to either sides of the doors. The night was dark and moonless
in the city. The streets were deserted. Still the figure clung to the
shadows as if for protection.

With the discretion of a stalked mouse the footed shadow made
its way around the compound to the back of the building. Below the fire
escape it reached into its gym bag and pulled out a grappling hook and
line. Tentatively it began to swing the hook around over its head.
With a slightly off balanced throw it tried to cast the hook onto the
fire escape railing. The hook missed and instead came tumbling down.
The figure gave a startled cry and threw up its arms for protection.
The hook clattering noisily on the ground barely missing a cowering
head. A pale trembling hand reached down to retrieve the tool. After a
few minutes to let a racing heart slow and come down from a chokingly
tight throat the hook again began to swing around over head.

Hook finally secured to the railing two soft hands grabbed the
rope and tried to pull the diminutative figure up. The muscle of the
slender arms strained but the bird light frame made no upward progress.
With hushed whimpers of effort the arms and then legs painfully lifted
the form.

Every muscle trembling the exhausted intruder collapsed panting
and perspiring on the fire escape landing. Blue-green eyes, like the
translucent waters of a sheltered atoll that changes in different
lights, looked forlornly up the twenty fire escape flights to the top.
A fine boned hand brushed sweat and auburn-red hair from a pale
forehead behind a slightly lobeless and pointy ear.

The crystalline eyes clouded over with doubt. They comtemplated
that the way was still open to retreat. With a dismissive shake of the
head the fog was dispelled. Muscles still burning the small figure
gingerly arose and began to make its way up the stairs.

The receeding ground alarmingly visible through insubstantial
fire escape floors created a vertigo hard to distinguish from the
growing doubt and panic of the act being perpetrated.

At the top of the final flight trembling hands that fought to
control themselves through the roar of blood in the ears reached into
the gym bag to bring out a glass cutter.

It was just as well that this was an older building without
newer security systems such as electromagnetic sensors on the glass
doors and motion detectors in the rooms as the shadow slipped into the
ballroom.

The fuses for the top floor had been turned off and it was
pitch dark. A flashlight and crude map appeared from a breast pocket.
The figure was momentarily disorientated. After a while it got its
bearings and moved towards a private office.

The door was unlocked. After much groping about a safe was
found concealed behind some boxes in the closet.

With a sigh of trepidation the figure knelt before the safe. An
ear pressed to the safe door. An unsure hand turned the dial click by
click. The ear roared too loudly to hear the tumblers. The hand
quivered too uncontrollably to precisely work the dials.

The shadow pulled away from the safe in frustration...

Eyes flinched and hid behind hands as they were flooded by an
explosion of light! From behind a voice tinged with fear caused hairs
to stand on end and stomach to wrench.

"Freeze! I'm putting you under citizen's arrest for breaking
and entering and attempted robbery."

Realising too late it had been so preoccupied it hadn't
noticed the guard entering the office. A face turned toward a
flashlight painfully bright as the sun. It had taken so long to get
to the safe the guard had left his desk and gone on patrol again.

"Please, stay there while I call the police." The guard noticed
frustration and humiliation welling up in the girl... young lady's eyes
which were as wide and wild as a cornered animal's.

Reaching for the phone he saw a blur come towards him from the
corner of his eye! Almost tripping he sidestepped. She crashed onto the
coffee table on the opposite wall.

The girl laid there stunned. He thought the fight had been
knocked out of her.

"Hanh, hanh...A..are you ok? Listen it's going to be alright.
The police'll just release you to your paren..."

"SLAM!!..CRASH!!"

"Ahnn...," the girl moaned as she passed out next to the desk
he had been reaching for the phone on.

Eyes wider than they had ever been in his life the guard stood
with his back pressed against the wall as if he had just avoided the
charge of a Bengal tiger.

As he was reaching for the phone again she had thrown herself
with such violence and desperation all control had disappeared. She hit
the desk sideways with her shoulder. Momentum flipped her over the desk
to land in a heap on the otherside.

He looked at her with alarm. Her cap had come off and straight
waist length hair was flooding in torrents onto the floor. Following it
were trickles of blood from her forehead and shoulder.

The guard rushed to her and almost touched her. He quickly
withdrew his hands afraid her neck might have been broken. Instead he
hunted wildly on his knees for the dialtone of the phone in the heap
thrown from the desk.

Just as he realized that it would be better to get his
flashlight first he ran into a pair of legs standing before him.

Under his nose were a pair of dress shoes. The leather felt
slightly worn but quite fine qualitied. Above these were slacks of soft
wool covering wiry legs.

Hands like iron claws grabbed him at the scruff of his neck and
hauled him up as if he was a goose down pillow. There he hung face to
dark shadow. In the split second he hung there he could make out a
bearded face topped by a...a fedora?

He did not have time to varify this as a heartbeat later he was
tossed like a ragdoll through the door. His trip was interrupted by a
stone statue. It was really a human body but he bounced off it like a
rubber ball.

The rebound did not last long as an even stronger hand grabbed
him by his lapels and jerked back him toward a venomous voice.

"Young cur! How dare you!"

It felt like he was hanging against a granite statue dressed in
a samurai shirt and pants. A sword hilt under the sash dug into his
gut.

With a jerk he went a meter into the air. A blur from under the
sash came at him. He felt pain from all sides as if twenty men with
bats were clubbing him at blinding speed.
Before he hit the floor all sense had been knocked out of him.


End of Chapter 1.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 2*********************


Her earliest memory was when she was three years old. Her Papa
and she were at the counter of a jewelry store. She remembered being
alarmed at seeing Papa deftly swipe a locket that had been on the glass
case. A father just didn't do such a thing!

In stunned silence she walked out of the store with Papa. He
knelt down in front of her and said, "Here Kitten, for you." Brushing
aside her long auburn-red hair he was about to fasten the locket chain.

In a righteous voice she said to her father, "Papa, you
shouldn't steal!" With the locket in hand she ran back to the jewelry
counter and handed it to a surprised counterlady.

As they walked hand in hand away from the store a painful
expression passed across Papa's kind and gentle eyes as he looked down
on her.


Papa's eyes were often kind and gentle when they were alone.
When they were with other people he usually had a self satisfied smirk
on his face.

The smirk went with his elven build. The close cropped hair and
sideburns added to the impishness of his appearance. He seemed as tall
and thin as a sheltering aspen.

If Papa was an aspen Mama was a magnolia. Voluptuous and
sensually scented. Her canopy of auburn hair turbulently cascading down
around the curves of her shoulders and back in curls and eddies to
crash above her hips.

She lived contented and safe under their shade in a roomy and
nondescript house in a nondescript suburb of Tokyo. Everyone knew them
as Arsene Yamada-san (the husband), Fujiko Yamada-san (the wife) and
Kaori 'Kitsune' Yamada-chan (the daughter).

Often her uncles would come to visit. There was bearded fedora
wearing Jigen Daisuke-jisan and ascetic samurai pantsed and shirted
Goemon Suminawa-jisan.

Jigen-jisan was more outgoing and fun to be around. But she
liked quite Goemon-jisan best because he always brought the best gifts
for her (a walking tea tray carrying doll, embroidered silk ball,
beautifully patterned silk yukatas).

And the cousins that they brought. Every year they grew more in
number and stronger in body. She didn't like to wrestle and play with
all these vigorous and boisterous boys like her Papa and her uncles
did. Instead she spent her time with Mama and her aunts. Especially
demure Murasaki-obasan, Goemon-jisan's wife.

They would sit in the anteroom and listen to her practice on
her piano. It was a grand piano not only in name but also in size. It
certainly was grander than anything that belonged in an ordinary Tokyo
home. The magnificence of its white lacquer finish and pure majestic
tone better suited it to the grand concert halls of London, Paris,
Tokyo or New York.

When she was four her family had gone to a classical concert.
She looked in awe at the distinguishly garbed musicians with their
beautiful shiny instruments. The music washed her in a sea of light as
it pulled her out of her seat like a riptide. When the piano solo
started the world around, Papa and Mama in seats to either sides of
her, seemed to disappear. All she could feel was the majestic voice of
the piano pulling her to another place and time.

After the concert she turned to Papa with the glow of the music
still radiating from her and asked with all the earnestness in her soul
for a piano.

Papa knelt down and looked in her eyes for a while, searching
for something. Finally, with a resigned smile on his face, he put his
arms around her and hugged her deeply. She was a little unsettled
because it felt like a hug you gave someone who was going away.

The next day Papa left on one of his trips and was gone for a
week. On the morning of his return he woke her up in bed. He told her
to close her eyes as he had a surprise for her. In the anteroom he told
her she could open her eyes. Sitting in the anteroom like a Lippizaner
stallion stuffed into a broom closet was the grand piano. She lept up
to him as he stooped to pick her up. Cheek to cheek their tears mixed.
Hers of joy. His of an emotion she did not understand yet.

Papa and Mama often went on these trips. On the morning that
they left she would run into their room and sit on the bed watching
them get ready. They packed bags and bags of things. Hard metal things.
She had no notion what they were. Mama always told her to keep her hand
off them. So instead she would play with Mama's clothes, jewelry and
make up.

Even to a little girl, what her mother wore seemed scandolous.
The skin tight pants and low cut short dresses that accented her femme
fatale body were the talk of the neighborhood gossips. Despite herself,
she would bow her head in shame when they were out together. Especially
when her mother made a display of strutting her stuff to get all the
neighborhood men excited!

Whenever they went shopping for clothes she would drift away
from Mama towards Murasaki-obasan. Murasaki-obasan shared her taste in
clothes with demure dignity. She also preferred the way Auntie put on
makeup. Sparingly and sensibly. Everytime Mama played dress up with her
she ended up looking like Jonnbonet Ramsey.

Their tastes in things may have differed but inside she loved
and felt loved by Mama. Mama and Papa had a friendly rivalry so she was
the only person Mama ever showed the full measure of affection to.

After all the bags were packed her parents would get dressed.
Mama in an outfit straight out of a pulp fiction novel. Papa in an
outfit that reminded her of a gangster movie.

When she saw Mama helping Papa with his tie she would always
beg to do it. Her little hands would always have trouble remembering
the knot. Papa would stand behind her in a mirror and knot a tie around
her neck to demonstrate.

He had the most wonderous hands in the world. They were as
strong as vises but they could be as gentle as a breeze. She would
marvel at their deftness when he showed her magic and card tricks. Even
her hands which flew like sparrows across the keyboard could not do
those tricks so fluidly.

Every night at bedtime he would sing and caress her behind the
ears and under her chin until she fell asleep. What she liked best was
when he would stroke from the tip of her nose to the top of her
forehead. Then she would purr contently as a pleasant shiver went down
her spine.

With all the bags packed onto the little Fiat she would jump in
the backseat and they would drive to Goemon-jisan's castle. There she
would stay with Murasaki-obasan while her uncles went with her parents.


The castle was a wonderous place where she could play with all
her cousins. She would pretend to be a courtier and recreate the 'Tale
of Genji'. The only annoyance was that she had to practice on a
synthesizer instead of her grand. As long as her parents didn't take
too long to return she was quite contented.

Days and sometimes even weeks would pass. She would start to
get anxious. The more anxious she got the more she would practice. It
would get to the point where her cousins would wish their parents
would come back just so that they would not have to listen to her
anymore.

When they did she was not only happy to see them but also
because everybody got such wonderful gifts. Sometimes it was Swiss
chocolates, Swatches and dolls. Or it might be Polynesian tikis, wooden
swords and masks. Othertimes it would be Stetson hats, toy six-shooters
and cowboy boots. The things they brought back never failed to amaze
her.


One day when she was eight Papa went on a trip by himself
without telling anyone. He only left a note that said, "Dear Fuji-chan
and Kit-chan, I'm going to finish something from the past. Love,
Arsene."

Nobody was too anxious over this because he tended to do these
scatter brained things.

When weeks passed Mama and her uncles began to make inquiries.
She didn't understand the situation totally but it seemed the
mysterious sources reporting back to them gave no encouraging clues to
what happened to her father.

She began to practice her piano incessantly. Mama would become
angry at her. Later Mama would breakdown and cry as she apologized.

After a month passed the adults decided that she would stay
with Murasaki-obasan while they looked for her father.

During that time she stood vigil at her keyboard. She didn't
even notice when a cousin through annoyance unplugged her synthesizer.
Her fingers continued flying as the music carried her to that other
place and time.

She was so happy that Mama and her uncles returned. All she
wanted to know was when Papa would be back. They just looked at her
with pity and sadness in their eyes.

Mama took her aside and said, "Kit-chan, it may be a very long
time before your Papa returns. Mama doesn't know where he is but don't
worry. I'll never stop trying to find him for you."

Her body became numb and her mind confused. She kept trying to
remember a passage from a Rachmaninoff piece that she had been
studying. But che could not quite play it out in her head. As the
discordant notes sounded her hands began to tremble and her knees feel
weak. The next thing she knew she was sitting on the floor. Her whole
body quivering from the freezing chill that had suddenly come over the
room.

Mama tucked her into bed under a pile of comforters with feet
raised on a pillow.


After this her world became a foggy place that slowly but never
completely cleared. She would practice her piano every spare second. It
was hardly notice when Mama sat down on the bench with a look of regret
and sadness in her eyes and gently stroked her daughter's hair.

Mama and her uncles were like spiders on a web. Any encouraging
vibration from their network of informants and they would spring on the
information and be off on a trip to chase it down. The trips got less
and less frequent and Mama returned with a look of greater and greater
regret over the years.

At first it was that her mother less willingly looked her in
the eyes when they talked. Her gaze would drift slowly down. Then they
would talk less often. Finally when she came home from school Mama was
more and more often gone from home. She didn't know where to nor did
she care. Most of her time was spent studying or practicing.

While still in bed early one morning when she was twelve there
was a crash from the livingroom. It was still pitch dark outside. She
was the only one home. A feeling of fear and being utterly alone in the
world overcame her. Totally confused she wanted to cry out for Mama and
Papa. In despair she choked it down. Her body became numb and her mind
left it. She watched herself, as if from the other side of the room,
pick up a tiki that her father had given her. Her hands trembling she
opened the door of her room cautiously. In the hallway she was afraid
the intruder would hear the pounding of her heart. She heard muffled
struggling sounds coming from the livingroom. Her stomach gave a
wrenching turn as she thought that her mother had returned without her
noticing. Maybe the intruder was in the livingroom doing heaven knows
what to her.

She charged into the room. Sure enough in the darkness by the
front entrance was what appeared to be Mama struggling to break loose
from a man! She lunged at the man and tripped over an ottoman only
clipping him on the shoulder.

The man let out a startled "Ouch!" as she crashed to the floor.
a second later the lights went on. Looking up she saw her mother's
sinuous legs wrapped around the man's legs. Her breasts almost spilling
out of her undone dress. Her lips hovering close to the man's face
where it had previously left numerous marks. Their faces were red as
lobsters from drink as they wobbled on their feet like tops.

"Da..Dam braaaat whacha do tha foh?" the man slurred.

"Ged owd! Ged owt!" Mama screamed as she shoved him out almost
before the door was open.

She looked at Mama in shook. A feeling of relief began to flood
her body. She was about to jump up and hug Mama happy that she was safe
when a frown appeared on Mama's face.

"Whad yah look'n ad? Yool no dau'ta of mah'n ya shtuck up lil'a
prood!"

No longer than Mama said this her face turned white as a sheet.
She tried to say something but only a stuttering sound came out. With a
panicked dash she was out the door.


The next morning Goemon-jisan came to take her to live with his
family. Her uncles had received a message from Mama saying that she had
gone to find Papa.

All the time they were moving her things to Goemon-jisan's
castle the pit of her stomach was churning with dread and uncertainty.
What had she done to drive her parents away. The weight of guilt and
confusion grew on her shoulders.

It was so heavy her hands found it hard to rise to the
keyboard. Murasaki-obasan came into the anteroom and sat next to her on
the bench. With a gentle hand she stroked the auburn-red hair. The
familiar gesture lifted enough weight off the delicate hands so that
they could glide up to the keyboard and take off in their flittering
flight.

The hands had gone so far they did not notice the exterior wall
of the anteroom being broken open so that the grand piano could be
moved out.


End of Chapter 2. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 3*********************


The little girl slipped from nook to nook as inconspicuously as
possible. As if she were searching for something in a strange new place.
Her klaidescopic blue-green eyes now showed trepidation and then
longing.

Her aunt Murasaki-obasan tried to coax her out of the shadows with
treats and affection.

One day Murasaki-obasan sat down at the piano and gingerly picked
out a few notes. The attention of little pointy ears were piqued. A few
more notes and small padding feet moved closer. Some more tones and a
fine inquisitive nose looked over a graceful shoulder. Little fine boned
hands guided soft gentle ones through a simple scale. Cheek to cheek
they practiced. The little girl faced the woman and gave a shy smile.

Murasaki-obasan softly caressed a diminutive cheek as she said,
"Kit-chan, please wait here. I want to show you something." and got up
to leave the room.

A few moments later she returned with a koto. She placed the koto
facing Kaori and played a passage. In response the girl repeated the
passage on her piano. She played another passage and got a response
again. They smiled at eachother with the discovery of a new sympathy.

From that day on they would play together, piano and koto, for
hours. Rarely were words exchanged for they would not have expressed
everything that were exchanged through phrases and passages.

The girl grew less tense and withdrawn. She became receptive to
the love around her.

In the spring time she would go to watch the cherry blossoms bloom
with all her aunts, uncles and cousins.

In the summertime there would be the O'bon with yukatas and
huddling together in the night watching the fireworks.

In the fall the matsuras would begin. Her cousins would race the
shrines through the streets as she cheered.

In the winter Christmas would come followed by New Years Eve
parties. Carols and Auld Lang Sein.

With the passage of years hope had waned in finding her mother and
father. When she was fifteen it finally came the eve of the day when the
last things would be removed from her old house before it was
permanently boarded up. Murasaki-obasan and Kit-chan sat in the girl's
bed. With long gentle strokes her aunt combed her hair. Through her
touch Murasaki-obasan tried to feel any doubts in her.

"Kit-chan, you have grown to be such a beautiful young lady. Your
teachers can not stop praising you to me. You are the class president.
You make me so very proud..."

"Kit-chan, you are happy here are you not?"

"I..I used to dream every night that my parents had come back.
They would wake me up in the morning like they used to. I would be so
happy and hug and hug them forever. But when I woke up they would never
be there. I couldn't stand the loneliness that left me with... I've
grown to accept that I can't do anyting to bring them back. I just hope
where ever they are that they are safe and happy," she said as she
turned to face her aunt and smile bravely.

Murasaki-obasan pressed her gently to her breast and said,
"Wherever they are I'm sure they are trying everything they can to get
back to the most precious person in their world."

Kit-chan didn't want her to see the tears of doubt welling up in
her eyes.

The next morning with all her relatives at the old house it felt
almost like those happy long past days. Most of the things had already
been moved out. What was left were packed into her parents' room. There
were some boxes, her parents' bed, their clothes in the closet, her
father's writing desk and a few knick-knacks. She sat on the bed going
through the boxes when her cousins started picking up various toys and
keepsakes and fooling around with them.

"Hey remember these? Reach for the sky you rascal. Bang, bang,
bang!" said a rapscallion as he picked up a toy gun.

"Argh! Feel the bite of my shark toothed sword!"

"Hey look, this doll is doing the can-can. Dan-dan-dee-dan-dee-
dan..."

"Put those down!"

"Why should I? Anyway what do you care? You'll be throwing out
most of this stuff anyway."

"Well, I haven't decided what I wanted to get rid of yet so leave
them alone!"

When the little weasels started playing keep-away with her she
grabbed the nearest one and began pounding him.

"Ow!..OW!! OW!! Mama, Kit-chan is being a brat again!"

Murasaki-obasan stuck her head in the door and said, "You are the
ones being the brats. Now come help your Father and Uncle board up the
windows."

Kaori let out a triumphant "Bada!" at the routed boys.

When all the boys had left Murasaki-obasan went to her and asked,
"Will you be OK? Do you need me to help?"

"No, Auntie, I can do this myself."

"If you need me just call. I will be nearby." Murasaki-obasan said
as she closed the door behind her.

It's better if I don't think too much about it and just get
started. There's alot to do if I want to be done before this evening.

Seeing all these things again was not nearly as bad as she thought
it would be. They only brought a bitter-sweet feeling now. By late
afternoon there was only the writing desk and the clothes in the closet.

Going through all the small drawers and cubbyholes she tried to
take only cursory looks at the letters and notes in them. The larger
drawers below to the sides were harmlessly filled with writing supplies.
The center drawer was locked and it was hard to remember where the key
was.

She was about to give up when it occurred to her that Papa always
kept a set of his keys in a coat in the closet.

The flood of scents that came out of the closet when she opened it
took her by surprise. All kinds of images of her parents jumped into her
mind against her will. Her helping Papa put on his tie and trying on
Mama's dresses. Eyes clouded over she nuzzling the coats and dresses one
last time to drink in their scent. She retrieved the keys and tore away
from them.

It took a little effort to steady her hands so that the key would
go in. In the drawer were her father's pens, cards and various knick-
knacks and magic tricks.

Already wishing that the whole thing was over she reached into the
back of the drawer to clear everything out... And felt something stuck
against the bottom of the desktop. When she unwedged it and pulled it
out in her hands was a large leather bound journal. The leather seemed
quite old and worn. At the top of the front cover was written in script,
"Le Chevalier Arsene Lupin." Below this was a heraldric crest with a
midmight blue shield bearing an eclipsing moon centered by a star. To
either sides of the shield were a fox and wolf rampant. Below was a
scroll on which was written, "Claritas en Umbra."

Opening the booking she saw it was written in French. What she
could understand of it was that it was written by a "gentleman thief"
in France recounting his larsenous adventures. After him there were the
entries of his son, Arsene Lupin II, whose purpose in life seemed to be
to top his father's adventures. And after that there were the entries of
his grandson, Arsene Lupin III, whose adventures topped them both.

As a matter of fact Arsene Lupin III's adventures seemed to go
beyond the surreal in their awesomeness. He seemed to be taking out
armies of ninjas, soldiers, policeman and etc. with just a little help
from his croonies Daisuke...Jigen and Ishikawa...no Sumisawa Goemon!

Also there was some bombshell named Mine Fujiko who seemed to drop
in every so often and swooned at drop of his hat. After she chased him
for years and years across seas and continents he finally assents to
marry her. Then... then... on her birthday...

"My greatest caper yet! Daughter, Kaori Arsene Lupin IV, born on
this date at midnight!" He writes effusively about her until when she
was four and then no more.

They have some more adventures which all seem to correspond to the
dates of her parents' "trips". In horror she realized those hard metal
things in all those bags that her parents packed were guns. Enough for a
small army!

The last entry was on the date Papa disappeared:

"Going to finish some unresolved business with an old friend."

After which the blank pages accusingly stared back at her.

Had her father gone mad or had she? Or both?!

Who knew about it? Her cousins?

One of her cousins was begining to board up the room's window. She
so violently opened it and shoved the journal in his face that he almost
fell off the two story tall ladder he was atop.

"Did you know about this?!"

"Wah!! What the hell! Of course, that's Arsene-jisan's journal.
Everyone knows about it. We're just not supposed to tell you..."

She slammed the window shut and drew the curtains closed
forcefully enough to almost rip it off their rings.

Drawing herself into tight ball with the journal pressed to her
breast she collasped next to the bed.

She was the biggest joke in the world and the only one who didn't
know about it. Tears and laughter fought eachother to come out of her
throat.

Kaori Yamada was a total charade. Prissy little Kaori who couldn't
steal candy from a baby or hurt a fly. She wasn't sure if she was more
humiliated or angry.

Was that how her Papa felt? Humiliated! Ashamed that his daughter
had been such a failure. That all she wanted to do in life was to hide
her own little musical world. That's why he had to runaway. So that he
won't have to face the dishonor of being the one stuck with a gutless
little daughter while all his friends were blessed with such strong
accomplished sons.

And how Mama must have suffered. First she had to endure the
snooty snipings of her prudish little brat. Then she had to endure the
loneliness of abandonment by her love because the little brat had driven
him away. It was amazing how long her motherly devotion held out before
she had to run away.

Self disgust and nausea welled up in her stomach as she thought of
how egocentric she had been.

She had to do something to make up to them for what she had put
them through. So that they would see what a strong girl she was. And
then maybe they'll come back...

"Knock, knock, knock..."

"Kit-chan, are you alright? You have been in there for a long
time. Are you done?"

She wiped her tears quickly and hid the journal in a box of things
she was taking back. "Yes Auntie, I'm done," she said in as steady a
voice as possible.

"I'm coming in... Kit-chan you look so pale. Are you sure you are
alright?"

"Yes Auntie," she said not being able to look up. Now that she
knew the truth she couldn't bear to look them in the eyes again.


End of Chapter 3. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 4*********************


Her Auntie persisted in asking in an even more concerned
voice,"Kit-chan, are you OK? Are you alright?"

"Auntie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."

"What are you sorry for Kit-chan? It's my fault. I shouldn't have
forced you to move your stuff so soon."

Kaori blinked her eyes open. She was back in her bed at Goemom-
jisan's castle. She tried to get up but pain shoot through her body and
prevented her.

"Don't move Kit-chan. You are in bad shape. Your uncles brought
you back. What were you doing at the Tokyo City Club?"

"I was trying to steal the Nekura sapphires..."

"Steal!?.. Sapphires... What kind of nonsense is this?"

"Isn't that what they all do here?"

"Who are they?"

"Goemon-jisan, Jigen-jisan, Mama and Papa."

"Whatever could have gotten it in your head that we went around
stealing anything?" Jigen said as he entered the room with Goemon.

"Look on the underside of my writing table."

"Jigen felt around under the writing table until he pulled out an
old worn leather bound journal.

He and Jigen were as impassive as ever but Murasaki couldn't help
but show a small look of surprise.

"So what about this book?" asked Jigen innocently.

"Goemon-jisan, can you swear on your honor that everyting in that
book is a lie?"

"Young lady, you're already in enough trouble without imposing on
your uncles honor!" protested Murasaki.

"Well, can you uncle?"

"No, I can not Kaori-chan."

"Goemon-sama!..."

"There is no use denying the truth now Murasaki-sama."

"So it is true. You didn't think I was good enough so you hid it
from me."

"This has nothing to do with whether you were good enough or not.
It has to do with the fact that you had chosen another path. Your father
knew that you would be happiest following the path of light instead of
shadow. He decided that you would not know of this world. Knowing it
would have only impeded you on your true calling."

"How could I have made a choice if I didn't even know what they
were?! Papa didn't think I was good enough did he. That's why he ran
away. And that's why Mama ran away too."

Goemon's voice softened just a bit, "No one knows why your father
is gone. Your mother went to find him so that you could be with him. It
has nothing to do with what you did."

"I'm never playing the piano again. I'm going to become a great
thief like my father and mother and... What... what did you do to the
guard? You didn't kill him did you!?" They were very protective of her.
If they thought that anyone had harmed her they were likedly to do any
number of horrible things.The possibilities filled her with nausea. She
had thought of failure but not this. Not someone getting killed. Despite
the situation he had actually been kind.

"And what if I had?" said Goemon coldly.

Panic and horror filled her. She turned her face away from them in
agony. "I'm turning myself in."

"Don't worry. I didn't do anything to him that was permanent."

"Thank god!" Kaori was much relieved. Still, guilt from what
happened ate away at her.

"Think about it. When you become a thief you will have to hurt or
even kill. Do you think you can do that?"

She did not have an answer to Goemon's question.


End of Chapter 4. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 5*********************


"Goemon-sama, I'm worried about Kit-chan. She's barely eaten or
drunk anything for days. Ever since that incident. I know that her
decision to follow in her father's footsteps is ridiculous but couldn't
you speak to her," said Murasaki. Her face pale and trembling with
concern.

"The child will tire of it soon. Do not worry my dear." He sat
impassive in the veranda looking out to the garden. Why must that
butterfly flitter so close to the web in the shade of the aspen? He
found it hard to take his eyes off the iradisient fluttering as it
danced between light and shadow.

"You know she is a very resolute little thing. She'll hurt herself
before she gives up. I just can't stand to see her suffer. Please,
Goemon-sama!" She bowed her head to the floor in supplication.

Goemon tore his gaze from the butterfly and raised Murasaki up.
"If it concerns you that much then Jigen and I will speak to the child."

"Thank you, Goemon-sama," said Murasaki with much relief.

"Kaori-chan... Kaori-chan."

Kaori laid in her bed unresponsive to Goemon.

"Kit-chan, pay attention to your uncles when they speak to you,"
said Jigen.

With a quiet sigh of pain she turned to face them. Her eyes
couldn't quite fully look into their's. Concern came over them as they
saw how drawn and palid she was.

"Kaori-chan, why must you persist in this. You are driving your
aunt to distraction."

"I'm...I'm sorry uncle," she said in a thin voice.

"Well then, pull yourself together," chimed in Jigen.

"I try...but nothing makes sense anymore...If I'm not Kaori
Yamada...or Kaori Arsene Lupin IV than who am I?"

"Kaori-chan, you are the little girl we love very much. We only
want what's best for you."

"I'm sorry...I'm a failure and can never live with you in your
world." Her face dissolved into tears as she started sobbing quietly.

"Jigen?..." Goemon turned to Jigen totally at a lose.

"Kit-chan...Kit-chan...Please don't cry. It was not fair for us to
decide your future for you. So we'll let you choose. We'll teach you
your father's art. If at the end you wish to follow that path, we'll
support you."

"You...will?..." Kaori said. She felt unsure if she was happy or
not. "Thank you Uncle... Thank you so very much..."

"Do you want to take something to eat? Your aunt would feel so
much better if she could bring you something."

"Yes...please..."



When she got stronger her uncles began to teach her the basic
skills. Goemon, the martial arts. Jigen, fire arms. It was daunting work
but she gained confidence as her strength and skill increased.

On a fresh spring morning Kaori went endlessly through her forms
in the courtyard. Her body ached from the exertion and her ge was soaked
with sweat. She pushed herself on. Murasaki looked longingly at her from
the veranda.

"Kit-chan, I thought you might be thirsty so I brought you
something to drink," Murasaki said as she approached with a tea tray.

"Thank you, Auntie." Kaori went to meet her at the veranda. "This
tea is delicious."

Her aunt gently wiped away the sweat from the girl's brow as she
admired what a beautiful young lady she had become.

"Thank you, Kit-chan...Ever since you have started training I do
not see as much of you as I used to. I especially miss our duets... They
were the part of my day I most looked forward to..."

"I'm sorry Auntie but I swore to give up the piano and make my
father proud," Kaori said regretfully.

"You do not have to make the decision now. You have still a lot of
training ahead. When you are done you can choose. Please Kit-chan, let
me have you for a bit longer."

Kaori saw the sadness in her aunt's eyes and could not resist any
longer. "You've given me so much. I could at least repay you in this
small way."

"Thank you Kit-chan, you do not know how happy you have made me."
Murasaki pulled the soft little form to her breast. A lump grew in her
throat as she thought of the future despite her joy.

As the sun approached its highest point Goemon sat on the veranda
facing the garden. The sounds of piano and koto floated in the air above
the fresh cherry blossoms. He had not realized how much he missed that
sound. Nor how much he would miss it when it was gone forever.


End of Chapter 5. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 6*********************


By the winter time her marksmanship was good enough for Jigen to
give a grunt of approval. She was even able to take on a bunch of the
boys at a time and beat them. Many of them were fourth or fifth dan in
several forms. It helped growing up the only girl in a house full of
brats.

Her aunts and uncles had received invitations to a mascarade ball
from Hiromi and Ikaru Nekura at the Tokyo City Club. It was at a similar
event that Kaori had learned about the sapphires. Hiromi Nekura loved
to show off her sapphire earrings and necklace at events in her
husband's club. The necklace was her particular pride and joy. They were
crowned by two enormous sapphires called the "Eyes of the Tiger." Since
it was such a hassle to be escorted by security to and from the club
everytime she had a party the sapphires were kept in her husband's safe
at the club.

Kaori was apprehensive about returning there but she could not let
pass the chance to spend time having fun with her aunt. She was not sure
how many more opportunities she would have left.

The boys as usual refused to attend.

As they approached the reception line she let out a startled
"Geep!" it was the same guard she had met that fateful night standing
watch nearby at the door. She signalled her uncles. Everyone bunched
around her and rushed past the Nekuras with barely a howdydothee.
Luckily the guard seemed to be permanently stationed there.

Seeing the guard apparently totally recovered without any
permenant ill affects from that fateful night lifted a great burden from
her heart. Her laughter was lighter than it had been for a while.

She mingled inconspiciuosly among the guests and was having an
enjoyable time with her aunt when there was the crash of glass on all
sides. Men in black ski masks and fatigues carrying submachine guns and
pistols had swung in through the windows! They opened fire at the
ceilings and the guests ducked on the floor.

"All you fools stay where you are!" one of them shouted.

"Hey comeback here!" Machinegun fire sprayed the main entrance.
Another assailant knocked the machinegun into the air and screamed at
the shooter, "You idiot! We want them alive! After them you guys."

The Nekuras and the guard were gone. All the assailants except for
two rushed out the door after them. "Open up the door damned you or I'll
shoot!" was followed by more gunfire and a muffled scream and crash.
Footsteps could be heard rushing about searching the offices. "They're
somewhere around here but we can't find them! I bit this guard knows
where they are. Tell us you little snot!"

"I don't know and even if I did I won't tell you, Asshole!"

"Tell us!!"

"BLAM!"

"AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHH!"

"Tell us!!"

"BLAM!!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHH!!"

"You fool, don't kill him yet! We need him or we'll never find the
Nekuras and the sapphires. Those old bags are worth a fortune!"

The screams coming from the guard made Kaori's blood run cold. She
felt something being pressed into her hands. Goemon was passing her a
flashbomb and signalling her. She was almost sick with fear and
excitement as she took it and got ready. They started counting down with
one hand and drawing out knives with the other.

At the signal she tossed the flashbomb between the two assailants
and ducked. While they were still stunned Goemon and Jigen jumped up and
threw the knives right between their eyes. The sounds of the two men
slumping to the ground made Kaori's heart stop. Her uncles rushed to the
main entrance and slammed it shut. With superhuman strength they tossed
every piece of furniture in their reach on it.

"Everyone, down the fire escape! Quick, quick, quick!!" Jigen
yelled as Goemon led the way.

There was a mad rush down the fire escape. Kaori and her aunts
were right behind Goemon. Jigen brought up the rear. They got out just
in time as the sound of ramming and gunfire came through the main
entrance. At the back gate of the compound they were met by the police.

"Where the hell are you going, girl!?" yelled Jigen as he stopped
Kaori from rushing back into the compound.

"I have to save the guard and the Nekuras!"

"They're none of our business!!"

"I owe him this...I can't let a kind person like that be killed.
You said when I was good enough I'd have a choice. Well, I'm choosing
this..."

"What in the world makes you think you're ready?"

"Goemon-jisan, am I ready?"

Goemon's eyes narrowed as he looked deeply into the crashing blue-
green seas of her eyes.

"Yes Kaori-chan, you are."

"See, Goemon agrees with m...What the hell do you mean, Yes?! Have
you flipped your lid?!"

"Kit-chan, do you really mean to go?"

"I'm sorry Auntie but I have to."

"Then go Kaori. I know you have it in you. But come back safely. I
won't be able to go on living...if anything should happen to you..."
Murasaki's trembling hand reached up to touch Kaori's face as if for the
last time.

"Oh Auntie!" Kaori jumped into her aunt's arms and Murasaki hugged
her with all the fear and love in her heart.

Jigen threw up his hands in exasperation and said,"You are all
crazy! OK, if you want to get killed that much we'll go with you. But if
you got one scratch on you I'm personally tossing you out the window."

"You guys don't need to come with me. You might get hurt..."

"You think we're too old to do this? We should just jump in our
graves right now? We said we'd support your decision and we're doing it
now! Anyway, if we're good enough to keep that idiot father of yours
alive, we're good enough to keep you alive."

Kaori's eyes flashed from love and concern to determination and
she said,"OK, lets do it!"

At Jigen's car she was surprised to find that he always carried a
small arsenal. She and Jigen quickly picked their weapons.

They went over to the wall. While everyone was distracted by the
arrival of the SWAT team Goemon boosted Jigen and Kaori over and then
himself climbed over.

They made their way to the side alarmed emergency exit and Goemon
got them through with his sword as fast as if it were a shoji panel.

They went up the emergency stairway as silently and quickly as
smoke up a stoked chimney.

At the top floor they stopped and waited. Goemon had brought his
Zantetsuken to go with his tengu outfit and was checking it. Kaori and
Jigen checked their ammo.

She reached down and ripped off the bottom part of her skirt.

"What in the world are you doing?" hissed Jigen.

"This dress is in my way."

"Well you didn't have to take off so much. I can almost see your
panties!"

The fuse panel for each floor was on the landings of the emergency
stairway. They turned off the master fuse and all the lights went died
but the emergencies. Soon two men stuck their heads through the
emergency exit. Goemon knocked them out and threw them down the stairs
as Jigen lobbed some flashbombs into the hallway.

The yells of surprise hadn't died down before they were through
the door. Before she could get a shoot off Jigen had nailed all the
assailants in the room between the eyes. He pulled out a speed loader
and reloaded. He turned to her and said,"Too slow girl! Were you waiting
for their permission?"

For some reason Kaori's trigger finger felt like lead.

Jigen went to cover the shot out fire doors that led to the
offices and Goemon the ballroom's main entrance. Kaori dragged the guard
as gently as she could behind a planter so as to not jostle his shot up
legs. She bandaged and stopped the bleeding as best she could.

An assailant stuck his head through the hole in the main entrance
and Goemon quickly dispatched him. Close range fire tried to blast its
way through the furniture and what was left of the door as Goemon
ducked. Jigen tossed him some grenades as he dispatched some more down
towards the fire coming from the offices.

Goemon primed and tossed the grenades into the ballroom. They
exploded and fire stopped coming in from the ballroom. He cautiously
checked through the hole but saw no more threats.

"Quickly girl!" yelled Jigen.

Kaori shook of the shock and leaned over the agonized face of the
guard. "Please, tell me where the Nekuras are. We're here to help."

The guard looked through the holes of her fox eyemask and
recognised the mercurial blue-green eyes. "This is going to be the worst
and last day of my life," he thought. He shut his eyes tightly and
waited for what was coming.

He felt something soft and warm pressed against his cheek along
with something sinuous and silky on his cheeks.

He opened his eyes and millimeters away there were beautiful long
eyelashes hovering over them. She was kissing him gently as her hair
hung to brush his cheeks. He must have been going into shock because his
face started to feel hot and flashed. "Wh..Why?.." he stuttered.

"For your kindness before. Please, tell me where the Nekuras are."

He found his tongue had a mind of its own.
"Ahnn..aaah!..They...ngh!..in..that office
behind...bookcase..ah..pull..."War and Peace"...ngh!..."

"Thank you." She kissed him again as he passed out. After making
sure he was okay she went to tell Jigen and Goemon.

The offices were arranged around a main open area with cubicles in
its center. Mr. Nekura's office was on the opposite corner from the
firedoor.

Fire had stopped coming from the offices and cubicles as those
assailants left pulled back in wait.

Goemon signaled for Kaori to stay behind as he and Jigen advanced
down either sides of the corner of the cubicles.

As he went around the next corner he was momentarily distracted by
an exchange of gunfire from the opposite corner. "Rest in peace,
amateur," he heard Jigen snarl. Then much closer he heard a clicking
sound...

"Aaagh!" The assailant screamed before he could pull his hammer
all the way back as Goemon stabbed him with his sword through the
cubicle wall.

Rounding the last corner in front of Mr. Nekura's office he saw a
blur. Steel flashed through the air... To stop millimeters from Jigen's
chin.

"Thanks but I don't need a shave," said Jigen as he withdrew his
gun from Goemon's nose. "Strange," he thought, "There should be one
more..."

"Freeze, assholes," said the last assailant as he primed his bolt,
"You fools are going to pay for this!"

Jigen and Goemon made ready for one last attack...

"Please, put your gun down." The assailant saw from the corner of
his eye a little girl holding a big pistol in her little hands at his
temple.

"What? You going to shoot me you little snot?"

"This 'little snot' is going to blow you brains out all over the
walls. Now, PLEASE, put your gun down," she said with an edge of anger.

"A little puke like you can't shoot me. Go ahead and try it you
wet behind the ears punk!"

"Maybe this 'little puke' doesn't want to shoot you in 'this'
head." A vein in her temple began to throb. "Maybe this 'wet behind the
ears punk' wants to shoot you in THIS head." She dropped the muzzle of
her pistol to his crotch.

"Woh, Woh, woh there little girl. You don't want to do that. That
won't be very nice," he said as she goosed him with the pistol.

"Oh yes, I think I do, PECKERHEAD!"

Even Goemon was beginning to look nervous now.

"I..I think you better listen to her. As long as I've known her
she's been kind of strange, if you know what I mean," said Jigen with
not totally fake concern in his voice, "We've always called her Crazy-
Killer-Kit-Chan. We took her in after her parents mysteriously
disappeared. We still don't know where they are..."

"That's a lie! You don't call me that! My parents are gone but you
can't prove it's my fault!"

Tears began to well in her eyes as her whole body began to
tremble. "Forget this pussbucket. I should shot all of you!" She pulled
back the hammer of her pistol.

"Hey, Hey..WWWhy don't you calmmm down. I'll... just put down mmmy
gun..."

"WHAP!!"

Goemon knocked the assailant out with his sheath.

Motionless except for the trembles and quite sobs that went
through her body Kaori stood over the unconscious man.

"Kit-chan...I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't realy mean it. It
was just a ruse."

She turned to face them and her sobs slowly turned into loud
boisterous laughter as she put her arms akimbo. "Wah,ha,ha,wah,ha,ha...
The look on you faces were priceless. I wished I had a camera. I bet all
the brats back home would pay good money for a picture of your faces a
while ago. Jigen-san, you looked like you were going to be incontinent
in your pants. And Goemon-jisan! I thought your face was going to
crack!"

"Young lady, the only reason I do not give you a good thrashing
right now is because you are a girl."

"Well, step aside Goemon because I have no such inhibitions!"

"Geez, old people certainly are cranky."

"Why you little brat!" Jigen swung his arms and legs wildly at
Kaori as Goemon fought to restrain him.

"We have no time for this Jigen. Lets find the Nekuras and leave
before the police get here."

"Fine, but her arse is mine when we get home!"



"Please, please don't hurt my wife. You can do whatever you want
with me. If you want money I'll pay whatever you want. I have plenty..."
begged Ikaru Nekura.

"Don't worry my fine, sir. We mean no harm to you or your lovely
wife," said Kaori as she reassuringly placed her arms around their
shoulders. "But rather we are here to rescue you."

"You are?" said an incredulous Mr. Nekura.

"And there is no need to give us any worldly rewards. We get
enough reward from your friendship and gratitude," Kaori proclaimed as
she hugged them both. "And it would be a crime to take anything for
rescuing such a refined lady."

"Why you're such a kind little girl," said Mrs. Nekura as Kaori
put her hands on either Mrs. Nekura's face to hold it.

"No, what I and my cohorts are doing is for a far higher purpose,"
said Kaori, "For I am Arsene Lupin IV, successor of Arsene Lupin III and
Fujiko Mine. Great champions of the oppressed and weak. My body is a
monunent to them. My deeds bring glory to their names. I am Arsene Lupin
IV my... Hey, what are you doing? Let me go! I'm just getting to the
good part!"

"That's enough 'Arsene Lupin IV'. You've already shown all your
'good' parts."

She had put her leg up on a chair and struck a very suggestive
pose while her skirt hiked all the way up to her panties. The Nekuras
tried to look as if they hadn't noticed. Mr. Nekura's nose began to
bleed anyways.

Jigen dragged her out the room as Goemon stared at her in great
consternation. The Nekuras looked on in total confusion.


End of Chapter 6. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 7*********************


"Come on Jigen-jisan, when do I get to drive? I want to drive.I'm
almost sixteen and I'm old enough to drive. Why won't you let me drive?"

"Because you don't have an international drivers license. The last
thing we need is to be arrested because of unlicensed driving."

"Not like you couldn't whip up a fake one in a flash." said Kaori
as she pouted and crossed her arms.

His eyes were blairy from staring at the road and his leg ached
from working the clutch. Still, there was no way in heck he was going to
give her the wheel again. Especially after what she had almost done with
the semitruck and guardrail.

They were driving through the bucolic Archduchy of Cagliostro a
few weeks after the Tokyo City Club incident. Well, at least it was
still a little bucolic. Eversince the discovery of the ancient Roman
city here tourism had picked up quite a bit. Jigen found it really hard
to enjoy the snow capped mountains and lush green valleys when a
McDonalds or Starbucks popped up every 100 meters or so along the road.

All the natives seemed to have given up sheep herding and taken up
owning five or six franchises.

As they pulled into the main town he half expected the old
ramparts to have been turned into Sleeping Beauty's Castle and the ruins
to be filled with tea cup rides and roller coasters.

It was almost as bad. The castle looked cheerier but otherwise
unchanged. The ruins though were filled with tourists gawking at them
and snapping photos.

He couldn't help but recoil in revulsion from all the cheap
souvenir shops choking the roads as they drove through the town. Their
cheesy Christmas decorations only added to his nausea.

There certainly didn't appear to be any adventure or mystry left
in this old burg.

Which was just as well since he wanted to blow in, check the lead
they had on Kaori's father, and blow out of here again without any
trouble.

"Goemon-jisan, can I borrow some money from you, please. I want to
buy some sounvenirs for my cousins and Murasaki-obasan and..."

"No! Goemon will not give you anymore money to buy more junk. The
car's already jam packed enought with it."

"But I've got to get everyone something from every place I went
to. Please, Goemon-jisan."

"Well OK, Kaori-chan."

"Aargh!" Jigen screamed. He had to talk to Goemon later about
parential discipline.

Apparently, after God had his little pep talk with Emperor
Constantine the Great of the newly Christain Byzantine Empire the
emperor was give a cross. With it he led his armies around and kicked
the crud out of every barbarian and infidel in sight.

Somebody, fitting the modes operandi of Lupin III, was trying to
steal this piece of junk found in the ruins.

Nevermind that there was no historical or archeological evidence
for this. It just brought the toursists in like nobody's business.

"Jigen-jisan, please stop the car! The Lady Clarisse doll in that
window is so cute. I want to get one."

Jigen's left brow began to tick. "If I could just get this crud
over with without going crazy I'll be a happy man," he thought.

They checked into a hotel in town that looked like it had been
converted from a barn. His jaw dropped to the floor when he saw the room
rates. He sarcasticly said under his breath, "I hope the oats are
included!"

The concierge appeared not to have heard him as he signed in as
"Yoshi Yamada". Goemon signed in as "Kei Yamada". Kaori signed in as
"Brigette Bardot".

At least the rooms were better than the hovels they had to stay in
the last time they were here. There was central heating, air
conditioning and cable TV.

"Hey look, they have Dragonball Z in Italian here!" squealed Kaori
across the door joining her room and their's.

"Turn that pap off! There's just no place you can get away from
that trash," bemoaned Jigen, "Get freshened up and ready to leave in an
hour. We're going to case the ruins and castle..."

"Woo-hoo! We're going on a tour!..."

"We are not going on a tour! We are reconnoitering the perimeter."

An hour later they were standing infront of a Roman public toilet
listening to a tourguide holding a flag over his head explain about
ancient gravity plumbing systems.

As they looked at every Roman outhouse, farmhouse and doghouse
Jigen tried to keep his nausea down enough so that he could concentrate
on imprinting the layout of the ruins in his mind.

"Now we approach the high point of our tour. This is the pantheon
that the Cross of Constantine was found in. You will note that this
building is a smaller replica of the Pantheon in Rome. This alter is
where the cross was discovered. For security reasons it has been moved
to a vault in the castle. You will still get to see it when you tour
there."

By the time they got to the castle it was almost lunchtime. Kaori
whining that she wanted to get a "Le Gran Mac' from the McDonalds in the
courtyard.

"But I want to see if they really eat french fries with mayonaise
here like they say they do in 'Pulp Fiction'!"

"You idiot! That's in France!"

"Well, practically everyone here speaks French..."

"No!!"

"Goemon-jisan! Jigen-jisan is being mean to me!" screamed Kaori.

"Pipe down girl? OK, we'll go to McDonalds."

"Alright! Le GRan Mac Attack!"

Blue eyes looked down on them in the courtyard from a tower
window.

The vault that the cross was kept in was built into the former
dungion. The chapel with the only entrance to the former
dungeon/counterfeiting plant had been converted into the museum lobby.

After everyone filed down the the long passage at the old altar
they got to where the counterfeiting presses were. There now was another
gift shop where replicas of the castle and goat monopoly money with the
potrait of Lady Clarisse on them were sold along with other trinkets.

Past the gift shop were steel security gates leading to the vault.
Stored in the vault were various artifacts found in the ruins. Kaori was
disappointed to find there wasn't any jewelry or gold. Only what looked
like rubbish. Broken pots, bent spoons, busted statues. Apparently, when
the Romans left they took everything of value with them.

In a special sanctum made of 15 cm thick steel was stored the
cross. Jigen wasn't surprised the Romans left it. It was the size of a
saucer, made of rusted bronze and half of it was missing. He was truly
annoyed when Kaori bought a replica of it in the gift shop on the way
out.

Kaori was by now almost trembling with excitement. Her eyes flased
as they toured the halls and rooms of the castle accessible to the
public.

"She really needs to get out and see more of the world," he
thought. The next moment he let out a "Yipes!"

It was Lady Clarisse! She was standing above them on the gallery
overlooking the grand hall. He could have sworn she was looking directly
at them. He wasn't sure how she would react to them but he really didn't
want anyone to know they were there. He signalled Goemon and they both
tried to blend into the crowd around them. Moving as inconspicously as
possible they dragged Kaori out of the grand hall.

Kaori pulled her hands from their grips when they were outside the
grand hall and whined, "I wasn't done looking yet! What's the hurry?"

"I saw Lady Clarisse in the gallery. She was more mature and
majestic than I remember but I'm sure it was her."

"Really!?" Kaori said as she popped back into the gallery. They
tried to stop her but were to late.

Up in the gallery was a tall slender woman with long sorrel
colored hair. Her eyes were like the calm morning sky. Her face was a
newly blossomed pale rose.

Kaori stared at her enraptured until Goemon dragged her back out
of the grand hall.

"You fool!" hissed Jigen.

"What's wrong! She's not going to recognise me."

Jigen just couldn't understand why she acted like such an airhead
sometimes.


End of Chapter 7. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 8*********************


That evening back at the hotel while her uncles made plans for
their next move Kaori tried on outfits.

"I'm tired so I'll turn in now you guys," she said after popping
her head into their room throught the adjoining door. She closed the
door and turned off the lights. After listening for a while to them talk
she threw off her bathrobe to reveal a dark lowcut skintight outfit.
Around her neck she wore one of her father's ties. Over the outfit she
wore a jacket like his but high cut. Quietly she slipped out the window
and headed towards the castle.

Most of the castle's security systems had been removed and it was
now a lot easier to sneak into compared to its former truly fortresslike
state.

Still it gave her a pleasant buzz of adrenaline to slip undetected
throught the halls. She wasn't quite sure what she was looking for but
she headed in the general direction of the noble family's private
quarters.

In a back hallway that seemed to be more full of servants'
activities than the others she was caught in the middle of a long
hallway with only one door in its middle. She hear servants rounding
both ends. There was nothing to hide behind. She reached for the handle
and prayed that it wasn't locked. It was unlocked. As she went througth
the door she thought, "Am I one lucky vixen or what."

And appeared in a ballroom full of formally dressed people.

A lanky dourly dressed woman with an even more dour face tapped
her on her shoulder and asked, "Hello young lady, I do not believe I
know you. Can you tell me who you are and what you are doing here!"

Kaori thought, "This woman must be a school teacher. She asks such
hard questions." Out of her mouth she stammered, "I'm aah... I'm
Brigette Bardot...and aah...," the edge of her eyes caught sight of a
grand piano, "I'm here to play the piano?"

"I do not remember a 'Brigette Bardot' among one of the musicians.
Come with me while I check," said the headmistress as she clamped a
viselike grip on Kaori's arm.

"What seems to be the matter, Maria?"

Kaori tried to swallow but could not get it past her heart which
had come up to her throat. There, standing behind Maria was the
Archduchess Clarisse de Cagliostro herself!

"This girl who calls herself 'Brigette Bardot' says she's here to
play the piano. I do not remember any musicians by that name listed for
this event."

"Why of course not. I personally invited her," said Clarisse as
she smiled graciously, "Why, do you not play for us now, Brigette."

Kaori could feel herself wither like a mushroom under the blazing
noontime sun beneath the warmth of that smile.

"I..It's so warm and light in here. I need to go outside and get
some cool night air..." Kaori said as she made to go out the door again.

"Noo, you just came in. Please, stay and play for us," said Maria
with a bit of devilish glee. Kaori looked like she was being led to the
rack as Maria trailed her behind on the way to the piano.

Clarisse clapped her hands softly for attention and said,
"Everyone, please. Tonight in celebration of my son's seventh birthday I
have a special treat for you. I introduce to you, Ms. Bardot. She is a
pianoist parexcellence. Ms. Bardot, would you please entertain us with
your brilliant talent?" With that she sat down on a sette next to a
groachy faced little boy and smiled graciously for Kaori to start.

Kaori was going to make a break from the piano bench but she saw
the heartfelt smile on Lady Clarisse's guileless face and she bent down
to her punishment.

Her face and hands looked like they were hovering over red hot
brands as they hung over the keyboard.

The look changed instantly after the first pure tones from the
piano flew up and flocked around her Her face was filled with a new
agony and estacy as the music ripped her off her moorings. Farther and
farther everything in the world was. Soon there was only her music and
the memories. She could not turn away from these memories that hurt to
the touch. On this note Papa pecked her on the cheek and called her his
'kitten'. In this pause Mama looked into her eyes with relief and love
before hugging her when she tripped and fell. Wasn't this the passage
along which Papa, Mama and she walked together singing songs and holding
hands.

The more the sparks of memories flew up the more brilliant her
world became. Also the more the fires of regret burned into her. Regret
that she could not stay here. The longer she staid the more hooks it dug
into her. The harder it was to pull away from this trap. These were only
shadows that lured her. Her real Papa and Mama was in the opposite
direction in the real world. She mustn't run away and hide but face the
world and fight to make Papa and Mama proud.

Hands finally hung quivering over the keyboard having run their
course. Her eyes were still stinging from the salt of the music when she
was snapped back to the present by the roar of the applause and cheers.
She looked around still disorientated to see Clarisse clapping and
smiling as if she had just seen the greatest moment of serendipity in
the world.

A crowd of people rushed up to her and surrounded her as she
continued to blink and try to catch her breath.

"That was the most passionate and precise performanace I have ever
heard in my life. Hello, I'm Kurt Masur with the New York Philharmonic
Orchestra. Please, come play for me. Your debut will be the most
brilliant musical event of this century..."

"You can't bury her in that cesspool you call a culture. You've
wasted enough artists to feed the unappreciative appetities of
swine. Come with me and you will have a real debut among those who truly
appreciate music in Vienna!..."

"And you thank that Leipzieg the home of Wagner is less
perceptive? If you have your debut with me you'll have a real orchestra
behind you. Not a bunch of over blown wind bags..."

"Why you!..I'm going to make you eat those words!"

"Stop it! Stop it!...I dont't want to hear any of this!...Leave me
alone!..." Kaori screamed as she clutched her ears and tightly shut her
eyes.

The crowd parted and Clarisse knelt down infront of Kaori. "Look
at what you have done. She is scared half to death. Please, give her
some room. There, there little one. No one is going to hurt you. I
promise I will not let them shhh, shhh..."

"I'm sorry," Kaori said as she looked around timidly with fear
still in her eyes.

"Maria, can you please look after Chiarito while I take Ms. Bardot
to a private room so that she can calm down?"

"Of couse, your highness." Looking down her nose at Kaori, "The
things that young ladies wear nowadays. Humph!"

"Have a sip of this child," said Clarisse soothingly stroking her
hair as they sat in the anteroom.

"I'm sorry for scaring you so. I was so excited to see that you
had come I could not resist teasing you a little. Then you played that
wonderous music... But then I should not be surprised that the child of
Arsene Lupin III could perform such marvelous magic..."

"How did you know!"

With a delighted gleen in her eyes Clarisse said, "So you are
Lupin's daughter. I saw you when I recognised your uncles in the grand
hall. When I looked into your eyes I recognised the same mischief and
gentleness that I saw in his... And by your clothes I can tell your
mother is Fujiko Mine."

"Ha, ha, ha how could you tell?" laughed Kaori as she nervously
put her hand behind her head.

"So she was the one who won your father. I suppose they are
perfect for eachother," said Clarisse with a bit of nostalgia and
regret. "For a while I wanted to be like your father so that I could
live with him in his world. In the end I could not abandon my people."

"When I heard that he had disppeared I gave up all hope that he
would come back to help me. It makes me so happy that his daughter came
in his place."

"So it is true that someone is trying to steal your cross."

"Yes, but I cannot impose on you any longer my Lupin. You have a
marvelous gift that you must nurture. Otherwise it well wither like a
flower."

"I can't... I've given it up so that I can become a great thief
like my father. Papa will be proud of me and someday he'll comeback."

With great sympathy Clarisse said, "Child, I know your father
would never willingly abandon such a gifted daughter. He must have known
that it was best to let you blossom in the light rather than sufficate
in his world..."

"I don't want to do anyting if it means loosing my Papa and
Mama..." said Kaori as she broke down into tears.

"Hush...hush... I am sorry my child. I did not mean to make you
cry again. I have someone I would like you to meet," said Clarisse as
she went to the door, "Maria... Oh sorry Maria, I did not mean to yell
into your ear. Would you bring Chiarito in here, please."

In walked Maria with the groachy faced small boy. He had the same
appearance as his mother. From his expression Kaori guessed he did not
have the same temperment.

"Chiarito, I would like to introduce to you a good friend of
mines. Her name is..."

"Kaori, your highness," she chimed in.

"Thank you, Kaori. I want you to be good friends with her..."

"Ah don't wanna. Maria says she's a 'girl of illpattootie'.
Anyway, tha party that yah threw me sucks!..."

"Chiarito, please do not use such language!" Clarisse said in
embarrassment.

"Well, it does. Ah wanted pony rides and cake an all Ah got was a
bunch of old geezers."

"It is a tradition of our family that you be introduced to the
world on your seventh birthday. I promose you will have a party with all
your friends and games later. For now you must perform you duty to our
people..."

"Tha people suck! When Ah become Archduke Ah'm gonna ground them
inta tha ground. Waaah!... Ah wanna pony ride! Waaah!..."

"I am sorry, Kaori. I have to take care of Chiarito," said
Clarisse, her face red with embarassment. She took a silver ring from
her left hand and gave it to Kaori, "Please take my crest. It well allow
your to come see me whenever you want."

"But I can't take this!"

"It is fine. the orginal was lost long ago."

Kaori took the ring as Clarisse and Maria led Chiarito out of the
room.


End of Chapter 8. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 9*********************


It did not seem as much fun to wander around the castle now that
she could go any where she wanted to without sneaking around.

One place she did want to go to was the tower that Clarisse was
held in by the Count.

Going up to the tower Kaori thought of how very hopeless the lady
must have felt when she was kept here. It must have been so romantic
when her father came to fearlessly rescue her through all those dangers.
Haaa... if only she was a man. She could have fun rescuing damsels in
distress. "I just don't think it's as fun for me to do such things as it
was for my father," thought Kaori as she opened the door of the darkened
room at the top.

A dark blur flew across her sight. Kaori slammed the door shut
behind her as she tucked and rolled beside the bed.

Her sight had not adjusted to the pitch darkness of the new moon
night in the room. In a crouch she tried to discern where the intruder
was by sound.

There was a rustle to her left. She whipped out a shuriken and
threw it. A muffled yell was her response. She had thrown it slightly
side ways. In a flash she sprang up to nail the intruder with a kick.

And promptly fell into the floor on her next step. By sheer luck
she managed to grab an edge of the floor, "What the heck is a hole doing
in the middle of the floor!" she thought.

As she hung precariously by her finger tips a darker shadow popped
over her. It was the intruder reaching down towards her. "Shoot! I'm
done for!" she screamed.

There was the clamour of the door opening. "Get away from her you
fiend!" and "Don't you dare, damn you!" yelled the voices of Goemon and
Jigen followed by an explosion and flash of light then wild slashes and
gunfire.

The lights went on and the faces of Jigen and Goemon appeared
above her. "You do get into the darndest predicements, girl!" said Jigen
as they hauled her up.

"The intruder!" yelled Kaori.

"Forget it. He's long gone by now. What did you see, Goemon? I saw
a lank fellow. About my height."

"As did I. This is our formula," said Goemon as he sniffed a pinch
of the flashbomb's residue.

"Could... could that that been my father?" said Kaori shakily.

"Now lets not jump to conclusions," Jigen said. Things were
getting serious. It was time to reassess their situation. If there was
trouble he didn't want Kaori anywheres near it. "Kit-chan, there's a
lead about someone stealing a similar cross in Istanbul. I want you to
check into it..."

"You're not sending me away! If that's my father I have to find
out!"

"And you will. I just don't want you to get hurt..."

"Get hurt!? I don't care if it kills me but I'm finding him!"
yelled Kaori as she ran out and slammed the door.

As she ran blindly through the halls she crashed into Clarisse and
almost knocked her over.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm... What happened to your arm?!" said
Kaori with concern. Clarisse was clutching her upper left arm. A small
trickle of blood was coming from between the fingers of her right hand.
"It's not that brat Chiarito is it? He scratched you didn't he? Why that
ungrateful little rat! I'll tear him a new one!..."

"No, no, Kaori! It was not him! I just fell and hurt myself," said
Clarisse evasively.

Kaori wanted to find the little cockroach and give him what for
but she calmed herself down. There was no use humiliating Lady Clarisse
any more.


End of Chapter 9. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 10*********************


At the desk of the commander of Interpol, Japan Division in Tokyo,
a figure was sitting in a high backed chair facing away from the door.
He was dressed in a black kimono with his hand probing for something
under his steel mask. He brought out his hand with his prize on the tip
of his finger. After rolling it around on the tip of his fingers for a
while he flicked it off.

Just as he was going under his mask again the door opened. A tall
young man wearing a trench coat, fedora and a slight scowl on his face
walked in ahead of some Tokyo Police troopers wearing riot gear. The
face of the young man looked like that on the mask but slightly more
bearable to look at.

They stood at attention before the desk and the yound man yelled
out smartly, "Provisional Inspector Zenigata the Younger reporting with
the troopers you ordered for, sir!"

The figure in the chair quickly straightened out his mask. Turning
majestically he faced them.

"At ease, gentlemen. Inspector, have you seen this article?" said
the seated man as he tossed a copy of the Tokyo Shimbun from a few weeks
passed on the desk. As the young man picked it up he said in a metallic
voice, "Please, read me the headline story."

"Lunatics Rob City Club... Three pyschpaths and 12 henchmen stole
Nekura Sapphires... Mrs. Nekura said, 'I was never so scared in my life.
Two pediphiles and a deranged nymphet held us hostage and stole all our
valuables including my sapphires!'...'She kept ranting on about being
Arsene Lupin IV successor of Arsene Lupin III...If it hadn't been for
the courage of a security guard we would all be died now...'"

"What about it, sir?"

"Look at these reports." The elder man placed some files on the
table. "There has been a breakin at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Some
monstrous mechanical beast tore into the floor to below the original
alter and removed a cross. The security force hit it with everything
they had but they couldn't dent it. It disappeared into the Bosporus.
There is a similar cross in the Roman ruins below Castle Cagliostro near
Bologna, Italy. There have been reports that someone has been trying to
steal this cross also. The same Arsene Lupin IV and two men have been
seen in the area. I am reactivating the Anit-Lupin Task Force with these
men and putting you in charge of it. Your transfer to Interpol is
effective immediately. I want you to bring this girl in and lead her
back to the path of righteousness. Your promotion to full Tokyo Police
Inspector is provisional on the completion of this mission. Don't you
men think this appropriate?"

"Yes sir, we do!" they all replied back gleefully.

He didn't think that the opinions of his father's old cronies
should matter in this situation. He had endured the peculiarities of his
father his whole life and this was the last straw! First his father was
gone all the time chasing that idiot Lupin leaving mother, his siblings
and him behind. Then when his father had gotten injured they had to live
with all his weird behaviors and fits. Now his promotion was tied to
catching some lunatic who called herself Lupin IV. The only reason his
father was still in the Tokyo Police Department and Interpol was as an
honorary commander for all his years of service.

"Father, I've had enough of your rantings and ravings. I'm taking
this to the head of Tokyo Police..."

"Provisional Inspector Zenigata! I am not acting as your father
but as the Tokyo Police Rep. to Interpol! Take a look at these orders.
They come directly from the Head of Tokyo Police confirming my
assignment to you."

"I have raised you to become the model of a Heisei man and police
officer. By completing this assignment you will prove to your superior
officer that you are worthy of that status and rank. You and your men
are leaving immediately for Italy. That is all! You are dismissed."

"Yes, sir!" He wanted to reach over and apply the proper treatment
to get his father out of his fit. He did not want to embarrass his
father in front of his men though. Instead, he gritted his teeth and
marched out with the men.

When they were gone the man in the chair turned his chair to the
wall again and proceeded to put his hand under his mask.


End of Chapter 10. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 11*********************


As Prov. Insp. Zenigata the Younger walked into the door of his
home and took off his shoes he yelled, "Mother, Father isn't coming home
til late this even as usual. He's got 'work' to do at his office. We
better get dinner started right away because I have to leave for Italy
soon... Mother! What do you think you're doing?"

When he walked by the dining room he saw a man sitting at the
table. His mother was bent over his crotch mouthing something!

"Mmph...mmph... Did you say something Zen-chan?" she said as her
head popped up above the tablecloth.

"Osama-jisan, what are you?!... Mother, how could you?!..." he
stammered in horror.

"I'm sorry Zen-chan. Some cake dropped on my pants and your mother
insisted on not wasting it." Inspector Osama said as he got up to reveal
the bits of cake still on the lap of his pants.

"Yes Zen-chan, waste not want not."

"But you were... That was his..."

"Young people nowadays. They get everything handed to them on a
silver platter. I remember in my day you never even got to see a cake.
When you got one you certainly didn't waste it," she said as she stood
up and straightened her kimono.

He was going to press the argument but thought better of it. With
a frustrated, "Aargh!" he dropped it. He had been in the same situation
too many times in the past and it had gotten him nowhere.

As long as he could remember Osama-jisan had come to visit.
Growing up the visits made him more and more uncomfortable. His mother
was an attractive woman. When he joined the police department he learned
that Insp. Osama's nickname was 'Lady-Killer-Osama' because of the way
he had with the ladies.

This, along with his father's strange behavior was causing him to
develop an ulcer at a very young age.

Not that he could blame his mother. A desperate woman in her
situation had to find comfort somehow.

"I said we have to get dinner started soon because I'm leaving
for Italy on assignment tonight."

"I know that, dear. Osama-kun told me."

"He did?"

"Didn't you read the orders? I'm to go with you as an observer and
assess your performance. Woh, woh, let me do that Kei-chan," Insp. Osama
said as his mother started to massage the lap of his pants with a wet
towel.

"Oh, is that a fact?" said P. Ins. Zenigata as his right eye began
to twitch. This was begining to become hell on earth. Not only was he
being sent on some fools errand by his idiot father. But he was also
going to have this lech looking over his shoulders the whole time!

"Don't worry Zen-chan. You'll still be in charge. I'll stay out of
your way."

He kept his mouth shut as he made sure to get in between osama and
his mother at the table.

"Oh, I'm sorry Zen-chan. Did my little dainty feet accidentally
kick you. I'll try to be more careful next time."

"And what lovely little dainty feet you do have. You do that Kei-
chan," said Ins. Osama with a wink.

"Oh, I'm sorry Zen-chan. Did my big clumsy feet accidentally kick
you. I'll try to be more careful next time."

"And what big clumsy feet you do have. You do that Osama-kun,"
said his mother with a wink.

Suddenly, he had lost all his appetite.


End of Chapter 11. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 12*********************


When he arrived at Cagliostro Insp. Zenigata was surprised to be
invited to see Lady Clarisse in person.

"You look even more handsome than your father. How is he doing
now?" she said with a look of nostalgia in her eyes.

"Oh yes, I vaguely remember he had a case here. He was chasing
Lupin and he foiled some counterfeiting scheme."

"He is mostly OK now but he was seriously injured on a case long
ago. Presently he is out of active service and semi-retired, my lady."

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that. You have a most amazing resemblance
to your father. Your career well make him proud I am sure, Inspector
Zenigata."

"That's, 'Provisional' Inspector Zenigata," offered Insp. Osama
most unnecessarily. "That is pending the capture of this criminal we are
looking for here who calls herself, Arsene Lupin IV. Then he will be
promoted to full inspector, my lady."

"On that I may be able to help you. I received this last night."
said Clarisse as she handed Zenigata a note."

"To her Ladyship Archduchess Clarisse de Cagliostro, Please
surrender to me the Cross of Constantine by tomorrow night," read
Zenigata. "If you do not I will liberate it myself. Any quarter given
will be considered an insult to my honor. Sincerely, Arsene Lupin IV."

"Lady Clarisse is taking this lunatic as seriously a I am,"
thought Zenigata, "She's smiling gleefully as if this is a game."

"Be assured, my lady, me and my men will protect the cross and
bring this criminal in without fail."

"I have no doubt that you will, Inspector Zenigata." For some
reason her voice gave him the impression of having a tinge of playful
sarcasm to it.


The whole time Zenigata was setting up the security for the cross
he could hear Osama making critical comments under his breath. Well, he
was going to show Osama, his father and everyone that catching this
'Lupin' isn't such a big deal.

There have been dozens who have pretended to be the real Lupin
since the original disappeared years ago. They all turned out to be just
seocnd rate imitations. The line of great thieves apparently died out
after three generations.

The night wore on without any sign of 'Lupin' showing up. He was
just begining to think that the fools had been scared away by his
prepartions when he received a call on his radio.

"Sir, intruders have broken into the vault and taken the cross...
Sir, look at the dam!"

Sure enough at the portal through the dam into the ruins was a
boat carrying the three intruders.

"Get the men around to the ruins as quickly as possible. I'll go
to head them off in the helicopter.

Zenigata jumped into their two-place helicopter and prepared to
take off. "I'll keep an eye out for them will radio in if I see them."
No one was going to get past the sharp eyes of Insp. Zenigata the
Younger of the Tokyo Police Department!

"I think I better go with you," said Osama joining him.

"If you think you MUST," said Zenigata.

At the ruins they split up.

He heard a noise in the buildings and headed to investigate. As he
did a shadow moved through the ruins behind his back.

"Strange, nothing here," he thought as he got to where the noise
came from.

He heard another noise in the ruins in the opposite direction and
went to investigate that. As he did another shadow moved through the
ruins behind his back.

"Strange, nothing here either. The ruins must be settling," he
thought.

Then from near by he heard what sounded like someone cursing in a
low voice, "Ouch, darn stupid toilet!"

He was about to check this out when he heard the voice of a little
girl call out, "Jiji, Jiji, where are you kitty? Jiji..."

Walking towards him was a little red haired girl looking for
something.

"Young lady are you looking for someone?" he said.

"Yes, I'm looking for my poor lost little kitty, Jiji. I call him
that because he's like a STUPID CRANKY SENILE OLD MAN and everywhere I
go he would GET LOST."

"You're a lovely young lady. Isn't it dangerous for you to be out
here by yourself?"

"Do you think so? Why?"

"I just think that a cute girl like you should be more careful of
going out in the night alone. There are nasty men running around here
now who might want to do nasty things to your pretty young body."

"Well, I'm not sure if they would be interested in my body but
maybe you would be interested in protecting my innocence," she said
sidling up to him.

He uncomfortably noticed how low cut and tight fitting her outfit
was as she started to reach over and stroke the nape of his neck.

"Meow!" came a sound aways in the ruins.

"Isn't that your cat? Maybe you should go find it," he said as he
jerked away from her.

"No, that's just a MANGY OLD FLEA BAG and it should GET AWAY
before I throw a brick at it," she said as she pulled up even closer to
him.

"Now tell me about how you are going to protect my virtue," she
said as she threw her hands behind his neck and locked them in a vise
grip.

"MEOW!" came an even more insistant sound from the ruins.

"I really think that's your cat, Miss. You should go and find him.
I'd help but I have someplace I have to go now," he said as he tried to
pull away from her and head in the opposite direction from the sound.

"Not until I give a token of my appreciation for your gallantry,"
she said as she screwed her eyes shut and puckered her lips so tight she
looked like she had swallowed a whole cup of lemon juice.

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA..." he nervously blurted out before she could
ram her lips into his.

She opened her eyes in a start. Tears of humiliation began to form
in them. With an anguished sob she pulled away from him and ran blindly
into the ruins.

"Miss, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make fun of you! Please, stop!
It's dangerous out here!" he yelled running after her.

He didn't get far. As he was rounding a building he ran into what
felt like two of the biggest jello molds he'd ever known.

Correction, they were two breasts. These breasts were attached to
a woman who could best be described as a "bombshell".

"Ouch!" the woman said as she apparently caught herself from
falling over by wrapping her arms tightly around his body. "Where's a
handsome young thing like you going in such a hurry? Why don't you stay
with me for a while, gorgeous."

"Wah, wah, wah, well, I've got to find that girl..." he said
begining to feel like he didn't really want to pull away just yet.

"You don't need a girl. What you need is a woman. Or do you think
you're not man enough for me?" she said stroking his hair and enticingly
moving her lips closer to his.

"Why, Zenigata is man enough for any woman!" he exclaimed feeling
his manhood challenged.

"Then prove it, slugger," she purred as her lips formed an
enticing moist rose.

He swallowed hard, closed his eyes, puckered up and waited for
what was to come.

And suddenly the heavens opened up. Stars shot through his eyes as
pain he had never experienced in his life was delivered to his groin by
a most forceful knee.

"Yep, you feel just about as manyly as your old man. You little
pecker! Let that be a lesson to you. Make fun of my daughter will you!"

"Da..daughter...?!" Who was this woman talking about?

"Mother! What are you doing?" It looked like the girl from before.
He couldn't see for sure through his crossed eyes though. "And you doing
it with a mother!"

"Not..not..MY..mother..." he stammered.

"Still it's disgusting. Watching a little boy pawing an older lady
like that. I'm sure YOUR mother would be ashamed of you."

"I don't know. He was not much of a man but he was more man than
you could handle."

"Why..Why, I should turn you in for pediphilia. He's only
twentysomething and you're over...Mmph, mmph!" the girl said as her
mother grabbed her and wrapped a hand over her mouth.

He slumped to the ground as they slipped away.

"You know that woman was Fujiko Mine the long time consort of
Lupin III. So I'm guessing that the little girl is the real Lupin IV,"
he heard Insp. Osama comment over his prone body.

"Go..Go after.. them..."

"Not my job remember. I'm only here to assess. I'll be sending a
report back to Commander Zenigata soon."

Thankfully, the oblivion of darkness soon overtook him.

After Fujiko had dragged Kaori to a safe part of the forest she
let go of the girl.

"Mmph.. Mama what are you doing here?! I'm so glad to see you."

"Kit-chan, my poor little baby. What have they done to you? And
why are you in that ridiculous outfit? They made you do this didn't
they. They've polluted your poor innocent mind.

"What do you mean, Mama? Who made me do what?"

"Hello Fujiko, longtime no see," said Jigen as he and Goemon
approached them.

"Well, if it isn't Tweedle-De-Idiot and Tweedle-De-Dumb. Just the
two knuckleheads I wanted to see. You're the ones who put her up to this
aren't you. First you made her steal those stupid sapphires..."

"I'm sorry Mama but that was my idea. I was just going to rescue
the Nekuras but they are such pompous arses and throw such lousy
parties I decided they deserved it."

"Then you made her steal this piece of junk cross..."

"Excuse me again. That was my idea also. We're trying to find out
if whoever is trying to steal it before is really Papa. So I figured
we'd steal it and make him come to us."

Fujiko looked at Kaori with deep concern. She slapped a hand on
the girl's forehead and felt for a temperature. "You poor thing. Losing
your father must have done more damage to you than I thought. Your
delusions'll be over soon my sick little baby. Mama's going to find your
Papa for you and you'll be all better."

Fujiko jumped on her waiting motorcycle and drove off.

"Mama, wait! Please, just come home!" cried Kaori as she futilely
ran after her. After a while she knelt dejectedly on the ground, "I'll
try harder to be good enough for you..."


End of Chapter 12. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 13*********************


Back at the hotel Kaori was sulking in her room when she heard a
knocking at her door. She looked through her peep hole but saw no one.
Cautiously she pulled out her revolver and opened the door. "Yep, no one
there... Wait a minute," she thought as she looked down and saw a
groachy faced little boy. It was Prince Chiaroscuro de Cagliostro,
Chiarito! She quickly put away her pistol and knelt down to face him.
"What are you doing here little man? Are you lost?"

"So ya did steal tha cross! Ah thought so. Ah was playin in the
ruins an heard that some one had stolen it an saw yah skulkin by. Ah
follow'd ya here ta the hotel and asked the manager if there was any
ugly redhead'd girl stay'n here an he tol' me ta come here. Come quietly
or Ah'll have ta mush ya up!"

Kaori checked the hall to make sure no one was around. Reasured
she hauled the little tyke into her room and slammed the door shut.

"Why, Chiarito what a smart little boy you are. But you know
Kaori-oneesan is only barrowing the cross until she can catch the real
thief who's after it."

"Ya can't pull tha wool ova' my eyes! Ya'r just a cheap low life
hussy like Maria said ya are!"

A vein in Kaori's temple began to bulge as she was trying to
figure out who she hated more. This little brat or that old hag, Maria.

"But Chiarito, didn't your mother tell you that we should be
friends?"

"Ah don't listen to mah motha. Maria said she killed mah fatha!"

Kaori knew just the right touch to use on a trouble little boy
like this. Her small hand reached over to him.

And yanked his ear til he screamed like a banshee!
"OWWWAAAAAAAA..." Growing up in a house full of brats she knew how to
deal with them.

"Why you ungrateful little worm! She loves you with all her body
and soul. How dare you accuse her of that! I'm going to give you the
thrashing that your mother should have given you a long time ago!" With
that she pulled him over her knee and sailed into his rear end with the
patented Suminawa Iron Fist.

"OW! OW! OW! OW! OW!..."

Goemon and Jigen burst through the adjoining door and prepared to
save Kaori from a pack of homocidal maniacs.

"Kit-chan hold on!... What in hades are you doin?!" Jigen yelled
as he pulled Chiarito away from her.

"That's the Prince of Cagliostro, Chiarito, and I'm going to wail
him until his butt falls off!" growled Kaori as she lunged at him.

"He's the what!?... Have you gone totally nuts! We steal! Not
kidnap!"

"I didn't kidnap him. He followed me here. Why would I kidnap this
ungrateful little piece of crud! Come over here you little snot! Kaori-
oneesan has something for you?" yelled Kaori as the prince cowered
behind Jigen and Goemon.

"Kit-chan, if you don't stop this nonsense I'm going to give YOU a
wooping. It's because of you own incompetence that he's here. Oh great,
now we have to take him back to the castle..."

"Take him back? Couldn't we just dump him into a dumpster like the
piece of garbage that he is?"

"No we can't! We can't leave the Prince of Cagliostro wandering
the streets. Young man I suggest you do everything that we tell you or
I'll have Kit-chan sick you."

"Ggggrrrrr...," the prince cowered back as Kaori growled at him.

They had just gotten the prince back into the castle when alarms
went off and a voice started booming over the loudspeakers. "Hear me
people of Cagliostro. I am your Count. I have returned for my castle and
all that belongs to it. I have your Archduchess, Lady Clarisse. So
'Lupin', bring me the Cross of Constantine by midnight if you don't want
anything to happen to her."

"The Count! I thought he was squished ages ago," exclaimed Jigen.

"Apparently evil is harder to squash than we thought," said
Goemon.

"I have the stupid cross here. I say we just give it to him and
get Lady Clarisse and Chiarito out of here," said Kaori.

"Good idea. We better be careful. This devil is more treacherous
than a snake."

They were searching the castle for where the Count was holding
Clarisse when they ran into some goons in armor with pointy clawed
gauntlets in the grand hall.

"Oh great! Not these guys again!" yelled Jigen as they ducked for
cover from the gunfire coming down on them. "And me without my .50
caliber."

"Maria! Help me!" screamed Chiarito as he broke away from Jigen
and ran blindly into the open.

"Chiarito, stop!" Kaori dived after him. "Aaaagh!" She felt a
burning pain shoot through her left side as she grabbed him and rolled
under a long table.

"MARIA! MARIA!...MA.. Y..you'ah bleedin!" Chiarito notice the
blood coming from Kaori's side as she clutched it.

"It's OK. I'm only grazed. Chiarito, please be a good little boy
and stay with Kaori-oneesan." She winced preparing to return fire.

Their shots did not have any affect on the goons' armor. So much
so that the shelled monsters were breaking cover to poor fire on them.

Just as Goemon was about to make a desperate charge to get them
with his Zantetsuken the goons were taken out by grenade explosions.

"Kit-chan, are you OK?!" Fujiko yelled as she ran to Kaori's side.
"Thank god you're only scratched. No thanks to you idiots!" she said
handing Jigen a shotgun and a bandolier of slug shells. "Come on lets
get out of here. You guys will never be able to get to her."

"Mama, you know where they're keeping her?"

"Yes, in the vault but we've got to get you out of here."

"No, I'm not leaving without her! Papa won't runaway and so won't
I."

"You're Papa won't want you to get hurt..."

"Because he won't think I'm good enough?!"

"It's not your fault Kit-chan. Your father is very proud of you."

"Well, help me prove it Mama. Help me prove that I'm strong
enough."

"OK...Ok Kit-chan." Fujiko gently stroked Kaori's cheek. "If this
is the path you chose I will support you." She hugged her daughter with
all the pride and fear in her.

"I'll be ok Mama. I'll be ok." Kaori had almost forgotten the
peace she felt in her mother's arms.

"Kaori-oneesan Ah'm sorry foh tha nasty thangs Ah said about 'cha
earla," said Chiarito.

"I forgive you." She pulled him into their embrace.



Making their way to the vault they ran into a baracade full of
goons in a hallway.

"This could get nasty. If we try to go around we'll just run into
another bunch of them. If we attack they'll send in reinforcements."
said Goemon.

"Don't worry. I'll get them out without causing an alarm," said
Fujiko as she put down her ammo bag and slung her shotgun under her belt
behind her.

"What is that woman doing?" said Jigen while she ambled into the
open infront of the baracade.

"Hello boys, I was just wandering about looking for some action
when all this commotion started. Maybe you can tell me what's going on."

"Why of course pretty mama. We'll do whatever yah tell us." said
one of the goons as the others leered and hooted obscenely.

"Well then, why don't you studs come over here and we could have
some fun," she said seductively striking a pose and zipping down the
front of her tightly fitting bodysuit.

"Get her!" they yelled falling over themselves to get over the
baracade.

"In your dreams, DIRTBAGS!" she said shoving her shotgun in the
nose of the nearest goon. Goemon, Jigen and Kaori jumped out to cover
the rest.

"Was that really necessary, Fujiko? There are children here." said
a chagrinned Jigen.

"There's only ONE child here!" insisted Kaori.

"No, but it's more fun that way," said Fujiko with a smug smile on
her face.

They were in the courtyard when they ran into some more goons
guarding the front of the chapel.

"I don't see anymore of them inside. They must have their next
line of defense underground," said Fujiko putting down her infrared
scope. "I guess I'm up again."

"No Mama, let me do it," said Kaori putting down her revolver and
grenades and slinging her shotgun under her jacket behind her.

"You do it Kit-chan?" Fujiko tried to conceal the concern in her
voice. "Ok, if you want."

"Young lady, I don't think you should do this," said Jigen.

"Don't worry. How hard can it be." Kaori slipped out infront of
the goons before Jigen could stop her.

"Hello boys, I was just wandering about looking for some action
when all this commotion started. Maybe you could tell me what's going
on."

"Get lost brat! We're busy here," said an annoyed goon.

"Why, don't you want to ravage my beautiful young body?" said
Kaori as she seductively struck a pose and unzipped her suit as
suggestively as she could.

"Why would we? We're not gay. We're not interested in boys," said
a goon as they got out from cover and moved toward her to pellet her
with empty cans and pebbles.

"A...A BOY?! Put up your hands you KNUCKLEHEADS!" yelled a miffed
Kaori as she whipped out her shotgun. Goemon, Fujiko and an extremely
chagrinned Jigen jumped out to cover the other goons.

"Oh, I get it! You're a girl, right...mmph?" said one of the tied
up goons as Kaori shoved a gag into his mouth.

"Just shut up!" said an even more miffed Kaori.

"I almost understood what Fujiko was doing but I have no idea what
you were going for, Kaori-chan," said a puzzled Goemon.

"Please, Kit-chan, zip up your suit before you give me
nightmares," said Jigen hiding his eyes behind his hands.

"It's so cute when little girls try to imitate their mothers.
Don't worry Kit-chan. You'll get it someday," said Fujiko snuggling
Kaori.

"Why don't you all just shut up! I don't want to hear anymore
about it!" said Kaori as a vein began to throb in her forehead.

"Kaori-oneesan, what were you and Fujiko-oneesan doing?" said a
confused Chiarito.

"Uh...ha, ha, ha... You don't need to know for a long time,
Chiarito," Kaori said as she put her hand behind her neck and bent down
to pat him on the head.


End of Chapter 13. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 14*********************


They made it to the vault without to much trouble. Inside most of
the lights were out except for the emergencies. There didn't seem to be
anyone around.

"Mama are you sure they brought her here?" asked Kaori.

"I'm sure they did. I saw them take her down through the chapel."

"Maria!" yelled Chiarito as he broke away from Kaori and ran to
his nanny.

"No Chiarito!" exclaimed Kaori. It was to late. Maria already had
him in her clutches. Next to her stepped from the shadows a hunchbacked
man with a needlelike mustache.

"Jodo! You're that vile servant of the Count," yelled Jigen
angrily.

"That's right. Lady Clarisse took pity on me and my wife Maria and
took us in. But now my Count has returned and we must serve him," said
Jodo with a bit of remorse in his voice.

"You are most faithful indeed Jodo. And when my master rewards me
by restoring my body and making me the lord of the Roman Empire you
shall be my captain here in Italy," said a monsterous metal beast as it
stepped out of the darkness. It was holding the tied and gagged Lady
Clarisse. Attached to its chest was what looked like the other half of
the Constantine Cross.

It was over three meters tall with a rounded body and arms and
legs like howitzer barrels. Its hands and feet were tipped with enormous
clawlike fingers. On top of its snaking neck sticking out of a retracted
visor was a head with a face so drawn and creased with evil that it was
almost unrecognizable.

"The Count!?... What the heck happened to you?" blurted out Fujiko
as they stared in horror at him.

"My body was destroyed in my last battle with that damnedable
Lupin. Some of my servants found me and barely kept me alive all these
years until my master found me. He gave me this body and told me that if
I could get the cross for him he would create a human body for me and
make me the new Augustus of the Empire. I had heard that coward Lupin
had run away and disappeared and I despaird of ever getting my vengence
on him. But it looks like I'll at least get to see the blood of his
daughter run through my hands. HA, HA, HA, HA! Now I have everything .
My vengence, my wife, and now my son. Come Chiaroscuro! Come to your new
father!"

"NO..Aaaah!... Momma, Maria, Kaori-oneesan save me!!" Chiarito
struggled frantically trying to get away from the Count.

"You'll obey me or I'll destroy you and your mother. Now come!"

"No... help me!" The boy clung to Maria for protection.

"Please sir, spare him!" implored Maria.

"Your majesty, please! I helped you kill the Archduke but have
mercy on her highness and the child," said Jodo groveling before the
monster.

"Silence! I don't need you anymore!" exclaimed the Count as he
crushed Jodo with one swipe.

"Run Chiarito!" screamed Maria as she thrust him towards Kaori.

"How dare you!" Maria's lifeless body flew through the air after a
blow from the sickle-like claws.

"Hold it right there! Not unless you want your cross blown to
dust!" The Count stopped in midcharge as Kaori held up the cross with a
unpinned grenade tapped to it. She handed Chiarito to Fujiko and stepped
away from the others. "You let Lady Clarisse go or I let this spoon go
and BOOM! Bye-bye cross."

"You best hand that cross to me little girl or I'll crush her!"
The Count slowly began to squeeze Clarisse in his great hands until she
was choking.

"No way! I know how you work. I get her now or you'll kill her
anyways. Don't worry I don't want your crummy cross."

He looked like he was ready to crush Clarisse right then. His eyes
bulged and teeth nashed. With a demonic effort he pushed down his bile.
"Very well, take her! You've walked right into my trap. The entrance is
guarded by my best men." With that he threw Clarisse to Kaori.

"Are you ok, my lady?" Kaori said as she ungagged and untied
Clarisse.

"Y..yes," said Clarisse visibly shaken. "There is another way out
of here through a shaft to the top of the north tower."

"Tell mother I want you to lead everyone out of here. I'm going to
finish the Count off and need you guys out of my way." said Kaori
showing Clarisse something under her jacket.

"Please... be careful...," Clarisse moved hesitantly towards
Fujiko as Kaori nodded her consent.

"You have what you wanted now give it to me!" yelled the behemoth.

"Out of here you guys!" Clarisse and the others jumped towards the
shaft at Kaori's signal.

"What? There's no way out of here!" The Count made to chase them.

"Hey Count! Here's you cross! Kaori tossed the grenade and cross
in the opposite way the others were running.

"Damned you!" The Count reversed to go after the cross.

Just as he was nearing the cross at the main entrance Kaori
whipped out a half dozen grenades with replicas of the cross attached,
primed and tossed them under the Count.

"AAARGH!! WHERE?...HERE IT IS!!" he said just as the grenades went
off.

The grenades' explosions were followed by the thunder of parts of
the vault's ceiling fallin in. The main entrance was buried. Clarisse
and the others just made it into the shaft before it was covered.

"KOFF! KOFF!... Rest in pieces." Kaori couldn't see a piece of the
Count left through the dust.

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA..." Her blood ran cold as a devilish cackle
came from the rubble. A clawed hand thrust out. In the dim light she saw
the armoured beast immerge unscathed. "Did you think your firecrackers
could harm me! I've both halves now. You don't have any place to run to.
I'll crush you so exquisitely slowly." The snaked head disappeared into
the visor.

With growing fear Kaori watched as the slugs from her shotgun
bounced harmlessly off his body. Rounds spent she threw the shotgun away
and ran for the sanctum in terror. The door was still open from when
they cracked it to get the cross. The bolts automatically engaged just
as the behemoth body crashed into the steel portal.

As the silence grew outside Kaori's courage returned. "What's
wrong you bucket of bolts? Can't get in here? You've got no more
hostages so you better get out of here before the Italian army get here
and tear you to pieces!..."

"BOOM! BOOM!..." Kaori jumped back as she watched incredulously
the 15cm steel door bulge and buckle under the blows of the metal
monster. With her back to the opposite wall the door finally gave. "No
more smart words, vixen? Good, you'll be silent forever soon." The beast
lunged at her.

"No, just TAG!" She tapped him on the side slipping past.

"You're not getting away so easy!" He moved surprisingly fast and
almost crushed her against the portal frame. "Now I've got you!"

"No, YOU'RE it." Kaori whipped out a remote detenator for the
charge she planted on him. The Count's side ripped open as he collasped
screaming from the pain of flames erupting from his guts.

The snaking head emerged from the visor and flailed about as if it
was trying to detach from the burning body. "AAAAA!!!.. HELP ME!!.. OH
GOD I'M BURNING!... AAAA!!... MOTHER!!... FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!.. HELP
ME!... AAAAAAAAA!!..."

Kaori had never seen such agony and terror in her life. The nausea
of pity and fear overwhelmed her. In a panic she grabbed a fire
extinguisher from the wall and put him out.

He didn't look like he had much longer to live as his head
collasped to the ground in a moaning heap. "aaah... thank.. you... you
are very different from your father... he would have let me burn...
aaahn!... your father was a great opponent... hnnn... he defeated me...
and he even defeated... my master twice... ahnn... in the end he
disappeared... but my master still fears him..."

"Why? Because my father is still alive?" exclaimed Kaori drawing
closer to hear better.

"yes.. it could be... and he would think that you are... A GREAT
FOOL!" The Count's humungous hands snapped about Kaori like a trap.

His head slithered out and hovered by her face. "You little
fool... AAHN!... You're not much of an opponent compared to your
father!... AAAAGHH... He would never would have been stupid enough to
give his enemy a second chance!... GHNNN... But I'll settle for you
just fine... I'll see your blood spurt between my fingers... AAAGHH...
You hear me Lupin!... I've got your blood... I've got you!..."

"Only Zenigata may take Lupin."

"What?... Who?!" The Count turned around to face the voice. His
brains sprayed out as his head was drilled by a 9mm Parabellum bullet
through his face.

Through the asphyxiation and darkness engulfing her Kaori saw a
tall black kimonoed figure wearing a steel mask.

She tried to breath but the Count's viselike death grip prevented
her. She could feel steely hands desperately pry away the metal claws.

Her gasps became shallower and shallower as strength left her
body. "This is it... The light is almost gone... I'm sorry Mama, Papa...
I've failed..." she thought drifting away.

With a final grinding of metal the last claw released her. She
felt something warm pressed against her lips and breath being blown into
her. The light slowly returned as she gasped for air on the floor.

"Aaah!"

"Don't be scared. I knew your father very well. You may call me
Zenigata."

"Zenigata?... THE Zenigata!"

"Yes. This mask is from an unfortunate incident long ago."

"How did you get in here?"

"Through the shaft before Clarisse led them through."

"Are they alright?"

"Yes, they're trying to dig back in right now... You did very
well. Just what I would have expected from the child of Lupin III..."

"No, I failed... He was right. My father would have let him burn
to death... I was weak... I would be dead and he would have found Mama
and the others if you hadn't killed him..." Her eyes clouded over as her
shame flowed down her cheeks.

"Your father lived in the world of shadows. In his heart though he
was a good person. Do you know why. It is because no matter what he did
he was always guided by the light of truth. You are like light, child.
You are what keeps him from being engulfed in the darkness. I know that
no matter where he is now the radiance of your love is keeping him
going." The masked man reached down to caress away her tears. Kaori
found she could not resist the comfort of his gentle hand. Just when she
was about to let go her pain and surrend to its reason the man jerked
his hand back so quickly it startled her. Instead he helped her sit up.
"Can you stand?"

"Yes... I think I can. Nothing's broken." Every part of her body
ached. With his help her wobbley legs became more sure.

"Kit-chan hold on!... Who the heck are you! Let her go you
monster!" Fujiko exclaimed as she appeared at the door of the sanctum
with the others.

"I'm fine Mama. This is Inspector Zenigata... The one that you and
Papa knew."

"Fujiko-chan! Don't you recognise me? It's the mask right. I can
take it off and we can kiss and make up for lost time." He approached
her making kissy noises.

"Make up for what. I always thought the one you were hot for was
Lupin. That's why you were always chasing him, right. Anyway who would
want to kiss that ugly puss of yours. I would have preferred to kiss a
donkey's butt before. And now I heard you got seriously uglied up a
while ago and I'm definitely not kissing the creepshow behind that
mask!" She repulsed him with a resounding clout to his metal mask.

"Mother! Don't hurt him! He just saved me!" said Kaori. His head
hung alarmingly motionless where it was schewed by the blow.

"Clarisse-Chan! Maybe you'll give me a kiss for old times sake."
he said about to ram his mask onto her lips.

"Yah get away from mah mothah yah creep!" With a kick to the shin
Chiarito beat him off.

"OW!"

"Yah look just like that big metal jerk!"

"Chiarito! Mother's fine." The little boy took up a menacing
position between the man and his mother anyways.

"Oops, this one is already spoken for... How about you Jigen?" He
made to raise his mask to plant one on Jigen.

"The only reason I don't plug you right now is because I don't
shot brain damaged idiots!" said Jigen slamming his mask back down with
the muzzle of his revolver.

"Goemon?... Hey!... Be careful with where you put that pig
sticker," he said with Zantetsuken millimeters from his nose." I don't
need to get any uglier."

They could hear the sound of orders being shouted and digging
coming from beyond the rubble at the main entrance now. "You guys had
best get going before that army gets here. What is you name, child?"

"Kaori, sir."

"Kaori, I just know that your father is still alive. He loves you
and would support whatever path you take. But he would want you to look
into your heart and follow the path that is truly right for you."

"Lady Clarisse, your arm!" The bandage had been pulled off
Clarisse's upper left arm. Kaori could see shuriken scars there. "So
that intruder in the tower was..."

"Yes Kaori, it was me. I had been trying to steal the cross."

"But... But why?"

"Please take these," said Clarisse handing Kaori the pieces of the
cross. "They are the seperated halves of the Cross of Constantine. We
learned from the inscriptions found with the half here in Cagliostro
that God gave this cross to the emperor to win the world to the side of
good. When the church split into the Church of Rome and Byzantium though
there was conflict as to who would control it. To prevent further strife
the cross was seperated in two so that neither churches could use it
without the consent of the other. One half was stored in the original
church where the Hagia Sohpia is now. The other in the converted pagan
temple in Rome, the Pantheon. The one in Rome was moved to a new
pantheon here in Cagliostro when the capital was sacked by barbarians.
The people dedicated to protecting the cross built a town. Eventually
they were forced to leave here also. Before they left they hid the cross
in the pantheon and flooded the town so that no one would ever find it.
Eventually, since only a few of the most trusted knew about it, the
halves of the cross were forgotten I think."

"When we first found it I did not think it was very important. A
very powerful and evil entity began to try to acquire it though. I
became concerned that the legends about it granting victory to any army
that possessed it was true. I could not give it to anyone for a I did
not know where it would be safe. Neither could I let others know that I
intended to destroy it. The prosperity of my people was tied to the
cross and there would have been a great outcry. So I decided to steal it
myself and make it seem like a thief had taken it. Then I could destroy
it without anyone knowing."

"So it wasn't Papa..." said Kaori.

"Please, take the cross. I know that it will be safe in your
hands. You have stolen it fair and square, my little Lupin."

"Thank you, my lady. I think some how this cross may be a clue as
to where my father is. This is the present anyone has given me."


End of Chapter 14. To be continued.*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com


Chapter 15*********************


"This case couldn't possible get any weirder," thought Zenigata
the Younger. What he had surmised to have been only a wild goose chase
now involved all the police and SWAT teams within 100km! He still
thought it was a bit of overkill for the Magistrate of Cagliostro to
call in the Italian Army when he heard the Count was back. Heaven only
knows what was going on in the vault. Whatever those three lunatics were
doing down there they nearly brought the whole castel down.

He and Osama led the charge into the vault when the engineers
finally cleared away the debris.

And found his father standing there waiting for him with Lady
Clarisse and the prince! "Fa..Father?! What are doing here!?"

"You idiot. I came to check on your progress after I got Osama's
report. And from what I've seen it was very accurate. You've let them
get away!"

"You were here! Why, didn't you stop them!?"

"The orders were for YOU not me to catch them!"

"You're still a police officer! How did they get out of here?"

"I can't give you any help you numbskull!"

"Aargh!! Forget it! Everybody, search that vault!"

"Sir, there's a report that they and a woman are going through the
forest to the West!"

"All my man to the transport helicopter!" yelled Zenigata the
Younger.

As he ran to the exit he heard his father and Lady Clarisse
talking.

"My, he certainly is a very 'rash' young man," said Lady Clarisse.

"It's not my fault. He didn't any of his brains from me. If you
want to blame anyone blame his mother," said his father.

"I'm sure that's true," said a skeptical Lady Clarisse.



Provisional Inspector Zenigata quickly out distanced his slightly
over the hill men pursuing the quary through the forest. As he bounded
like a deer over the brush with his long legs he could almost hear the
sound of shorter frantically pumping legs trying to make their way
through the undergrowth ahead of him.

"Whoops!.. OUCH!... stupid rock!" he heard a girl exclaim before
he overtook her in a few triumphant jumps.

"You're busted you little scamp! I've got my sights on you so
don't try to runaway."

"Ok, ok, don't shoot! I give up," said the girl resignedly. She
got up and turned to face him with her hands in the air. When she looked
at his face her eyes bulged with alarm. Unbeknownst to him a thin red
beam of light was trained on his forehead from a nearby bush. The girl
quickly stepped infront of the beam so that it was centered squarely on
her back.

"I'm sorry I tried to run away. I don't know what I was thinking.
How could I have ever hope to get away from the great Inspector Zenigata
the Younger of the Tokyo Police Department son of the legendary law man
Inspector Zenigata the Elder."

"Well, it's probably not totally your fault. You're yound and
impressionable. Those accomplices must have led you astray."

"Yes... hrmmm, hrmmm... Yes I'm so young and yet my life is
already over... hrmm, hrmmmm, hhrmmmaaaa... HAAA!... Now I'll never
experience all the little joys of a maiden... HAAAA... HAAA, HAAA...
I'll never know what it's like to walk hand-in-hand with someone I love.
HAAA, HAAA,HAAAAA!... I'll never know what's it feel like to be touched
lovingly... HAAAA, HAAAA, HAAAAA!... I'll never know the warm embrace of
a soulmate... HAAAA-HAAAA... But mostly... But mostly I'll never know
how it feels to be kissed passionately by a man... Please, sir... Before
I'm forever lost in the dungeon of darkness... Would you, a brave and
handsome young man, grant this doomed flower a kiss... Please grant me
this last happiness so that I have one glowing memory to help me endure
an eternity of damnation..."

He never could deal with girls crying. "GULP!... I..I guess it
won't hurt to give you one kiss if it means so much to you."

With her head slightly bowed she approached him as timidly as a
fawn. Before him she stopped. Like a young bud raising to be caressed by
the morning sun her lips went up to his. With one final gulp he closed
his eyes, puckered up and bent down to meet her as if he was approaching
a live light socket. He felt her arms wrap around his shoulders like two
tender vines. As their lips were about to meet she said in a gentle
voice, "I'm sorry, but this is for your own good."

And the heavens opened up! Stars shot through his eyes as a pain
he had only experienced once before in his life was delivered to his
groin by a most forceful little knee.

Slumping to his knees he saw what looked like two identical auburn
haired women pop up from two identical bushes with identaical laser
sighted pistols and say with one voice, "Nice job! But you didn't get
the kiss."

"Let's just get to the car, Mama!"

As they disappeared into the forest he heard the pants and labored
trotting of his men approaching behind him.

"OH NO! They got the Inspector! Are you in pain!? Where are you
wounded, sir?!"

"Curse us all! We failed his father and now we've failed him! I
shall never be able to forgive myself!"

"Go... go after... them..." he stammered.

"Woe, woe is me! All is lost!"

"Oh Inspector, my Inspector!"

"They... They're getting awaaa..."

As he sled to the ground he could see Insp. Osama take out his
notepad and start writing over his prone body. "How do you spell
'prostrate'? P-R-O-S-T-A-T-E? No?... Wait I can use that."

Thankfully, darkness soon enveloped him.

As they ran towards the car Kaori found she was falling farther
and farther behind her mother. Soon she lost all sight of the woman. She
could only hear steps running ahead and a voice encouraging her on.

"Mama, slow down!... I can't see you."

"Come on Kit-chan. I'm right ahead of you. Just a little ways more
to where your uncle said he left the car. I think they're already there
waiting for you."

"I'm... running as fast as I... huff... can... Please... huff...
slow down..."

"Kit-chan, I have to find your Papa. Then we can all be together
again."

"Mama... please... don't leave me... huff.. behind!... I'm trying
as hard as I can... huff..."

"Farewell, Kit-chan. I promise you'll see me again..."

"Mama, no! Comeback!..."

In the next breath she broke out of the underbrush of the forest
onto the road. Her uncles were waiting there with the little Fiat.

"Mama, where did you go?! I'm not leaving without you!" she
screamed as Goemon grabbed and dragged her towards the car.

"Come child! We've got to get out of here before the police
arrive."

"But Mama's still out there!"

"Don't worry she can take come of herself."

"Let me go!" But she could not break the lock Goemon had her in.
He dumped her through the opened roof hatch and jumped in. Jigen
immediatedly dropped the clutch and they rocketted away. She could only
look despairingly out the back window as the police poured out of the
forest. They pursued the car on foot vainly for a while before
collapsing exhausted on the road.

For a long time she sat silently in the backseat by herself.

"Kit-chan, are you ok back there? Please don't be upset about your
mother. She'll be alright. I know she loves you and is very proud of
you... Kit-chan?... Please say something."

"I'm fine... I was just thinking about this cross..." She took the
halves of the cross and held one to each hand. " There must be something
that would make people want them so much. Papa must have disappeared
while protecting the secret."

"Do you think so, Kaori-chan?" said Goemon. "I just seems like
harmless pieces of metal. Why don't you put it together and see what
happens."

Kaori began to bring her hands together. As the pieces were about
to touch they stopped and started to tremble as if an invisible force
was keeping them apart. A look of doubt appeared in her eyes. "No... I
just have to believe..."

She put the pieces away in her jacket. Tucking herself into a ball
she fell silent. In a few moments her hody slowly slumped to the
benchseat.

"Kit-chan, what's wrong! Please, get up!" exclaimed Jigen as he
stared at her through the rear view mirror.

"It's fine. She's just gone to sleep. Poor thing. She's not used
to all this excitement," said Goemon.

The police cars filling up the road behind them was not the only
reason Jigen began to doubt Kaori's future.


End of Chapter 15*********************
Peter Yuthrayard
PYuthrayar@aol.com