Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou Fan Fiction ❯ Alternate Alphas ❯ Lupin X ( Chapter 3 )

Lupin X: A tale of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou

 

The stories say there was once a legendary thief named Lupin, who was the greatest criminal of his generation. He stole only the most dangerous targets, giving fair warning to his adversaries with calling cards. The legacy carried on through the generations, men and women bearing the name Lupin who each carved out a name and reputation in the world.

 

Finally the very last member of the blood-line died out in the age of the twilight of man, and many believed the legend had ended along with him.

 

They'd be wrong.

 

Sirens wailed and spotlights searched the night as the battered jeep raced away from the fortress, the great stone walls looming behind them. Breaking in had been a challenge, dodging lasers, hounds and even old fashioned radar, but they had managed it. High explosives cracked the vault open and set off every alarm in the place, but thankfully their distraction had already been hard at work on the other side.

 

"We'd better go pick her up," Alpha Lupin said from the driver's seat, the tenth master thief to carry the revered Lupin name. Her owner, the last Lupin, hadn't told her about the legacy to begin with and she had though that his long trips away from the Cafe had been for research. But after he didn't return home for many months Alpha found Owner's hidden journal and the journals of the past Lupins and learned the truth.

 

"Right," Kokone said, the red haired android rising to fire her pistol at their few remaining pursuers, the zipper of her jumpsuit sliding dangerously low. Starting out as a simple delivery driver Kokone had been involved with a dispute with thieves over a message she had been carrying and in a blaze of gunfire had become a wanted woman. She and Alpha met when both of them had been after the same target, and after nearly killing each other became fast friends.

 

They swung around the road to the far side of the keep, racing through the battered hulks of broken, cut vehicles. The tall, older woman sheathed her sword as she saw them, extending a hand as Alpha slowed. "Thank you," Sensei said as the old woman was pulled aboard, "I was getting tired of cutting unworthy targets."

 

"We'll try to find you something better next time," Alpha grinned, the black haired android turning back to the road.

 

Sensei had been a old friend of Owners, a dignified older woman who preserved the ways of the sword even into this modern era. Somehow she discovered that Alpha had taken up her Owner's legacy and offered her services, quickly showing that her skills with a katana would be invaluable. "So how do you think Zenigata will take this?" she asked from the full back seat, calmly resting amid the many bags of loot.

 

Kokone chuckled softly, "Not well at all, knowing him." She gave Alpha a thoughtful look and asked, "Though I wonder if the past Lupins would approve of stealing needed medical supplies for a small village?"

 

"I don't think they'd mind," Alpha shrugged, "it wouldn't be the first time a Lupin got in trouble for helping someone."

 

The next day Cafe Alpha opened as usual, Alpha and Kokone there to serve customers as usual. Both androids had restored their hair colors to normal, as well as shedding the distinctive uniforms that both wore as part of their disguises.

 

"Welcome," Alpha smiled as the young man stomped in, walking over to a empty table, pulling out a chair and sitting down with a thump.

 

"He looks happy," Kokone noted impishly.

 

"Hush," Alpha said as she walked over to greet their guest.

 

Tashiro Zenigata was the latest in a long line of Japanese police officers, a driven young man who had dedicated his whole life to catching the latest version of the thief Lupin, even as his ancestor did. Much like his ancestor, he wasn't having much luck at it, though. He nodded to Alpha and sighed as he said, "I could use something extra strong."

 

"I saved some of the first pot this morning for you," Alpha said a bit disapprovingly, pouring the thick coffee for him.

 

"Thanks much," Tashiro said, eagerly gulping the thick blend down with barely a shudder. Normally Alpha disapproved of serving old coffee but he had expressed his fondness for it, and Alpha wasn't one to refuse a customer's request. "That hits the spot," he sighed happily.

 

"You look more rumpled than usual this morning," Alpha noted gently, sitting across from him and giving him her full attention. The battered overcoat and hat were wrinkled and the suit underneath it looked slept in, his face deeply weary.

 

Tashiro sighed wryly, "Gee, thanks." He took another drink of his coffee then began to explain, "We got another of Lupin's notorious calling cards dropped off at the station yesterday, I was up staking out the target all night."

 

"More?" Kokone appeared with the pot.

 

"Thanks," Tashiro held out his cup. "Anyway, Lupin hit the fortress of a rich industrialist family," he revealed, "we had the place surrounded by our forces all night."

 

"So how did Lupin get in?" Alpha asked innocently.

 

Tashiro ground his teeth together silently as he remembered. "She snuck inside via some abandoned access tunnels," he finally admitted their error, "then busted out driving a stolen jeep." He looked off into the distance with an expression of annoyance, "Oddly all she stole was medical supplies and some money."

 

"It must be very hard trying to catch such a eccentric master criminal," Alpha said to him sympathetically.

 

"It doesn't help that she keeps on pulling this robin hood sort of thing," Tashiro mildly complained, "Lupin dropped off the medical supplies to a village in the north that needed them after a mining accident."

 

"So why didn't you just take back the supplies?" Kokone asked with a faint smile, dropping off a plate of butter cookies.

 

"You think that I'm a complete jerk?" Tashiro asked them rhetorically. He sighed softly, "No, there was just no way I was going to take those supplies away and return them to the man who refused to donate them anyway."

 

"I'm sure you'll catch her eventually," Alpha reached out to pat his hand, "just keep putting in your best efforts."

 

"Thanks," Tashiro raised his cup in a silent salute as she gracefully moved off to serve another customer in the country cafe.

 

"I still don't understand why you encourage him so much," Kokone noted later that morning, both of them sharing a coffee during a slow period. Sensei had dropped by earlier to confirm the medicine reached it's target, as well as to drink a cup of Alpha's fine coffee.

 

Alpha took a drink of her cup, savoring the flavor before setting it down with a soft clink. "What the point of doing what we do if there's no challenge?" Alpha asked mildly. A impish smile appeared on her face, "Without Zenigata it'd get boring."

 

"I wonder sometimes if I'll ever understand you," Kokone shook her head.

 

Alpha reached out to gently squeeze her hand. "Oh I don't know," Alpha answered with a smile, "I think you understand me pretty well."

 

Kokone blushed, looking away. "That's true," her voice dropped to a soft purr.

 

Alpha smiled, reaching out to sweetly stroke Kokone's cheek. With a impish look she added, "I'd close the shop early, but we already did that twice this week. People will start to talk if it happens more often."

 

Kokone sighed, "You're far too responsible for a thief."

 

"Thank you," Alpha smiled.

 

Before either of them could say more the doorbell rang, both of them looking up to see Sensei walking in. The tall, silvery haired woman wore loose clothes and had a casual manner, quite different from her working look. "Good afternoon," she smiled, sitting down at the table with them.

 

Kokone sighed softly. "So what's up?" she asked glumly over the interruption.

 

"A idea for a new job," Sense said softly.

 

"Really?" Alpha leaned forward eagerly.

 

'Here we go again,' Kokone thought, smiling at her friends fondly.

 

End.

 

Notes: The general idea of a Alpha/ Lupin III fusion pounced on me a while ago, but it took some thinking to get it to work. The only character I think was a BIG stretch was making Sensei into a swordswoman, but hopefully she'll forgive me.