Just An Unorthodox Thief (Fate/Zero-Lupin III Crossover)

[TheInfamousMan]

Wait, why did Saber get cursed but not Assassin?
Also love the "it'll be alright bro" moment between Zan. and Jigan.

Assassin was kicking AM out, so AM was saving its power to grant Saber her miracle. When she rejected it, it used the last of its power to curse her out of spite.

I had to make the whole Fuyuki Fire thing somewhat funny after all the emotionally heavy crap that happened before.

[Agailius]

"..." What a half-assed explanation.

I died at this line.

On a side note, does Saber look like Irisviel now? To a degree Ilya might mistake her for her mom?

...Because maybe, JUUUST maybe, that way Saber can at least have some semblance of the life she always wanted.

[TheInfamousMan]

I died at this line.

On a side note, does Saber look like Irisviel now? To a degree Ilya might mistake her for her mom?

...Because maybe, JUUUST maybe, that way Saber can at least have some semblance of the life she always wanted.

Always make sure you have a sense of humor, even if it is black. Keeps you from taking things way too seriously.

Nah, her hair's just white. I was thinking of giving her an eye with a red pupil, but design wise it would look kinda weird.

[Agailius]

Nah, her hair's just white. I was thinking of giving her an eye with a red pupil, but design wise it would look kinda weird.

As for the curse she has to endure... does this at all tie into that daughter Lupin and Fujiko had?

[TheInfamousMan]

As for the curse she has to endure... does this at all tie into that daughter Lupin and Fujiko had?

Maaaaybe?

[Fan_Fic_Reader]

So Arturia got cursed while Lupin didn't? Wow, being a hero does not pay well.

[pulsor93]

Nah, her hair's just white. I was thinking of giving her an eye with a red pupil, but design wise it would look kinda weird.

So, am I the only one who thought of Saber Alter when I read this.

So Arturia got cursed while Lupin didn't? Wow, being a hero does not pay well.

To be fair, if the Grail could curse them both, it'd curse them both.
But Lupin's Noble Phantasm allowed him to kick out AM, so it probably just only had enough for the Heroic Spirit that WASN'T subverting its power.

[shounen jump]

So, am I the only one who thought of Saber Alter when I read this.

To be fair, if the Grail could curse them both, it'd curse them both.
But Lupin's Noble Phantasm allowed him to kick out AM, so it probably just only had enough for the Heroic Spirit that WASN'T subverting its power.

1. It did cross my mind.

2. And unfortunately TIM gave Saber another NP for this fic: Being Artoria Is More Suffering Then Being Lancer.

[TheInfamousMan]

End Of The Heist

"Why am I here!?" Waver asked as he sat in the metal chair within the interrogation room, his right hand cuffed to the table and the AC turned up to freezing temperatures. "I didn't do anything!"

"Yeah, yeah." Daisuke said with a wave of his hand. "Do you have any idea how many times I've heard that line? It becomes the catchphrase for every person who sits in here." He said that in Japanese, so Waver looked at him with an expression of utter confusion.

Zenigata shook his head as he sat down at the opposite end of the table. He really wasn't in the mood to translate.

Once the fire died down, everyone went down to try and minimalize any more damage. Firefighters cooled down anything that was still in flames while volunteers went down to help clear the damage. A lot of people lost their homes, and a lot of memories were now forever lost to the flames.

It was truly a miracle that they only found five victims amongst the burned-out husks, not counting the thirty-five bodies of criminals including Emiya Kiritsugu at what was formerly the temple.

If they hadn't evacuated everyone when they had, the death toll would have surely been higher.

"Wish I could be out there, helping them. But..." Zenigata then glared at Waver. "This is just too big, and I need to something to build a case out of this mess."

After all, he was staring at a member of a world-wide magic conspiracy in the face. Not only that, but he was one of the participants of the game Lupin got himself into if the tattoos on his right hand were of any indication.

Waver Velvet was a valuable source of information, and obviously didn't have the character necessary to keep quiet like Kayneth Archibald and his fiancé, who kept their mouths shut no matter what tactics Zenigata tried to use to make them talk.

"There's really no point in denying your involvement, Waver Velvet. We've already got some evidence on hand, we just need you to confirm it for us." Zenigata informed the foreigner, who shook his head.

"What are you talking about? I'm just a tourist who came to this city. Nothing more."

"Oh? Then how did you lose your arm?" Zenigata asked as he pointed to the stump.

Waver looked to the side. "Um... I..."

"Mountain climbing? Fishing accident?" Daisuke asked, which Zenigata translated this time since it was important. "Not exactly much to do here that would make you lose an arm. Plus, even if you did lose it in one of the Lupin or gang-related skirmishes, the hospital would've had a record of you entering the Emergency Room."

Waver did try to hide his grimace, but he was still young. Obviously not completely prepared to hide his emotions when put under pressure like this. "My grandfather knows how to perform surgery. He doesn't trust hospitals, so he..."

"You mean the Mackenzies? Good couple, spoke fondly of you. They were worried since you, their grandson, didn't come home for a couple of days." Zenigata's gaze narrowed. "But I looked them up with INTERPOL's resources. The Mackenzie's grandson is most definitely not named Waver Velvet. And he lives in the United States of America, not Britain. He's also twenty-five years old, not nineteen."

Waver was silent after that, his cover smashed to pieces by a fact check his magic hadn't been proficient enough to cover. He couldn't talk his way out of anything, not with how they kept pointing out the obvious holes in his story.

Zenigata could see that the boy was struggling with himself. It was finally time to get to the heart of the matter.

"This mess you've gotten yourself into... it's quite mystical, isn't it?"

Waver's eyes widened as he looked at Zenigata. "I... What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with us kid." Daisuke informed Waver. "Also, keep your hand where I can see it and don't look either of us in the eyes. Do that, and we're going to have to get creative with how we hold you."

Waver's jaw tightened, obviously realizing that the two cops in front of him knew, and knew the means of how he could hypnotize them.

"We also know about your connection with Lupin the Third as well as the mess he's in. It took a while, but we figured it out." Zenigata tapped his fingers on the desk and said, "Now... we're obviously not going to get anything from Tohsaka or your professor, and Emiya Kiritsugu is currently a burnt corpse. Matou is dead, that sicko is currently on Death Row, and that priest that hangs out with Lupin is hiding off somewhere with that weasel. But you look like a reasonable kid. So here's the deal. You tell us what we want to know, and when certain members of your society are arrested, you'll just get hit with a Conspiracy and Destruction of Property charge. And I'll convince the judge to give you a minimum sentence with a high possibility of parole. So what do you say?"

Zenigata needed a witness, an actual one, in order to expose this conspiracy. Even with all the evidence they had gathered, it would be useless without a member of the conspiracy going up and testifying himself. Waver was a godsend, obviously inexperienced with keeping up the charade and put into a corner because he hadn't thought of a decent excuse for his missing hand yet or how to explain his presence with the Mackenzies. If they could also get a testimony from the old couple's actual grandson it would certainly cause a stir. It would be obvious they'd uncovered something meant to be hidden.

"Just wait Lupin, when I'm done with this I'm coming for you..."

Then, the door knocked. Zenigata glanced at Daisuke, who nodded and went to the door to open it.

He wasn't expecting Daisuke to sound surprised. "W-who are you?"

Zenigata turned around to see an old grey-haired priest, smiling with his hands behind his back.

"Greetings Inspector, Detective. It is nice to see you again." Zenigata remembered the man. Kotomine Risei, father of Kotomine Kirei.

Wait… again? Something was wrong. When he tried to recall when he'd met the priest in front of him, his thoughts became has. Rather, there were gaps where there shouldn't be…

"Wait, what are you...?" Then, it hit Zenigata. Where else could he have met the man, yet not have any recollection of him? "You're the one who hypnotized us."

"Ah, good, then introductions aren't necessary." Risei said with a nod as he walked past Daisuke, who was now frozen in shock as he stared at the Priest. Zenigata kept his eye on him, and moved his arms so that he could feel the steel cuffs' cool metal on his skin.

"He makes one wrong move, and I'll..."

Then, in the blink of an eye, the cuffs holding Waver's arm in place were cut into pieces. Embedded into the table were steel blades connected to cross-like 'guards'.

"Go now, Waver Velvet." Risei instructed to the boy, who stared at him with a trace of fear in his eyes. "Go to the church, and wait there for me. We have much to discuss about the current situation concerning the Holy Grail... and the Servants that remain."

Waver nodded, and shot up before running across the room. "Wait, where do you think you're...!?" Daisuke shouted, only for Zenigata to say three words.

"Let him go."

Daisuke looked back at Zenigata, shock on his face. "Inspector...?"

"You heard me."

Daisuke bit his lip and nodded, moving to the side. He obviously didn't like it, but he had been around Zenigata long enough that he could tell the Inspector knew how to read a situation and make the right calls. Waver quickly shot out of the room, and was likely running out of the building.

"If you could wait outside that would be most appreciated, Detective." Risei said with a smile on his face. "I will talk to you, but the conversation I need to have with the Inspector must be done in private."

Before Daisuke could open his mouth, Zenigata grumbled out, "It's fine."

"But he'll...!"

"I said it's fine." Zenigata stressed, more force put into his voice. Daisuke grimaced, but slowly nodded before going out of the room and closing the door.

Daisuke was a good cop, had a strong sense of justice and had a good head on his shoulders.

But now wasn't the situation to be stubborn.

Especially in the face of a man who made Waver Velvet look ready to piss himself.

"Now then, Inspector Zenigata..." The priest said as he sat down on the now empty chair. Risei intertwined his fingers as he placed his hands on the table. "I believe we should talk about your knowledge of the truth of this world, and the situation that now places you in."

xxXXxx

"The fact that you are alive still amazes me."

Assassin... no, Lupin Arsene the Third took down another shot glass full of some high-grade alcohol that he forgot the name of. There was no point in using his Servant title anymore now that the War was over.

Thankfully, he was now dressed. A black button-up shirt was tucked into grey slacks. A brown belt adorned his waist, and he wore black socks and brown shoes. A red tie hung loosely around his neck.

"Yeah, pretty amazin' right? Lucky, lucky me!" Lupin let out a sigh as he leaned back in the bar booth, his cheeks slightly red. "I'm sooo lucky! I can finally feel this stuff again!"

Unfortunately, Kirei did not have a pair of spare clothes in the car. All he had was a car cover, so Lupin had to sit in the passenger seat wrapped in that the entire way back to the hideout.

And when they got back, Lupin made sure to crack open the good stuff.

"Pops really outdid himself..." Lupin had warned Zenigata to evacuate the city as a precaution. After all, he had no idea what would happen during the final battles. The possibility of Fuyuki being turned into a wasteland because of Rider and Saber slinging their Noble Phantasms was high. "Gotta thank him later... much later. After I'm done drinkin' myself into a coma!"

Kirei shook his head as he sat down at a bar stool across from Lupin. "I do not think you understand. The fact you are still on this plane of existence and have a physical form is in itself a miracle." Kirei pointed at Lupin. "The body you reside in is supposed to be temporary. Your summoning gave you a temporary vessel, provided by the Grail and sustained by me to keep you anchored to the present. After all, no true body can switch from the material and spiritual planes at a whim." Kirei then crossed his arms. "And yet you cannot do that anymore, can you?"

Lupin simply frowned. "Man, I thought we were supposed to be celebratin'. Not talkin' about magic stuff." Lupin sighed as he filled his glass again. "No, but I never really used that particular skill. Took the fun out of things."

"Be that as it may, this is something we need to discuss. The fact that you cannot make use of that particular ability means your body is now completely material." Kirei narrowed his eyes and muttered, "And I think we both know why this has happened."

Lupin eyed the former 'Holy' Grail to the side. It hadn't dulled in the slightest since Lupin picked it out of the ashes. "Well, I wasn't plannin' on having some kind of mental conversation with a god-like entity and screwin' it over." Lupin then eyed Kirei and asked, "Speakin' of which, how could a literal Idea of Evil actually become a Servant?"

"Belief, mostly. That's how all of these spirits are actually brought into this world. Those who ascend to the Throne of Heroes became legendary in their time… though not always for the right reasons." Kirei replied with a wave of his hand. "Who knows who or what Angra Mainyu really was. Whatever the case, in spite of what Angra Mainyu represented the thing or person who was thought to embody all the world's evil must have done something to ascend to the throne. And with Caster in mind, it is rather clear that Throne isn't picky when it comes to 'heroes'."

"Man, those are the least comforting words I've ever heard from a priest." Lupin chuckled, finding humor in Kirei's words instead of feeling insulted.

In a way, it made a bit of sense. Even without the full story, just by being the 'embodiment of evil' Angra Mainyu must have been important. Benefitted the world somehow just by existing. Even if Lupin wasn't sure how, the legend that earned Angra Mainyu its title had been grand enough to ascend to the Throne.

In the end, it didn't matter too much.

"Well, whatever the case," Lupin chuckled. "Whether he was actually a god or just some guy with a huge ego stuck in a cup, screwin' Angra Mainyu over like that at the end was sooo satisfyin'!"

Kirei simply smirked and let out a chuckle. "Man, hard imagin' that Kirei didn't like to smile way back when." Lupin was glad that he got Kirei to not restrain himself so much, to expand his horizons rather than restricting himself to just good and evil.

Kirei then grunted and composed himself. "In any case, we can only assume the reason for your physical body is Avalon."

"Yeah, I guessed as much too." Lupin replied with a nod. It made sense. Avalon, like the island in the legend, was a scabbard that could heal all wounds, to fight off darkness in all its forms. "Because it is now mine... does that mean it is working for me? Keeping me here, because now I'm just as much of its owner as Arthur is?"

Sounded like a pretty sweet deal to him.

"It is likely fighting off Akasha's will, delaying it from taking you out of this plane of existence and returning your essence to the Throne of Heroes."

Lupin stared at Kirei for a second before looking away. "You sure know how to kill someone's buzz." Lupin glanced at the Grail. "Is it possible I can get lucky and be like this forever?"

"Unfortunately you need a miracle to refuse the will of existence itself, and we do not have any more miracles." Kirei took a sip from a glass of wine. "It could happen months from now, years even, but Avalon will not be able to keep you here forever. It is the only thing allowing you to stay on this plane of existence, but it is not foolproof. Sooner or later, you will return."

Lupin clicked his tongue and drank another glass. "Well, what else is new?"

Lupin had always lived on the edge, the possibility of each moment being his last was always there.

Hell, he died once already, making said possibility a reality.

This was honestly no different.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Lupin groaned as he held his head. "Jesus, that must be Jigen..." He got up and walked over to the small payphone on the counter and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Lupin? You finally picked up... you're a bastard for making me wait, you know that?"

Lupin smirked as he said, "Yeah, well I don't exactly trust those cell phones... they'll cook your brain you kno-!"

"I need you to come over to the docks." Jigen interrupted, cutting Lupin's joke off. "I ran out of smokes over here, and it's a hassle to walk over to the store myself."

Lupin frowned at that. Jigen's voice was slightly shallow, shaky even. "You sure that's all you need? Jigen... what's happen-"

"Just get your ass over here. If I go without smokes for too long, I get irritated."

"...Fine. Just don't get pissed if I can't find your brand, okay?"

"Just don't bring your French crap to me."

With that, Jigen hung up.

Lupin slowly but surely hung up as well, his frown deepening. He had been slightly worried when Jigen hadn't shown up at the hide-out. Even if Jigen liked to go off on his own from time to time, he'd usually meet up with Lupin first. He'd gripe and grouse as he celebrated with them on a job well done before heading off to do his own thing for a bit.

What was going on...?

"I'm going out." Lupin informed Kirei, smiling once more. "Jigen is beggin' me to find him some smokes, and what kind of friend would I be if I didn't do him a favor every once in a while?"

Lupin slipped on a fake moustache and left, not waiting for Kirei's response. Kirei probably knew from all of his time with Lupin that the smile was fake, but Lupin had to keep up appearances.

Jigen was waiting for him, and Lupin had no intention of keeping him waiting.

xxXXxx

Oscar laid within his gurney within the back of the ambulance, his left arm cuffed to the metal bar. He stared into the ceiling, the white lights beaming down on him, twisting and warping thanks to the amount of pain killers within his system as well as blood loss. His bleeding had been stopped and his wounds given stitching, but it was only a temporary measure. It would keep him alive until they reached a hospital where he would receive proper care. An ambulance worker sat to the side, flipping through some magazine filled with filth.

But Oscar knew that he wasn't going to live to see the hospital.

"It all went to shit..." Oscar thought to himself. "All of it. All of it was for nothing..."

All the work Oscar had put in over the years, all the planning and scheming, throwing himself deeper into the underworld and making himself filthier... it all brought him here.

Oscar had felt ashamed for being put under the thumb of Almeida's freaks, ashamed of having betrayed Inspector Zenigata's trust and faith. He had decided that if he was already stained, then he would remain in the environment that stained him.

For years, he had worked tirelessly to rise up. To get ahead of the other criminal organizations and masterminds that vied for control. As he rose, he made sure that his adoptive father would live a life of comfort. And when he rose to the top, Oscar would eliminate the very thing that caused Zenigata so much hardship throughout his life.

For years, he had believed that he had done all this for the man who was like a father to him.

A man who Oscar had feelings for that weren't appropriate for a son to have for his father.

Oscar had been ecstatic when he learned about the Holy Grail War after uncovering the existence of magic by chance. It was a chance to set everything right. A miracle that would fix everything that went wrong in the past, and with Lupin out of both his and Zenigata's life... Oscar would have Zenigata all to himself.

And now he had to learn that what was driving him wasn't love at all.

"I did it again..." Oscar could feel the tears roll down his cheeks. "I soiled you again...! I... All I wanted was to be by your side...! I never wanted to do this to you inspector!"

Oscar had been in awe of Zenigata's determination, that drive to see justice done no matter what. Never letting any defeat impede him for long, his pure belief in justice...

The fact that Oscar himself inspired lit the fires of justice within Zenigata made this hurt all the more.

To think that he wanted to change the man he admired for a distorted lust he mistook for love...

"And now... the Inspector will always remember me for a traitor. Someone who betrayed everything he stands for and taught me..."

Now Oscar had nothing. All because he threw away his life for the escape that crime provided.

"I just wish I could see him again... tell him I am sorry..."

Suddenly, Oscar felt the ambulance lurch to the right. "What in the...?" The worker shouted as he attempted to keep his balance. It was not some hallucination from the painkillers. Oscar knew it was real. Within a second, the vehicle then was pushed to the side. Oscar screamed but kept his grip on the gunny as it fell to the wall, cracking the glass of drawers and knocking against equipment. The worker fell on his head, instantly snapping his neck. The lights flickered as Oscar heard the sound of metal skidding against asphalt. Eventually, the lights dimmed out and the screeching stopped.

Oscar grit his teeth. "Is this the Church? The Association?" The former was more likely. They were the ones who tended to make sure that their killings looked like an accident, while the Association tended to use magic to kill and destroy first before covering up.

He heard footsteps outside, and Oscar turned his body to see the doors to the back of the ambulance get pried open.

One man in black robes held the door open while behind him were five other men, each holding an automatic rifle. All of them wore street clothes, things that would easily allow them to get into their car and drive away without alarming the police.

"Mister Oscar..." The man in the black robes smirked as he held the door open without any problems. "I must admit, it's a pleasure to meet the infamous Count."

"Who sent you?" Oscar demanded while narrowing his eyes at them. "This... this isn't how the Church handles their cover-ups... Which one was it? That bitch Fantômas?"

"No, no. Lady Fantômas the Fourth would have been more... creative, with your elimination." The robed man shook his head. "No, this was a decision made by the entirety of the Fraternity. After all, they couldn't risk having the Association and Church questioning you before they executed you."

"So, they are doing this to keep my mouth shut..." The Fraternity was an organization of the greatest criminal leaders of the world. Each of them controlling some aspect of the criminal underworld from the shadows, profiting from humanity's darkest desires. Oscar had been one of the most powerful members, the most powerful in fact. "But... how could they have known I had been caught so soon? I informed nobody of my trip to Fuyuki. I've weeded out any potential spies!"

"Oh, Sir Oscar..." The robed man sighed in disappointment. "Did you honestly believe that you were the only one that knew about Mages and these little rituals they hold?"

That was not an answer Oscar was expecting. "What...?"

"Sir Mabuse and Lady Manchu the Second have always been part of that world. They are practicing Mages as well. Each of them had been curious as to how to expand their enterprises to that unseen side, but were unwilling to put themselves at risk." The robed man then chuckled. "But then you decided to use your drugs in order to gain a place, and so they watched you. They watched and learned. You were nothing more than an experiment to them. And now that the experiment has ended, they know what to and what not to do."

"Then that means..." He was only powerful in the Fraternity because those two allowed it? They were laughing behind his back while watching his rise through the ranks?

The man hummed. "I believe that Lady Manchu will be taking over drug operations from this point onwards. So there is no need to be concerned about that."

"They will be discovered." Oscar groaned out. "I was discovered, and so will they. It's only a matter of time, and with this stunt it will make it happen sooner rather than later!"

"Oh, Sir Oscar..."

Oscar watched as the robed man reached to his neck then hold up an object that glinted in the moonlight.

It was a cross.

"I believe they have no need to be concerned about the secrecy of this operation."

"Y-You... you're part of the Church..." Oscar whispered. That was impossible! Insane even! Oscar knew that the Church was much stricter with its members and kept a closer eye on them. There were hardly any that were beneath the higher ups' notice, so Oscar simply kept his focus on converting lower Magi families that the Association never bothered to check up on. "How could...?"

"Well, while you were out turning families into glorified opium addicts, the Fraternity has been more... personal, when it comes to recruitment. Some blackmail here, life debts there, and a bit of appealing to man's much darker desires. It's allowed them to have a man of theirs be at every level, and now they can appeal to a new market." The smirk returned. "But that does not concern you."

The priest snapped his fingers, and the men behind him aimed their guns.

"Thank you for your years of service to the Fraternity, Sir Oscar."

Oscar remembered that day many years ago when the other boys tried to take away his one Franc. They grew annoyed by his constant refusals, and incensed when Oscar fought them over it. The Franc held no real sentimental value to Oscar, it was just something he found on the streets of Paris. But it was his, and he would never let it go no matter what.

He even chose jumping into the river, despite not knowing how to swim, rather than give it to those thugs.

Oscar remembered when he woke up and met Inspector Zenigata, who praised his determination.

Oscar remembered the lessons he learned from the Inspector, how proud the man looked when Oscar graduated from the academy.

He remembered all the adventures they had together, trying to catch Lupin the Third.

Yes... Oscar remembered everything.

But the one thing that stood out in his mind above all others?

It was Inspector Zenigata, his black gem, smiling while stretching out his hand to him.

"Inspector... I'm sorry..."

In a hail of gunfire and bullets, Oscar, former Lieutenant of Interpol and the leader of the Owls of Minerva, thought no more.

xxXXxx

"Keep calm." Zenigata thought to himself, keeping his breath steady as he looked at Rise who was smiling at him. "He may have control of the situation, but you can't let him have control of you. That's the first rule about situations like this."

Zenigata had always kept this possibility in the back of his mind. That he would be found out by these magicians, and they would send someone his way to keep his mouth shut. Considering the fact that he was still breathing, it meant that Risei wanted to talk to him, not kill him. And nothing about his character suggested that he was the type to take enjoyment from seeing his victims squirm before gutting them.

Which meant that they wanted to make a deal.

"No need to be tense, Inspector. I'm simply here to chat." Risei informed Zenigata, who crossed his arms.

"What point is there in chatting? We both know why you're here." Zenigata let out a scoff. "So you found me out. How did you manage that? I kept things between me and Daisuke at all times."

"Well, I had my suspicions considering your past history with Lupin the Third. Not to mention your run-ins with him in the present day." Risei shrugged. "Evacuating the city was what convinced me however. Hard to see the action as you merely being cautious after receiving a terrorist threat. Knowing the kind of man you are, you would have likely scoured the entire city looking for the bombs and found them in the nick of time."

"Shit." He knew evacuating the city was a risk, but what else was he supposed to do if whatever Lupin was worried about came to pass. "Yeah, I kind of figured.' Zenigata sighed. "So... what exactly do you plan to do with me?"

"Absolutely nothing."

Of all the answers Zenigata prepared himself for, that was not one of them. Zenigata blinked and asked, "Come again?"

"Come now Inspector, I am older than you so I know your hearing is still good." Risei's smirk went down. "Well, I do suppose that 'absolutely nothing' is not completely true. There are the usual requirements and such..."

"Cut the act!" Zenigata shouted as he slammed his hands against the table. "I know about your secret! I was about to blow your conspiracy wide open! Don't insult me by saying you won't do anything about it!" Zenigata then narrowed his eyes. "Because if you just let me go, I promise you that I will spill the beans right away."

"Inspector, do you know how we can keep a conspiracy of this nature hidden from the general public?" Risei asked suddenly, causing Zenigata to frown.

"My guess is you just don't kill everyone who finds out." Zenigata was smart enough to know that course of action was counterproductive.

"Quite right." Risei said with a nod. "To be honest, with the invention of the telephone and telegram a great many within the Association and Church were worried. They thought that was it, that was the end. If one found out about the existence of Magecraft, they would be able to tell the rest of the world in a matter of hours. However, we at the Church found out how to use that to our advantage. The manipulation of information and listening into conversations. Nobody would be able to say anything we didn't want them to." He glanced to the side. "The invention of the radio and television made things a bit more difficult. And don't get me started about the internet. No organization can manipulate that much information. It's impossible. And killing everyone that found out is such a hassle, a waste of resources even."

Even as Risei smiled at him, Zenigata couldn't stop himself from shivering at the cold chill he felt run down his back.

"So we began taking a page out of the CIA's book. We at the Church and the Association began letting our mysterious nature do most of our work for us. Humans are such imaginative creatures... a good portion that does find out simply keeps silent from the fear of what we can potentially do to them if they try to speak up. Some commit suicide, which does make things a bit easier for us. Afraid that if they tried to say something, the men in black will whisk them away never to be seen again..." Risei chuckled once more. "The Association spread that particular conspiracy, by the way. 'Aliens' are real, but the 'Men in Black' deal with the supernatural rather than the extraterrestrial." His face then straightened. "But unlike the CIA... we can actually meet those expectations that people have when they begin fearing for their lives due to the information they hold. We can surpass them, in fact. If one does find the courage to begin preparations in order to speak up... well I don't need to tell you what happens next."

"So what? Are you here to brag?" Zenigata growled as he sat back down. He hated this. The little story Risei told was worded like a threat, yet he could not feel the murderous intent one usually gets from such speeches. It was a statement, a story one person was telling another.

"Merely trying to say that how we deal with people like you in the modern day is mostly entirely up to us, based on the situation." Risei's smile then grew. "And needless to say, you are more or less free to continue on as you were... all thanks to several circumstances in your favor."

"Which are?"

"Your relationship with Lupin the Third." Risei looked Zenigata straight in the eyes. "Of all the people that have chased after that Thief throughout the years, all the assassins, mobsters, criminal masterminds, policemen... they all came up short, they were always simply a side attraction in Lupin's game. You, however, were always just a step behind or one step ahead of Lupin. You know who he is as a person, while others simply make assumptions based on biases or second hand accounts. You truly are Lupin's greatest rival, Inspector."

"So you want me to be your personal hunting dog." Zenigata growled out while narrowing his eyes. "I won't do it. I'm a member of police. I protect and serve. I want to arrest Lupin because that punk breaks the law. It's in my blood and it's my duty to hunt down people like him."

"And I pointed out that determination to the heads of the Association and Church." Risei stated with a nod. "Thankfully, not all of them are imbeciles who stubbornly refuse to see reality and 'get with the times', so to speak. They agreed with my assessment that you are too valuable and talented to simply be treated as another... 'special' case, so to speak."

"I told you I am not going to be your bounty hunter!"

"Nonsense. You will remain an inspector, and you will be continuing to do what you do best. Chasing after Lupin the Third, and then arresting him." Risei leaned forward. "Lupin the Third's situation... you know as well as I do that he should not be alive. He is dead, and what is running around living currently does not belong on this plane."

Zenigata steeled his expression, refusing to let the priest know he was putting him on edge. "Whether he's meant to still be alive or dead does not matter. It's my duty as a cop to catch him, for the sake of justice and by my rules."

"Perhaps, but for all intents and purposes we are the law as well." Risei leaned back. "We are the people who makes the general public believe what goes bump in the night is just that. We make fantasy remain simple fantasy. We know the secret laws of this world, and do our level best to enforce them. To be honest, you have been working for us for quite a while. It's just now you have realized it."

"Bastard."

The man was calm as he said all this. That was perhaps the scariest thing of all. Risei did not doubt a thing he said. He believed all of it, he was sure of his organization's power as he was of the weather. Risei was putting Zenigata into a box, and he knew it.

"If this is so important to you, then why don't you try and catch Lupin yourselves?" Zenigata asked.

"And risk failing as well as exposing ourselves in the ensuing chaos? Please, we're not stupid. We know how such things usually play out." Risei tapped his fingers on the desk. "You will continue to chase after Lupin the Third. You will arrest him eventually, and we'll handle the rest. After the trial of course, we can't have Lupin mysteriously disappear within his cell without some big 'grand finale' show after all. We will handle him and his..." Zenigata noted that Risei grimaced, "...His accomplice. We will even provide you with our men, so that they can handle his accomplice while you give chase to Lupin. You will fulfill your life's goal, and we will tie up some loose ends. All you have to do is agree and keep silent about what you have learned."

Zenigata could see why such an arrangement would be incredibly appealing. For all intents and purposes, nothing has changed. All he had to do was keep quiet, and he could go after Lupin. He could chase him, and eventually place him behind bars. Zenigata never exactly cared for what happened to Lupin afterwards anyways.

"Who cares whether he rots himself behind bars or these guys just put the punk out of his misery?" A part of his mind asked.

But Zenigata knew the answer.

"I care." Zenigata was a cop, he followed the law. He didn't do what he did for personal gain, he wouldn't compromise his beliefs to stay ahead of the pack again. Oscar taught him that, to hold onto his pride and never let go no matter what.

Even if Oscar fell, Zenigata would forever remember him as the boy who saved Zenigata from himself. Oscar helped Zenigata clean himself from the dirt and muck.

The last thing he would want was to become the Association's lapdog just to make his own life easier!

"What about your little ritual?" Zenigata asked. "What if someone summons Lupin again, and this mess starts all over again?"

Risei shook his head, a grim frown on his place. "No... after this monumental cock up, the Association and Church have decided that there will be no more Holy Grail Wars. No need to create a situation like this ever again. They'll both make sure no overeager Magi get any bright ideas either." He then looked at Zenigata. "But tell me Inspector, what's your decision."

Zenigata's lips pursed. He then snarled and said, "Go..."

"Oh, and I should not have to tell you the whole 'we could kill everyone you know and love' spiel." Risei said, silencing Zenigata with his calm yet powerful voice. "Because you and I both know it's not a matter of 'could', but 'will'."

Zenigata's voice caught in his throat. For a second, he could not breath. "I... I..."

How could he not have thought of this? Of course they would go with that threat! It was the most basic of threats, the most simplistic. But it was also the most powerful.

Zenigata had been numb to this threat for years. Because everyone and their mother made it, from the greatest of criminal masterminds to the lowest of thug. It was the easiest threat to make, even if you didn't have the resources or information in order to realistically follow through with it.

But now... now he was facing someone who could go through with it. An organization that could kill him in this very room then proceed to order the deaths of his friends and family, and finish the job within a few days. A week at most.

His daughter Toshiko... his grandson... all his loved ones... all his friends... all their loved ones... every one of them would die if he did what he knew was right. If he stubbornly held onto his pride.

Zenigata was a man of principles. A man who knew right and wrong, and did his best to do right.

This was wrong.

If he was younger, he'd stubbornly rebuke the priest's offer and do what he thought was right anyways.

But Zenigata was now an old man.

And the older one got, the more they had to lose.

"..." Zenigata bowed his head down and said in a quiet voice, "I'm going to catch Lupin... but only for my sake. Not yours."

"That's all I ask, Inspector." Risei said with a nod as he got up. "I will now go see your partner, and inform him of the situation. I'm sure he will be joining your team from here on out."

Zenigata glared at the priest and said, "Sooner or later, your whole damn charade will be revealed and the world will see you all for the bastards you are."

Risei stopped at this, and gave a small sigh. "Oh, I do not doubt that. Nothing remains secret forever. Not in this modern world, where the shadows we hide in are growing smaller with each passing year." He glanced back at Zenigata. "But it isn't that time yet." He then opened the door and said, "I do hope we meet again in the future, Inspector. I'll be sure to pray for you."

As the door shut close, Zenigata sat in the room cold and alone.

It was humiliating, knowing that he was now essentially another cog in these bastards' machine.

But while he may have to play their game and keep his mouth shut... he would not be a good little toy soldier and follow their rules. He would not bow to them, nor feed their egos.

His life was their own, and sooner or later he would find a way to make them pay.

"So you better keep on running you punk. Because I'm going to be on your tale."

Despite the situation, Zenigata cracked a smirk.

"I'll be chasing you until the end of time, Lupin."

xxXXxx

Lupin always liked camping out by the sea.

The smell took some getting used to, but the wind provided a comforting and cool breeze in hot nights. The sounds of crashing waves helped to drown out all other noise and lull Lupin to sleep.

Jigen liked the sea, even more than Lupin. His favorite hobby was actually fishing, something Lupin couldn't really stand doing unless circumstances called for Lupin to actually go out and catch his meal. He had asked Jigen once as to why he liked fishing.

"It lets me be part of a world that's actually simple, and not completely fucking crazy."

"Heh... well he isn't wrong about that." Lupin chuckled to himself as he thought of Jigen's reply to his question.


The world he and Jigen lived in was pretty damn insane. It's not like ordinary people did business in a world where every day could be your last and the cops are just as much trouble as the people who are trying to kill you.

Makes sense that Jigen would want some peace in between heists.

Lupin then spotted the familiar form of Jigen, sitting on the edge of the pier facing the horizon. "Yo! Jigen!"

Jigen's hat seemed to wave in the wind, and smoke rose into the air from the cigarette that was likely in his mouth. To his right were various cigarette stubs, put out on the concrete pier by Jigen.

He seemed so still.

"Took you long enough." Jigen said with a sigh as he put out his cigarette. "That was my last one."

"Well excuse me, your highness!" Lupin shouted with a grin as he walked up to Jigen and sat down at the pier, his legs dangling at the edge. He reached into his jacket pocket and fished out a pack of Pall Mall Longs. "Do you know how hard it is to get a pack of these here? I had to fight tooth and nail to get them! I had to scour the whole city because I had to cater to your specific tastes!"

Jigen clicked his tongue as he took the pack. "Yeah, well at least I don't need to import mine." Lupin heard Jigen open the pack and place one in his mouth. The familiar sound of a lighter being used was heard, and Jigen took in a deep breath before letting out a puff. "So, I guess you got the Grail."

"Yeah, but it's not so much a magical item anymore. Just a fancy cup." Lupin chuckled as he looked up. "That happened a lot to us, didn't it? Either we lost the treasure, gave it up after getting it, or it just turned it to be worthless junk."

"Didn't stop you from always going after them."

"Hell no! You how everyone focuses on the destination? It's completely wrong! It's all about the journey man! The journey!" Lupin let out a laugh as he took out his own pack of cigarettes and placed one in his mouth. "Gettin' the treasure is the goal, but it's the journey that makes things really enjoyable! Remember how much fun we had while planning heists and doing them? Those were the things we enjoyed most, Jigen! That was where the real fun was at!"

"Sure, but I also liked getting full on good wine and gourmet food." Jigen let out a puff as he said, "Honestly, that's probably the reason why I stuck around you for so damn long."

"I did bring that." Lupin nodded in agreement as he took out his lighter. "But I think you just stayed with me because you enjoyed my company."

"Could have done without the woman though."

"Hehe..." Lupin chuckled before he lit his cigarette and began breathing in the smoke. "But honestly, our lives would have been so much more dull without her! Hell, Fuji-cakes is the reason why we met in the first place!"

"You say that like it's a good thing." Jigen grumbled out. "Would have preferred meeting you without us trying to kill each other."

Lupin heard the crash of the waves, and the steady dripping of droplets on the pier.

Lupin always knew Jigen didn't like Fujiko, mostly due to the fact that she was manipulative and back-stabbing, along with his previous bad experiences when it came to women. While Lupin adored Fujiko for that... he could understand why Jigen wouldn't enjoy her company.

Still, he wasn't treating their first meeting as a bad Emory. More like an important date to grouse over while also being happy for its existence.

"You know, you are so damn lucky." Jigen muttered while letting out another puff of smoke. "You never got old, you never got to suffer like the rest of us. Hearing your bones creak, having to take huge-ass pills, having the act of pissing be a chore... you got to miss out on all of that."

Lupin's lips pursed. "Yeah, I guess I did." Lupin shrugged and said, "But those were the cards I was dealt. No use whining about it now."

"Tried to move on, continue without you. Partnered up with that Yasuo kid... but it was never the same." Jigen's voice grew lower. "Honestly, it felt like I was now in a world where I didn't belong. Sometimes I even asked myself 'why the hell are you even bothering, Jigen? You're pushing fifty and you're still acting like you're in your twenties'." Jigen put out his cigarette and lit up another. "Eventually I got the memo that thieving just wasn't for me, and retired." Jigen gave a sigh. "Those years just living in some town where nobody knew my name and fishing were the most miserable of my life. I wasn't really living the life I wanted. I always expected to die from some bullet, like you did. Never quietly." He looked to the side. "I have to say, the fact that I got to live to see 'retirement' made me feel like I was cheated."

"Man, gettin' pretty grim there, Jigen." Lupin shook his head with a small smile on his face. "Then again, you were always pretty grim."

"Kept your mind at least somewhat grounded, so I think I did a world a damn service."

Yes, that was true. Jigen was the most sarcastic and grim son of a bitch Lupin knew. But all those little cynical comments allowed for Lupin to at least consider the consequences.

Honestly, sometimes Lupin would have been completely lost without Jigen.

"Was never expecting you to come back, Lupin." Jigen glanced towards Lupin as a smile cracked on his face. "I mean, we buried you and long since made our peace. The least you could've done was consider our feelings before you brought yourself back to life to make the world complicated again."

"Yeah, but such is life." Lupin put out another cigarette and placed a new one in his mouth. "The world is chaotic, and the unexpected is somethin' that people need to expect. Besides…" Lupin grinned as he shrugged while lighting the cigarette. "Wasn't exactly expectin' it either! Last thing I wanted was to see you guys as wrinkly prunes!"

"You asshole…" Jigen gave out a chuckle. It almost sounded like a wheeze. His smile then became soft as he said, "But when I saw you again, and talked with you again… it felt like old times. It didn't feel like me trying too hard. I felt like a young man again." Jigen then put out his cigarette and fished out a new one. "All the heists, the chases, the crap you made me do… I was doing one last favor, a last job with you, because I truly felt like… I belonged again."

"…" Lupin's smile became soft as well as he said, "Yeah…"

Jigen had lived his life on the edge, in the shadows. A life of killings and theft in order to live. To become 'normal' was not easy for people like him. In fact, it was a kind of comfortable hell.

No matter their arguments, no matter the disagreements, no matter the number of 'break ups', the gang always came back together. It wasn't just because they were friends, though that was a big reason as to why they came back together.

Rather, it was because as a gang they had a true place in the world.

They had each other, a gang of thieves traversing a crazy and weird world.

"I don't regret coming back to the life of a thief, or even meeting you in the first place despite being a major pain in my ass for years." Jigen told Lupin as he lit his cigarette. "After all… if I never met you… I would have never met my best friend…"

Both friends smiled before taking in a deep breath through their cigarettes, the cancer sticks burning up to nearly halfway to their mouths, before breathing out a massive cloud of smoke through their mouths. Their eyes were closed, and their expressions were blissful.

"That was a damn good smoke…" Lupin sighed out while Jigen nodded.

"Yeah…." Jigen stared out to the horizon, with the sun just beginning to rise. "It was a lot of fun, wasn't it?"

"It was the best."

"All the good times and bad, all of it was so damn fun." The cigarette shook in Jigen's mouth, unsteadily.

Lupin's smile disappeared. "I know, Jigen." His face lost all of its mirth, as his fingers intertwined in front of him while the sun illuminated their bodies.

Jigen's shirt was completely soaked in blood, the liquid pooling between his legs and dripping steadily off the pier and into the sea.

The cigarette fell out of Jigen's mouth, and fell into the water below.

Jigen Daisuke, one of the greatest marksman in the world and partner of Lupin the Third… was dead.

"It was really a lot of fun."

Lupin laid Jigen's body on the pier so it wouldn't fall into the ocean, and Lupin followed the blood trail Jigen left behind to the payphone. Lupin made sure to talk calmly and politely to the operator in order to report Jigen's death and his body's location before hanging up.

"…How long were you sittin' there bleedin' for?" Lupin asked, trying for a smile but had a surprisingly hard time pulling his lips up. "Seriously, instead of callin' me you should've called a hospital…"

His hand still on the phone, Lupin stood there, not doing anything.

He knew the risks of a life of a thief since the day he was born, and was reminded of them the day he began his career.

Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko all knew them when they began their careers.

Jigen always knew that he would die like this, and still willingly joined up with Lupin again for this job.

Lupin didn't ask for Jigen to join up, nor did he force him to.

Jigen made this choice. It was his, and his alone.

Lupin believed in people making their own choices, and living by them without any regrets or anything holding them back.

"I still don't regret anything." Lupin said with a shaky smile as he sank to his knees. "I don't regret a thing. I'm sure you don't either…"

And yet…

…Because of his choices, Jigen was now dead.

His best friend just died, right next to him, so that Lupin could get the Grail.

When the tears came, Lupin didn't hold them back. He was barely able to hold himself up as he sobbed, tears streaming from his eyes and down his cheeks.

After all, who was he trying to fool?

xxXXxx

Waver nervously opened the door to the Church, peaking through the crack before seeing no one was in the room. With a sigh, he opened the door fully before entering and closing it behind him. he then began sliding down with his back to the door, and covering his face with his right hand when his butt hit the floor. "I'm so screwed…"

Waver had no idea how the Inspector knew he was a Magus, let alone how he knew about the Association or even the Holy Grail War. Waver tried to keep up a mask of ignorance, but honestly it would have fell sooner or later. The inspector knew everything. What point is there in bluffing someone who already knew you were lying?

Not only that, but the Church Overseer was aware that the Inspector already knew, and now Waver's chances at continued survival were practically nonexistent.

"I'm dead… I'm dead…" Waver moaned out in despair. "The Church is going to kill me… I'm as good as dead…"

He would become part of the coverup. The Church and Association could not afford to have any loose ends, and Waver was a big one. While the likes of his professor could get out with connections alone, Waver was from a young and minor family.

He was an acceptable loss.

"I just hope that they don't go after mom and dad… surely they know I never contacted them…"

"You will not die, Waver Velvet."

A low voice interrupted Waver's mantra of defeat, causing him to blink as he looked to his left.

There, standing before him, was a short young woman around his age or a bit younger. Her hair was white, and her skin was pale. It was as if she were deathly ill, or an albino. But the green eyes dashed that possibility. She wore a button up dress shirt which hung loose from her body, and black pants that were several times too large for her.

"Wait, those eyes… that hair…" Waver's eyes widened. "Saber?"

The Servant nodded slowly as she went next to him and sat down. Waver wanted to move, but he could not help but stare at 'his' Servant in shock. "I had guessed you would be surprised."

Waver only proceeded to nod before looking forward. "I thought that you were supposed to disappear, after the Holy Grail was won." Waver's hand clenched into a fist. "I had guessed that if I wasn't brought with you, or given some indication that I could make a wish, that you had…"

"Circumstances have made it so that I would continue to exist in this world for a very long time." A bitter smile formed on Saber's lips. "You can be assured that this situation is not as wonderful as it sounds."

Waver's mind wandered to that horrible mud at the temple, the thing that didn't belong to this world and whose existence had strained Waver's mind. "Does this have anything to do with that muck?"

"Yes."

"Ah." Waver didn't know what to say after that. Waver was scared to ask what had happened, like it was not his place to know.

But whatever did happen caused Saber's continued existence, as well as her changed appearance.

Whatever had happened was surely not good.

"Waver… why did you make me your Servant?" Saber asked suddenly causing Waver to look back at her. "You had lost the war. You had lost your friend to my blade. Searching for safety would have been the wisest course of action, after all was said and done. So why go to the temple?"

Waver already knew the answer to that. "Because I had to see it through to the end." His hand clenched into a fist as he said, "Rider… he lived and died searching for Oceanus. He lived and died in this war to reach the Grail. I had to at least see it, so that he could see it with me… in a sense, at least." Waver sighed as he said, "I know that doesn't make any sense, but honestly I'm not exactly all that calm at the moment."

"No, I understand." Saber gave a nod. "You wished to honor your friend." She then smirked as she said, "Once again, you impress me with your character…" Saber then coughed. "As for me…?"

"Well…" Waver's lips pursed. "Whatever that Count wanted… and I don't know all the details… it wasn't worth it. I couldn't stand by and just let you be forced into becoming in his Servant. Having King Arthur be forced to do anything while on the ground hurts my British pride." A bitter smirk formed on Waver's lips. "Plus… Rider would haunt me if I didn't take every opportunity I had to get a victory in this war."

"I'm sure he would have." Saber sighed as she said, "You wish to become a great Magus, don't you Waver Velvet?"

"Y-Yes…" He had forgotten that Saber knew his wish thanks to hearing Rider say it. Even after death, Rider's lack of volume control caused Waver problems.

"That's admirable. You know your goal in life, yet do not make it impossible. It's a humble goal, one that could be noble in its pursuit." She looked into Waver's eyes as she said, "But… if you truly wish to be great… to hold no regrets and live your life with your chosen goal to the fullest… you must be willing to stay true to yourself.

Waver didn't know what to say. "Is King Arthur… really telling me to not listen to anyone?"

Odd, for one who became a symbol for noble and good authority.

A bitter smile formed on Saber's lips. "To be true to yourself, you must not feel obligated to anyone. You must make decisions you think are for the best, even if they hurt you. But they still must be your choice." She looked down. "I thought once that to live a righteous and noble life, I had sacrifice everything that made me human for the sake of my people. My emotions, personal desires… I didn't make choices so much as just allowed others to decide what courses of action would benefit the people." She closed her eyes. "I'm sure you know how that all went." Saber then looked at Waver and smiled softly. "Do not make the same mistakes I did, Waver Velvet. Live your life free from obligations, make your life your own. That way when you become a great Magus… you will feel truly complete and proud."

"What happened to her in there?" Waver could barely believe his ears. Right now, Saber was making it sound like her time as King Arthur and the actions she took were a bitter memory, one both whimsical and regretful. That she did not like how it all turned out… but is now merely resigned to the fact that her kingdom and reign were long gone. "She's so different from before…"

Gone was the determined and somewhat mournful Saber.

Now the young woman next to her seemed like a melancholy warrior, one filled with regret but also a quiet acceptance.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither one saying a word. The flames from the candles fluttered with the small breezes that passed through the church.

"…So what happens now?" Waver finally asked, to which Saber sighed.

"Now? Now I go out to familiarize myself with this world. To train, and truly live." Saber stood up and said, "I will not give it the satisfaction of making me fall to despair." She looked back at Waver. "You will likely be sent back home. I made an agreement with the Church overseer that no harm should befall you so long as you are my Master." A small smirk formed on her lips. "If they try, well… I have ways of making them regret their lapse in judgement and sense."

Waver could not argue against that. "Only an idiot would go against what King Arthur orders. A suicidal idiot." He then coughed. "But Saber… why are you going to train?"

"I have a thief to catch." Saber said simply, her smirk becoming a small smile. "That was another part of the agreement, not that there needed to be that clause. I would have done it with or without their permission." She then began to walk away. "I have a new body to get used to, and a new time to familiarize myself with. You…. You should rest Waver. So many stressful things happened throughout the night, and it would be best for you to sleep instead of hearing me ramble…"

Before Saber could reach the door, Waver stood up. He then took in a deep breath before saying one sentence.

"Saber… no matter what you may think, what you've done, or what others may say… you are and will always be my hero."

Waver didn't know why he said that.

But for some reason, Waver felt relieved to say that to the literal embodiment of the hero of Waver's youth.

Saber stopped, froze in place. Slowly, she turned her head around and looked at Waver with a warm smile.

Yet Waver could also see tears at the corner of her eyes.

"Waver… thank you. But…" Saber closed her eyes and said, "Do not call me Saber, or Arthur."

"Call me Arturia."

And with that, the Servant formerly known as Saber and the King of Knights left Waver Velvet.

He would not see her again for many years.

xxXXxx

The funeral of Jigen Daisuke in Taji was a relatively quiet affair.

Jigen was never the most social of people. Outside of the gang, what few friends Jigen had were dead. No family or kids either. The ones in attendance were several Lupin fanboys who moaned and complained about Lupin's 'best man' biting it, newspaper and TV reporters who kept their business at a respectful volume, surprisingly Inspector Zenigata…
…And of course, the old gang.

Goemon sat in his chair in a black funeral kimono, his arms crossed and his eyes closed while his brow was furrowed. Fujiko was in the seat next to him, dressed in a black dress while dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

Jigen would have likely been annoyed that the one time the manipulative Mine Fujiko was being honest with her feelings was at his funeral.

Nobody recognized either Goemon or Fujiko, or if they did they kept their silence out of respect.

Jigen's body remained in the casket, the priest saying his lines about redemption and God's love while the funeral attendees began placing white roses on top of the casket.

"You would've thought this was so cliché, Jigen. So tacky." Lupin thought as he leaned against a tree at the edge of the cemetery, observing it all. He wore his usual disguise, a simple pair of sunglasses and a false beard. "Bet you wish you were a ghost so that you could provide running commentary on the proceedings. But what fun is there in a cynic being at a funeral?"

Lupin spared no expense at making sure Jigen would have a nice funeral. Someone who would care for his tombstone and place fresh flowers beside it whenever Lupin was out of the country and the old ones were going bad. The casket itself was made of the finest of oak, since Lupin decided to go the whole nine yards in regards to this funeral anyways.

Also in that casket, held in Jigen's cold fingers, was the Holy Grail.

Lupin had to bribe both the priest and the people at the morgue to allow for Lupin to slip the treasure within Jigen's grave. Jigen took part in the heist, he was an integral part of it in fact.

It was only appropriate that Jigen would receive the spoils of this heist.

Lupin sighed as he watched the casket be lowered into the ground. His tombstone was stone grey, and its message was simple.

Here Lies Jigen Daisuke

A Beloved and Loyal Friend

Lupin didn't think anything else needed to be said.

Anyone who truly knew Jigen would be aware that all the things that could be said about him would never fit on a stone slab.

The fanboys left soon after that, bemoaning about how Lupin wasn't there and thus Jigen's funeral wasn't worth anymore of their attention. The reporters said something about rumors of how Clarice wanted to visit but associating herself with a known thief and felon would endanger her position on the world stage. Lupin noted that Zenigata and that detective he was hanging out with were giving each other some strange, slightly resigned looks before glaring at the priest and walking away.

"I'll file that away for later."

Both Goemon and Fujiko got up and actually hugged one another, which Lupin thought was appropriate.

After all, one of the gang was now gone.

A part of Lupin wished he could be there with them, but he also knew it wasn't perhaps the most appropriate course of action. Feelings were likely now complicated amongst the former members of the Lupin gang, and they would likely not be any mood for goodbyes.

Goemon was never really the sentimental type. He wouldn't mind if Lupin never said goodbye to him. Such was the way of their chosen lifestyle. Their last meeting was more than enough to tie up loose ends between them.

Fujiko on the other hand had gotten her goodbye. Their relationship was now officially over and done. Nothing more between them needed to be said. Meeting once again would spoil even the happy memories between them.

Not to mention that it would be awkward if he had to meet Riko again.

"Dad?"

Lupin winced as he heard the childish voice of Mine Riko once more, and turned around to see his daughter dressed in a white shirt that was tucked into a red skirt. She looked at him with wide and sad eyes.

"Rik-."

Before he could finish, Lupin was enveloped into a bone, crushing hug. He did not bother to pretend to fall over, but instead patted against Riko's head as she sobbed onto his abdomen.

"Y-you jerk! You're such a jerk, Dad!" Riko sobbed out. "How could you!? How could you just say 'goodbye', never leave, and not say anything to me!?"

"How did you get here? Or even find me?" Lupin asked her while rocking back and forth. "Did your mom bring you?"

"N-No…" Riko said with a hiccup while crying. "I knew mom was going to a funeral for a friend, so I-I snuck into the backseat of her car. I've gotten really good at it… Mom almost never notices." Lupin had to admit, the kid had talent. "I knew you were here too. I just knew it. That why I looked around while they were saying goodbye to Mister Jigen, and then I saw you…"

"You need to go back to your mom." Lupin said firmly to Riko, whose eyes widened.

"But…!"

"No buts Riko." Lupin kneeled down in front of his daughter, taking off his beard and sunglasses before placing his hands on her shoulders. "I am a thief, Riko. My life is full of danger. I could very well get myself killed tomorrow from some mistake or something I didn't see. Not to mention all the crazy situations I place myself in, and I do things that I'm sometimes not that proud of to get what I want." He looked Riko right in the eyes and said, "I already lost a close friend of mine Riko. He was a guy who was old, who was used to this way of life and prepared for all the consequences. You are a kid, Riko. Your mom wants you to live a normal life… honestly, you should. You should at least try to be normal, at least for a bit…." Lupin looked down and muttered, "Who knows? Maybe you'll actually like it…."

Lupin didn't even react when Riko slapped him across the left cheek with her right hand. She glared at him with tear-filled eyes before shouting, "Dad, you jerk!" She then ran down the hill, and Lupin didn't bother chasing after her.

"Jesus, I just gave my kid a lecture and tried actin' like a responsible adult." Lupin sighed before getting up and putting his hands into his pocket. He glanced back at Jigen's funeral, and watched as his hole was being filled with dirt. "Rest up, buddy. Keep those smokes handy wherever you are. I'll see you again, sooner or later."

He then walked to the left and went down the hill and saw the yellow fiat parked there. When he reached it, he opened the passenger door and looked at Kotomine Kirei. Gone were his priest robes, now replaced with black slacks and a tucked-in white button-up shirt with the top two buttons undone. Completing the look was a pair of black shoes, a black belt with a gold buckle, and a black jacket.

"How was the funeral?" Kirei asked, to which Lupin. Looked out the window.

"…Let's just get out of here. We'll miss our flight."

The ride to the airport was silent. Lupin was really in no mood to make jokes, and Kirei obviously saw it was not the appropriate time for banter.

He likely felt a small twinge of joy from the emotional distress Lupin was going through, but Lupin didn't feel like it was worth being bothered over.

After all, he was the one who chose to become partners with Kirei in the first place.

The airport was fairly busy, but waiting in line was thankfully short. Lupin and Kirei made it to security within half an hour. When they passed through, they would have over an hour to spare before their flight to Scotland.

There were a few Celtic treasures Lupin wanted to steal to make himself feel better.

With a flash of their fake IDs, they were let through and directed to place their belongings on the x-ray conveyor belt. "Man, this thing feels heavier than it looks." Lupin thought to himself with a frown as he picked up his carry-on suitcase. In fact, it felt several pounds heavier than Lupin remembered it being. With a huff, Lupin threw it onto the conveyor belt.

"Ow!"

Lupin's eyes widened in shock and horror as he heard a familiar squeak. "No way…"

He was so shocked that he did not notice the bag go through the x-ray.

"Hey, isn't that…" One of the agents muttered out before his eyes widened. "Holy shit, is that a kid!?"

Kirei slammed his hand onto the device, causing the agent to look him in the eyes. "It's a fossil we are transporting to a museum. It's for charity."

The agent looked at Kirei like he was crazy, before his eyes dulled and he muttered out, "Okay…"

When they passed the metal detector, Lupin grabbed the bag and ran away from security ignoring the halfhearted, "No running" from a bored agent flipping through a porno magazine.

When they reached a men's bathroom that was empty, Lupin opened the bag to reveal the disheveled form of his daughter.

"Uh…" Riko scratched the back of her neck before saying, "Hi Dad…"

"I didn't know we were bringing your daughter with us, Lupin." Kirei said with false wonder. "Was this the surprise you were talking about?"

"Aw, shuddup Kirei!" Lupin shouted as he looked back at Riko, glaring at his daughter. "What the heck are you doing here, Riko!? How did you even get into my suitcase!?"

"I saw your car and snuck in!" Riko huffed out while crossing her arms. "I'm really good at it too! I told you!"

"A father should listen to their own child." Kirei added with a nod.

Lupin groaned while palming his face. "Why? Why couldn't you have gone with your mom? I told you I was going! You can't come along for the life I live!"

"I don't care what you want, dad!" Riko shouted while glaring at him, stomping her foot on the ground. "This is why I want!" She placed her hand on her chest as she said, "Things at school are so borin'! I have more fun doin' all the stuff I'm not supposed to! I like normal stuff sure, but I really liked doing stuff like takin' that watch! I want to do more stuff like that, with you!" She looked down and muttered, "I love mom… I know this will hurt her…" She then looked up to Lupin, a finery determination in her eyes. "But… I want to be a thief with you dad! I want to spend time with you, have fun with you, and learn from you! And I won't take 'no' for an answer! If ya send me back to mom… then I'll keep runnin' away to chase after you!"

Lupin stared at his daughter in shock. He knew that this was not childish stubbornness. It was more than just a child sticking to their guns. This was determination, a determination held within everyone. The determination of one of the Lupin family, mixed with Fujiko's hunger to get whatever she wanted.

She was completely serious about her threat.

Lupin let out a chuckle, causing Kirei and Riko to blink. He then threw his head back as he laughed. "Oh man! Oh man!" He let out a few wheeling laughs as he said, "L-Listen to me! I must be loosin' my touch or somethin'! I'm doing the very thing I hate, tellin' people what to do!" He let out a chuckle while wiping a tear from his eye. "Man, this is rich…"

To almost become the very thing he hated… it was hilarious beyond words. Lupin prided himself with believing in individual choice… and yet here he was, denying his own daughter her choice because she was a child. Lupin had rescued plenty of kids from their prisons which denied them choice in some way, shape, or form.

Now he was about to do the same?

"No, that's not going to happen."

He was upset about what happened to Jigen. It was something that would weigh on Lupin forever.

But he would not let it change who he was.

"…Okay. Alright. Alright!" Lupin gave a firm nod as he looked at Riko. "You are going to come with me. You're going to learn all the ins and outs of being a part of the Lupin bloodline, Riko!"

"Really!?" Riko shouted in joy.

"Really?" Kirei muttered out, his voice curious and… interested? Likely something Lupin would have to deal with later.

"Of course! I promise!" Lupin placed his hand on his heart and shouted, "Cross my heart, and hope to die!"

"YAY!" Riko jumped onto Lupin and hugged him. He gasped at her grip as she shouted, "Yes, yes, yes! This is going to be so much fun! I can't wait to start! I promise to make ya proud dad!"

Lupin gave a small chuckle as he hugged back, only to groan in realization. "Man, Fuji-cakes is going to stick a thousand needles in my eye for this. And then some."

"I find that unlikely." Kirei told Lupin with a small chuckle.

"Ya don't know Fuji-cakes, Kirei."

Despite saying that, Lupin smiled.

He would likely have to face the consequences for this sometime in the future.

But for now? Lupin would enjoy this moment and this feeling.

That was, after all, how Lupin the Third lived.

xxXXxx

"Riko!" Mine Fujiko shouted as she entered the apartment where she and her daughter lived. "I'm back!"

Jigen's funeral had been appropriately depressing. Even if the two of them never got along, Fujiko liked to believe that they were close. To learn that Jigen had died… it hurt. It hurt even more knowing that Jigen died during a heist with Lupin.

She knew that she couldn't blame Lupin for how things went down. It was simply part of the dangers that a thief faced when pursuing the next big score. Plus, she couldn't imagine Jigen would've involved himself with Lupin again unless he wanted to himself. It's why she wouldn't blame Lupin, even if the man hadn't shown up to the funeral.

"He probably didn't feel like it was appropriate to go to his friend's funeral…"

It was strange, seeing this much more personal side of Lupin. He never showed it to anyone before.

Maybe that's why she loved him. The mystery of what was behind that carefree… that, and the game they played with one another, was what kept her going.

The wake consisted of just her and Goemon. She spent much longer than intended at the bar, talking with the samurai about old times. It was nostalgic, talking to Goemon with no teasing coming from her and no barely concealed contempt and annoyance from him.

But now she was back home.

Back in reality.

"Riko?" She asked again, only to hear no reply. She frowned. This was too strange. Usually, Riko would reply by now even if she was a bit sleepy.

She then noticed the kitchen light was on, and a piece of paper was on the counter.

She picked it up and began reading.

Dear Mom,

This is Riko. I am writing this 'cause I'm gonna be gone for a while. I wanted to say goodbye.

I'm not running away because I don't love you. I do. You love me, and took care of me. I don't want to hurt you, and it makes me feel sad knowing that doing this will hurt you.

But I cannot sit back anymore and just let you decide what is best for me.

I overheard you and dad that day when he showed up to say goodbye. He said that if I set my mind to something, there wasn't anything he or you could do to stop me. And I think he was right, mom. I know what I want to do. I want to go with him. I want to be a thief, and experience things with him. I don't want him to just go off after saying goodbye, with me never seeing him again.

So I decided to run away, and become Riko Mine-Lupin the Fourth with dad teaching me all the ropes.

By the time you've read this letter, I will be with dad at wherever it is he is going. So please don't go looking for me.

I love you mom, and I'm sorry. But this is who I am.

A member of the Lupin family.

-Riko

Fujiko set down the note, and felt the tears come out of her eyes.

"Damn it…" Fujiko cursed, her hands clenching into fists as she sobbed out, "She really is her father's daughter…"

She had tried desperately to have Riko live a normal life. The life of a thief was not safe, and Fujiko couldn't bear to see her daughter fall into the life that took away her father.

But the more she denied Riko this life… the more she became attracted to it.

Lupin coming back from the dead simply sped up the process.

"Lupin…" Fujiko smiled, but it was a bitter one. One of grudging acceptance, and hope. "You better keep her safe… you better make sure she doesn't get seriously hurt. Because if if she does…"

If Riko was seriously hurt, then no amount of regrets and nostalgic feelings would stop Fujiko from getting back into the game specifically to hunt down Lupin and make him wish he was never born.

She only hoped that now, her daughter was truly happy wherever she was.

"What am I saying… she's my and Lupin's daughter. She'll always be happy so long as she's doing what she wants…"

She made sure to call the police, and played up the distraught mother act.

Now, the police would be on high alert and searching desperately for Lupin the Kidnapper.

Just because Fujiko accepted her daughter's choice did not mean she had to make things easy for them.

That just wasn't Mine Fujiko's style.

xxXXxx

My name is Hisau Maiya, and I was a mercenary.

I do not remember my birth parents. At a young age I was kidnapped by a local militia and trained to be a child soldier. I have seen, experienced, and done many things that no child should have and would horrify anyone living a normal life free from the horrors of the world.

I was eventually rescued by a man named Emiya Kiritsugu, who you may know as a mercenary and terrorist.

He helped me to adjust to a life where I did not need to take orders, that I would receive no beatings or harsher punishments for disobeying requests. He taught me to enjoy life. Even if I did ultimately decide to follow him and use my skills in killing for his goals… I could actually live a life free from the horrors that I once knew.

It also helped that I loved Emiya Kiritsugu.

Emiya Kiritsugu was a loving husband and father, who would do anything and everything for his wife and daughter. Yet he did not believe he deserved this happiness, and often had sex with me in order to punish himself. Even if I knew that such an action was unhealthy, and he did not love me like he loved his wife… I was happy. Because I was close to the man I loved.

It did not matter that I couldn't replace his wife in his heart.

I aided him in any way he needed, time and time again. I never regret my actions done in his service. Even if I continued to kill and hurt time and time again, even if I was injured in order to aid him, I loved Emiya Kiritsugu and believed in his dream.

Emiya Kiritsugu was a man who wanted to save the world, in his own way.

But Emiya Kiritsugu is dead, and his dream will forever be unfulfilled.

Lupin the Third was involved in that, in some way.

My arms, the arms that once could hold a variety of weapons and wield them, the things that held and allowed me to perform my purpose are now useless.

I have Jigen Daisuke to thank for that.

I had contemplated on simply living an ordinary life, but the one I loved is gone. I am well aware that I am not entirely functional as a mentally sound adult woman, and rely on someone who can help guide me through life and the tough times.

Emiya Kiritsugu's daughter is in Germany, and well protected. I do not have the skills Kiritsugu had, nor do I now have my normal abilities. I am unable to aid her, even though I so desperately want to save Kiritsugu's daughter from a family that will punish her for her father's failure. I want to love and care for her, so that the man who gave me everything can rest peacefully, yet I cannot.

I can however arm and detonate explosives. The four explosions earlier this week were my doing. I wished to take care of some personal business, something Kiritsugu would have wanted. I cannot list my reasons here however. I simply wanted to make this clear and close what is likely an ongoing investigation. You will find the tools for the bombs under the floorboards by the dresser, along with a map to the four bomb locations.

With this in mind, I have decided to take my own life.

Please wire and distribute evenly the money within the accounts listed in the back of this note to the various charity organizations below them, which care for children who are recovering from the life I once lead.

This may not mean much, but I do apologize for the mess.

Maiya sighed as she set down the pen, her hand shaking as she did so.

Various sheets of crumpled up paper littered the floor below her, all of them failed attempts to make a legible note. "At least it is finally done…"

When Maiya had released herself from the hospital and hid from any search for her, Maiya had realized that her combat days were over.

She could no longer use Magecraft thanks to the Origin Bullet, and her arms could now no longer be used to effectively wield a firearm.

Maiya had tried to contact Kiritsugu, only to receive no reply.

It wasn't until she read a discarded newspaper which had an entire page dedicated to those who died in the fire that Maiya realized that Kiritsugu was truly dead.

Maiya then proceeded to cry for the first time in years.

Maiya mentally went through the possibilities of how to live her life in her head, but with Kiritsugu now gone and her arms ruined the possibilities were limited to two: Death or Illyasviel. Maiya could not stand the knowledge that Kiritsugu's daughter was waiting for a father who would never come, trapped by a family who lied to her and punished her for Kiritsugu failing them.

But then reality came crashing down on Maiya that there was nothing she could do. Not without Kiritsugu's skills or properly working arms.

Thus, Maiya decided to destroy the Leylines. She would deny the people within the Association even the possibility of restarting the Holy Grail War.

And now that was done, all that was left was her life.

"I can only imagine those who read my note will think I'm foolish for killing myself over a man." Maiya got up from her chair and walked over to the center of the room. A small stool sat below a rope tied around an overhead beam in a noose. "I suppose, in a sense, they are not wrong." Slowly, she stepped onto the stool and gripped the noose. She would have preferred using a shotgun or a pistol for this, but thanks to her arms the possibility of missing and suffering a rather long and messy death was high. And she would prefer not to slit her wrists. "But Kiritsugu… I truly cannot function properly in this world without him to anchor me. To remind me there is more to life than the senseless violence and horror."

She wished that she could have saved Illyasviel. Perhaps with her, caring for the daughter of Kiritsugu would lead to a life of happiness.

It was the only life that Maiya could see herself being happy with.

She was well aware how sad that sounded.

Maiya began putting the noose around her neck. Her body was shaking, and a cold sweat was forming on her brow.

This was it.

There was no going back.

While she knew it was incredibly unlikely… Maiya hoped she would be able to see Kiritsugu on the other side.

Then, Maiya heard knocks on the door.

"Ignore it. It does not matter." Maiya muttered to herself as her muscles tensed, ready to knock aside the stool.

"Hello?" A small voice mumbled out in German. "Miss Maiya?"

Maiya's eyes widened.

She remembered that voice.

"No… it has to be a trick. I must have lost it…"

"Are you there?" The voice asked quietly as Maiya heard the knocks once more. "The Thief said you were here, and you knew my Daddy…."

Quickly, Maiya took off the noose and tossed up to the beam, moving it out of sight. She then jumped off the stool and ran to the door, practically flinging it open.

Standing before her in a small purple jacket and hat with a white skirt was none-other than the white haired and red-eyed form of Illyasviel Von Einzbern, daughter of Emiya Kiritsugu.

Maiya's voice choked in her throat, and tears began forming in her eyes.

"She's like she was in the photos…"

"Miss Maiya?" Illyasviel rubbed her eye tiredly, possibly from jetlag.

Maiya proceeded to embrace Illyasviel in a big hug, startling her the young girl. "Yes…" Maiya choked out. "Yes Illyasviel… I knew your father…"

"Where is he?" Illyasviel asked in a quiet voice.

There was no need to lie. "He's… he's gone Illyasviel." Maiya informed her, who gasped out in shock. "He's gone… he loved you so much. He wanted to see you again, but…"

"We were supposed to play games when he came back…" Illyasviel's voice cracked as she spoke. "Why? Why couldn't he come back? I knew mommy couldn't, but why couldn't he…?"

"He wanted to, he really wanted to. He tried, but…" Maiya bit her lip. "But he cannot. Not anymore Illyasviel. He's no longer in this world…"

"Oh."

With that, the floodgates opened. Illyasviel then began to cry onto Maiya's shoulder, while the older woman continued to hug her.

She was as small and as light as Kiritsugu said she was.

Maiya then noticed there was writing on the wall behind Illyasviel, and narrowed her eyes to read.

I realized that I hadn't stolen all of Emiya Kiritsugu's treasures, and decided to finish the job! But perishable items are so difficult to manage, so I decided to return this baby to his next of kin. Which happens to be you.

No need to thank me! I'm just a generous guy!

-Lupin the Third

Maiya stared at the message for a minute before smirking. "Who are you trying to fool, Lupin?"

Still, she was grateful.

Now, Kiritsugu's daughter was safe.

Maiya had desperately wanted a reason to keep on living, through the only ways she knew how.

And now with Illyasviel in her arms… she had it.

She could keep Kiritsugu's daughter safe, and live for both her sake and his.

Maiya supposed she had Lupin to thank for that, whether she wanted to or not.

xxXXxx

"Was that really the best course of action?"

Kirei asked this as he drove the Fiat down the streets of Fuyuki, the moonlight shining down on the car and illuminating the road far better than the street lights. The night was cool and crisp, seemingly to set a mood.

"Hey man, we had to drop her off somewhere." Lupin replied as he leaned back on his chair, looking through the overhead window into the night sky. "I mean, I'm sure you knew that going to a good ol' Sister Orphanage was a no-go, considerin' how they would've reported her to the Church who would've talked to the Association, who then would have sent her back. Then we would have had to do all that all over again…."

"But I thought you enjoyed the theft as much as I did?"

"Well, ya can't repeat things over and over again. It just gets borin'. It's like watchin' your favorite movie over and over again. First time's great, but the other times? Not so much. Even a really good movie will start to get old at some point." Lupin reached into his shirt pocket and took out a pack of Gitanes…

…Only for Kirei to put his left hand down on them, and said, "If you plan to smoke, do it when we stop or sit on the roof."

Lupin glanced at Riko, who was sitting in the backseat lightly snoring. "Aw, come on! I was, like, seven and my dad smoked around me all the time."

"Yes, well I am the one driving the car. So what I say should be treated like the word of God." Kirei smirked when Lupin clicked his tongue and placed the cigarettes back in his pocket.

"Psh, you're not a priest anymore. You ain't got the authority!"

"As long as I'm driving this car, I have the authority.

Kirei liked to indulge in enjoying the little things.

"Anyways, that Maiya woman is very fine. She's smart, and knows how to keep herself and that Illyasviel girl hidden." Kirei let out a small huff, causing Lupin to chuckle, "Oh come on, don't tell me you didn't enjoy the heist to get her!"

It was indeed fun. It was hard to hide Riko sure, and planning the heist was a bit of a chore considering all the defenses the Einzbern had.

But announcing that they were going to steal Illyasviel von Einzbern from them?

That was fun.

The reactions they got when they broke in and were spotted by the head of the family was even better. The man was actually shocked that the Lupin the Third dared to follow through with his threat on the Einzberns.

It took about twenty chili powder smoke bombs and seventy extra strong super glue floor sheets spread throughout the castle as well as twenty or thirty dead combat homunculi maids (As well as a good number of Kirei's internal organs being obliterated or stabbed through.). A rubber chicken was also involved in the ensuing chaos. But thanks to all that, they managed to reach Illyasviel von Einzbern's room. After a short explanation that they were thieves stealing her, a princess, from a cruel evil Grandfather's castle and bringing her to a dear friend of her father's, Lupin activated an inflatable rocket-powered blow-up snow mobile. They then crashed through the window and raced down the snowy mountain slopes, crashing into a tree before landing, miraculously, into the Fiat and driving away with a surprised Riko meeting her playmate for the next few days.

"Ah… I do wish I had taped it." Kirei then frowned. Perhaps he should look into that… "I guess it does make sense. Hisau Maiya has the means to hide her and Illyasviel's identity. If she's anything like Kiritsugu, she will not be found if she does not wish to be. Especially if she's 'out of work' so to speak."

Lupin grinned and gave a firm nod. "Yup! Figured it was a good way to tie up loose ends with Emiya Kiritsugu. Bet you feel that way too."

"No, not really." He had long since concluded his business with Emiya Kiritsugu.

"Well, then I guess it ties into your love for kids then." Lupin glanced to the back, with Kirei following his gaze.

Sleeping in the back next to Riko, dressed in a black sweater with white trimmings and silver hair that shined in the moonlight, was Kirei's daughter Caren.

Just before dropping off Illyasviel, Kirei decided to make a quick detour to his parents-in-law's house.

Sneaking into Caren's room was a fairly simple affair. Only one Church Executioner guarding the grounds. Fairly simple thing to snap the poor bastard's neck and hide the body in his wife's mother's rose bushes.

When he had roused his daughter from slumber, she'd greeted him with an indifference that was baffling considering the situation. He had told her of recent events, of what he'd gone through, of his talks with Lupin, the War, everything. It was why he'd come to see her again. The child had listened quietly to his tale, at to his surprise at the end she had announced her happiness at his return. Kirei then told her what he had planned to do from here on out, and satisfied that he'd done what he came to, he turned to leave… only to stop when Caren had grabbed hold of his shirt. He turned back to her questioningly, surprised when he noticed the expression of hurt on her face. She then told him how well behaved she'd been since her mother's death and after he'd left her with her grandparents. She had prayed for him every day and had hoped she would see him again one day. After waiting so long, she had said that she didn't want him to leave her again.

Kirei had made the trip in order to completely cut ties with the life he'd once had. To put his past behind him and completely devote himself to the future as Lupin's new partner. As he stared at his daughter, however… he felt compelled to ask her a question.

He'd asked her if she loved him.

Unhesitatingly, Caren had confirmed that she loved her father.

…While he wasn't sure if he could answer that love, her answer had prompted the following question.

"If you truly love me Caren… would you be willing to walk the path of a sinner with me, for the sake of righteousness?"

Kirei already knew the answer his daughter would give, but hearing it made the whole affair more wonderful than Kirei could ever imagine. She'd given him her answer with a happy smile.

"Of course I will, father. If it means I can be with you, I'm sure God will forgive me."

Kirei held something within him that gave him the capacity to 'love' his daughter, but it was certainly not the true and pure love any father could have for their child.

So in order to feel that feeling constantly, and mix it with his own strange capacity to enjoy suffering, Kirei decided to bring Caren into his new life.

She would no longer live the life of an ordinary girl, or a girl who would grow into a good and righteous member of the Church.

Kirei had more or less robbed her of that possibility.

Now she would be joining him in robbing from the wicked as a thief.

"You'll keep her out of heists right? Until she's trained enough, at least." Lupin asked with a raised eyebrow. "That's what I'm doing with Riko, after all."

"Of course. I'm not a monster." Kirei was sure Lupin, on some level, disapproved of his actions. But it was what Kirei wanted, and would not be denied this.

The fact that Riko would have someone her age to talk to and play with seemed to placate Lupin somewhat.

"Alright, just make sure this is the only kid." Lupin looked out the window and muttered, "Don't adopt a gaggle of orphans on me Kirei. We're already at capacity with these two. Last thing we need is an assassin class. Hate those little murderous ankle biters…"

The only ones who would cry to Caren's current situation, be angry at him while praying for her safety, would be his wife's parents and his father.

"I can live with that."

He was currently enjoying it, in fact.

Truly, it was strange.

At the beginning of all this, Kirei was a man who was lost. He felt like he was a blight in God's wonderful world, a being who simply did not belong. Living sin that could only feel joy through the suffering of others.

"And now I am a thief. Taking joy in the suffering of those who deserve such a fate. Enjoy the company of my daughter, by robbing her from her loved ones as well as denying her an ordinary life as she willfully follows my new path."

He had Lupin to thank for all of this.

A thief that saw the ugliness within him, and decided to free Kirei from his preconceived notions of good and evil. To show him the multiple roads his life could take despite his condition.

Kirei was well aware he was still not right in the head. He was disturbed beyond belief, a person who deserved to be chased down and arrested for his actions and personality.

And yet he was happy, doing something that Kirei could without a doubt say he enjoyed.

Lupin had stolen the worldview Kirei once had, and now Kirei would steal from the very society that opposed people like him.

No longer would he be a priest, a contradiction to his very nature.

Kotomine Kirei will now and forever be a thief.

Lupin yawned as he opened the glove compartment and took out a jacket.

"Hm. Blue is certainly a new color."

Lupin covered himself with the jacket, turning it into a makeshift blanket before muttering, "Wake me up when we get to the airport…"

Kirei glanced at the jacket, whose blue color seemed to glow in this moonlit world. He let out a soft chuckle as he thought, "I cannot wait to see what adventures and new joys you will bring me, Lupin the Third…"

There were so many undiscovered joys for Kirei to uncover.

Lupin's world was very big, after all.

- - - Updated - - -

xxXXxx

Beast's Lair is being weird and not letting me post the full chapter due to character limit. Apologies

[TheInfamousMan]

xxXXxx

Arturia breathed in the night air as she looked out to the forest from atop the hill. The cool wind almost caressed her as it passed through her body.

Unfortunately she could not enjoy it.

Arturia grimaced and let out a sharp gasp of pain while clutching her side. Her eyes closed and she grit her teeth. "Again… why couldn't this curse lack creativity?"

In the past few days, Arturia had learned the nature of her curse. It did not show any visible marks of wounds, but it did make sure that she could feel numerous different kinds of pain. A stabbed gut here, a ripped off arm there. Sometimes it felt as if she was going to hack out a piece of her lung into a toilet.

Just a bit ago, she had felt the oh-so wonderful sensation of her eye slowly but surely being scooped out of her skull.

And she could never get used to any of it. All the wounds felt fresh and new, and no amount of drugs could dull the pain.

Still, she refused to give in.

That was what Angra Mainyu wanted, after all. For Arturia to slight against her denial of it and all that it represented, for denying herself her deepest desire.

"I do not regret it." Arturia thought to herself with a glare. "I do not regret my decision. It was mine, and mine alone." It was ironic. Ever since the fall of her kingdom, Arturia had been ruled by her regrets. The thought that she could have done more, the thought that she should not have done any of it at all…

To think, all it took was a Holy Grail War and the encounters of people from the modern era, both the ordinary and extraordinary, for her to truly change her worldview.

"Could have done without the visions from the drug though."

Arturia then heard the crunch of the grass behind her. She quickly summoned Excalibur and turned her body in order to point the tip at the intruder's abdomen. But she winced, and the blade moved to the right.

Steel hit steel, and Arturia found the tip of a katana now by her own neck.

The silver steel of Zantensuken glittered in the light, and the aged yet battle-honed eyes of Ishikawa Goemon bore down at her.

"Ordinarily, my blade would have cleaved your own into two before coming to your neck." Goemon explained calmly. "Yet that is not the case. Your blade is not ordinary, and no normal blade comes from nothing."

"I expected as much…" Arturia groaned out. "You have earned your reputation, Ishikawa Goemon."

"Tell me, why did you leave this note in my school?" Goemon asked while raising a slip of paper with his left hand. "You summoned me to this location simply to raise your blade against me?"

"Of course not." Arturia shook her head, and a thin line of red appeared as her skin dragged against Zantetsuken. It healed just as soon as it appeared, as most of Arturia's minor wounds did now. "I came so that you may teach me."

That made the legendary swordsman raise an eyebrow. "I… must admit, this is the most unique way anyone has asked to join my dojo as of late." His eyes studied Arturia as he asked, "But why should I accept someone who tried and failed to land a decisive blow on me when I was approaching them from behind?"

"Because I am determined. Because I am willing to do what it takes." She smirked. "And even if my blade diverged from its intended target… it's now at one just as good."

Goemon looked down and saw that although Arturia's blade as now on the ground, it was only a mere centimeter away from his left foot.

"I can easily slice off your foot and you will bleed out within… eight minutes, I suppose. Maybe less."

Goemon let out a huff. "I can still easily slice open your neck with my blade. Taking your life, the life of someone who actually placed me in this stalemate, would honor my blade."

"I do not care." Arturia left out the part where she would probably live through a sliced open neck.

They were both silent for a few seconds before Goemon sheathed his blade and Arturia made Excalibur disappear from view. "You are obviously skilled with the blade, despite whatever affliction causes you to miss your target." Goemon eyed Arturia before asking, "Why come to me for lessons?"

"Because I wish to chase after Lupin the Third."

Goemon was silent for a few more seconds, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "And why come to me for lessons in order to achieve that goal? You surely know that I was once Lupin the Third's comrade."

"Because…" Arturia bit her lip, composing herself before she spoke. "Because you are a man of honor, and you will believe me when I say that I do not chase Lupin for any dark purpose. I require your lessons in order to make peace with my body and mind once more, at least to a degree. To be reacquainted with this world that is now my home."

"Then why chase him?"

Yes, that was an important question wasn't it? Why chase after Lupin the Third? Arturia had many reasons, the fact that Lupin was the only one who could possibly kill her should she let him was one of them. But the most important reason?

"Because… because he is one of the greatest of thieves. As he chases his treasures, I try to beat him to it and capture him. The race we both take part in is exciting." Saber smirked slightly as she said, "Besides… he declared me to be his rival. It's only fair that I do not disappoint him."

She had been enraged earlier when Lupin said he killed Irisviel. How could she not be? Irisviel was her friend.

But in the end, it was inevitable. Irisviel would have died in order to bring forth the Holy Grail. And if Arturia had personally done the deed… she likely would have not been in the right state of mind to deny the Grail its wish.

Now she was alive, as was Lupin the Third. Both of them, returned to the land of the living for an indefinite amount of time. Both of them in a world where they did not truly belong.

Both of them still in a competition that wasn't finished.

The goal may have changed but the intent had not.

The King of Knights vs the Emperor of Thieves… who would win?

Finding that out would allow Arturia to live, and live fully. Angra Mainyu gave her the curse of immortality so that she could suffer. Her soul would likely rot before being forced to continue on living, regenerating despite the very fabric of reality reasserting that she was supposed to be dead.

But she refused to allow the fate that a false god laid down on her be the only one she could have.

Goemon was silent for a second before letting out a sigh and nodding. "Very well, if that is your wish." He then turned around and began walking away. "Come to my dojo. I shall feed you breakfast before we begin your lessons. We shall start with meditation exercises, so that you may be able to manage that pain you are experiencing…"

Arturia watched Goemon walk away before turning back to the horizon. The sun peeked out in the night sky, illuminating all. The pain she once felt was now gone, allowing Arturia to feel truly herself once more. The moonlit world was now gone, at least for a few hours, revealing the world in all its splendor and showing all of its endless possibilities.

It was the dawn of a brand new day.

[Mattias]

I think I would have gone with the part 4 ED myself, as a peppy "things will continue" ending rather than the somber Castle one.

[shounen jump]

I honestly loved the emotion in this. The "friendship moment" between Lupin and Jigen, Lupin crying over Jigan, Goemon and Fujiko crying over Jigen, the father/daughter moments between Lupin and Kirei, the "be true to yourself" speech from Saber to Waver, and Maiya getting a new reason to live from having Illya. It was full of feels (even though the one with Kirei and Caren are messed up).
Also gotta admit this reminded me that while Risei is a nice guy, his job is to hide the magic side from the world, which involves some very nasty actions from the kind priest.

Just to be clear: Lupin did get a flesh and blood body from the Mud, but the guys are just writing it off as Avalon, right? And since this isn't labeled as "complete" at FF.net means we are going to get another chapter, maybe some kind of epilogue?
-----------------Edit-------------------
Never mind the second "just to be clear", i just saw the AN on the chapter at FF.net

[Agailius]

Ahhh. It's over, innit. This was a wild ride, to be sure. I'll admit, the tone isn't exactly my cup of tea, but hot DAMN, man. TIM, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

[pulsor93]

Ahhh. It's over, innit. This was a wild ride, to be sure. I'll admit, the tone isn't exactly my cup of tea, but hot DAMN, man. TIM, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Actually, he's confirmed there'll be an epilogue.
I guess it'll cover what happened with Kayneth, the Tohsakas, and Shirou.

[TheInfamousMan]

I think I would have gone with the part 4 ED myself, as a peppy "things will continue" ending rather than the somber Castle one.

Eh, in my opinion with the end of the main story it deserves a somber ending in order to coincide with Saber's ending which uses Disillusion.

- - - Updated - - -

I honestly loved the emotion in this. The "friendship moment" between Lupin and Jigen, Lupin crying over Jigan, Goemon and Fujiko crying over Jigen, the father/daughter moments between Lupin and Kirei, the "be true to yourself" speech from Saber to Waver, and Maiya getting a new reason to live from having Illya. It was full of feels (even though the one with Kirei and Caren are messed up).
Also gotta admit this reminded me that while Risei is a nice guy, his job is to hide the magic side from the world, which involves some very nasty actions from the kind priest.

Just to be clear: Lupin did get a flesh and blood body from the Mud, but the guys are just writing it off as Avalon, right? And since this isn't labeled as "complete" at FF.net means we are going to get another chapter, maybe some kind of epilogue?
-----------------Edit-------------------
Never mind the second "just to be clear", i just saw the AN on the chapter at FF.net

Jigen was the saddest thing for me to write, since I love his character. I really gave it my all trying to make it clear what an affect Jigen had on the gang and how Lupin was dealing with his loss.

The Maiya thing came about when I realized that in all honesty, Maiya would not have much to live for if she lost her ability to continue on as a mercenary, use Magecraft, and lost Kiritsugu. It really was going to end one way if she didn't get Illyasviel.

Kirei might be a better person, but that doesn't mean he's necessarily a good person. In all honesty I imagined his manipulation of Caren being the most IC thing ever if he wasn't hanging around with Gil or all for basking in sin.

Ya don't get to manipulate the world and hide the existence of Magic by being a completely good person. Wanted to make that clear, and also reveal somewhat how an organization like the Church and Association can hide themselves in the age of the internet.

- - - Updated - - -

Ahhh. It's over, innit. This was a wild ride, to be sure. I'll admit, the tone isn't exactly my cup of tea, but hot DAMN, man. TIM, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

The tone was me sort of melding Lupin's own tone (And making sure its more closely aligned with the manga and The Woman Called Fujiko Mine anime as well as its OVAs) and Fate/Zero's own special brand of depressing.

[Agailius]

One question I do have, though. In one of the earlier chapters, I believe you had Shirou's surname as Enjou? Correct me if I've already asked this, but doe that mean Shirou has Tomoe for an older brother?

[TheInfamousMan]

One question I do have, though. In one of the earlier chapters, I believe you had Shirou's surname as Enjou? Correct me if I've already asked this, but doe that mean Shirou has Tomoe for an older brother?

No, Kara no Kyoukai was supposed to happen on an alternate Earth from Zero and Stay Night. So Shirou here actually is Tomoe's alternate self.

[Agailius]

No, Kara no Kyoukai was supposed to happen on an alternate Earth from Zero and Stay Night. So Shirou here actually is Tomoe's alternate self.

Well, hopefully, things don't turn out as depressing for him here thaaaaaaaaooooooooohhhh.... shit. They lost their home to the fire, didn't they? Which means they have to move, possibly to an apartment. An apartment which may or may not cause his mother to become so depressed she kills him.

Goddamnit, TIM, you just COULDN'T be satisfied, could you?!? Not until you went and doomed Shirou to a fate worse than death!

[shounen jump]

Jigen was the saddest thing for me to write, since I love his character. I really gave it my all trying to make it clear what an affect Jigen had on the gang and how Lupin was dealing with his loss.

The Maiya thing came about when I realized that in all honesty, Maiya would not have much to live for if she lost her ability to continue on as a mercenary, use Magecraft, and lost Kiritsugu. It really was going to end one way if she didn't get Illyasviel.

Kirei might be a better person, but that doesn't mean he's necessarily a good person. In all honesty I imagined his manipulation of Caren being the most IC thing ever if he wasn't hanging around with Gil or all for basking in sin.

Ya don't get to manipulate the world and hide the existence of Magic by being a completely good person. Wanted to make that clear, and also reveal somewhat how an organization like the Church and Association can hide themselves in the age of the internet.

And you succeeded. My god that was both the saddest and most heartwarming thing in the entire fic, and one of the most of both in any fic I've read.

True. But like i said before i always thought of Risei as a...well straight up good man. It kinda throws me for a loop when i see him act like this, made even worse by the fact this could actually happen in canon.

Well, hopefully, things don't turn out as depressing for him here thaaaaaaaaooooooooohhhh.... shit. They lost their home to the fire, didn't they? Which means they have to move, possibly to an apartment. An apartment which may or may not cause his mother to become so depressed she kills him.

Goddamnit, TIM, you just COULDN'T be satisfied, could you?!? Not until you went and doomed Shirou to a fate worse than death!

DON'T GIVE HIM ANY IDEA'S!!!! The tone of this fic was on playing on the edge of how dark i like my fics in certain places (anything that can be described as "Heavens Feel" in tone is what i avoid just FYI). I don't need or want to get a "Heavens Feel" tone fic from him.

[TheInfamousMan]

A small preview for the epilogue.

xxXXxx

Northampton, England: March 4th, 2006

The sun shined upon Hunsbury Hill Park, one of the finest parks within Northampton, England. The air was warm, basking all those that stepped outside with a pleasant heat. Light breezes passed through the air, making those within the sun not as uncomfortable as they would be without it. The shade provided those resting underneath the park's fine trees a comfortable plac to sit. To talk with friends or to read.

Sitting underneath one such tree was the Servant once known as Saber, once known as Arturia.

Once known as Arthur, the King of Knights and King of Camelot.

Gone was her once black suit, as well as her intricate battle dress and armor. Now she was dressed in a simple white button up shirt with long sleeves, tucked into a pair of blue slacks that were tied to her waist with a brown belt. Her socks were also white and her brown shoes were newly polished, with a blue buckle rested on the lip. Around her neck was a blue scarf with gold trimmings, tied securely with the ends slightly moving thanks to the wind.

Her hair was undone, allowing the short white hair to reach her shoulders. Resting in her mouth was a lit Silk Cut brand cigarette, the carton resting to her left next to a small dark blue portable ash trey with two cigarette butts and ashes already inside. Open in her hands was an issue of Dan Dare Magazine, the British hero smirking and raising his trademark eyebrow on the cover. On her lap was a small MP3 player with the headphones within her ears.

"Don't turn your back. Danger surrounds you~! Don't turn your back. To the dogs who hound you~! Don't turn your back. Don't show your profile~!"

Arturia felt a nudge on her foot, and put down her comic in order to see a small brown and white Corgi looking at her. "All done? Alright then..." She took out her cigarette and put it out in the ash tray. She carefully closed it before placing it along with the Silk Cuts in her right pants pocket and then took out her headphones before placing it and the MP3 player in her left pocket. She dusted off her pants while continuing to hold her comic in her left hand, before glancing at the Corgi and smiled. "Come along Kay. One stop and then we'll go home."

The canine barked happily and followed his master as she walked.

Arturia had been living in Northampton for eight years, after she completed her training and decided to make her home in England. She had fell in love with the town thanks to the scenery and its people, along with the air.

The air, cool and full of familiarity, helped with her meditation.

She smiled as she noticed several of the town's youth playing a game of rugby with the parents watching from a distance. "Give them hell Thomas!" She shouted to a dark-skinned youth amongst the boys, who waved back at her before catching the ball. Arturia continued on her way through the trees before making it to the main road. She and Kay looked both ways while waiting for the crosswalk light, and when it turned green they walked to the small pub named 'The Brave Shine'. She pointed to the ground next to the door and looked at Kay. "Stay." She said with a firm voice, causing the small dog to plant its behind on the pavement. She entered the pub, a bell ringing with the opening of the door.

"'Ello Altria!" The portly gentleman behind the counter with balding grey hair and a thick handlebar moustace said cheerfully as he polished his glass. "Come for a pint?"

Her new identity of Altria Pendleton took some getting used to, but Arturia got the hang of it.

"Yes I have." She said while sitting on a stool by the counter. "You certainly know me well, Andy."

The man laughed as he began filling the tall glass. Saber looked around and watched as the other pub occupants smile while talking with one another. Some stuff about unions, some things about family business. Many discussions about opening another tab and getting another pint. Some twenty-somethings laughed while throwing darts at the dartboard, bemoaning about their lectures and lack of available work. All the while the dim bar lamps illuminated the wooden floor and dark red walls.

She very much enjoyed the atmosphere of this place.

"More developments about the current case against Sherlock Holmes the Third have occured." Saber turned her head to the small television behind the counter, showing a man wearing the popular coat and hat of the famous detective scowling while placing his hand on the camera. "So far, the detective has denied the allegations that he had been taking credit for solving cases that his daughter, Aria Holmes the Fourth, had solved ever since she was seven. But recently, the now famous sixteen-year-old daughter of the detective has made this statement."

On the screen now was an admittedly small teenager whose almost pinkish red hair tied into ponytails stood behind a small podium, her red eyes looking directly at the camera.

"I fully admit that my father has been using my deductions in order to solve cases, as well as take credit for them." She sighed as she said, "I... do admit, his skills as a detective are lacking. Nearly nonexistent in fact. I complied with his actions due to the fact that he is my father. But I always knew that the truth would reveal itself sooner or later. But that does not excuse my complicity in his crime, and it shames me greatly to be a part of his usage of our legacy for monetary gain. I will fully cooperate with the authorities on this matter, and hope that I will be able to continue working with them in order to solve difficult cases..."

"Cryin' shame. Poor lass, havin' scum like her father takin' advantage of her." Andy muttered as he passed Arturia her Guinness.

"Well, the fact that she's willing to admit her fault and still desire to help people proves that she's the one who truly deserves the Holmes name." Arturia said as she began drinking.

"Ain't that the truth... Though I hope she doesn't pick up her great-grandfather's drug habits."

Arturia continued to drink, listening only in passing to the conversations in the bar as well as the television. Everything was ordinary, the people are happy. Only thing of note was the Director of Communications being caught on camera screaming several rather creative and explicit curses and insults at his subordinates.

Then came the small report that truly caught her ear.

"Life As A Child Thief by Kazuhito Miyazaki comes out this week! It is a thrilling and tragic tell-all book of Kazuhito's childhood as 'Lupin the Third Junior'. The book details how he was trained and manipulated by his mother into believing he was the thief's biological son as part of a complicated revenge plot against the infamous thief. Despite his childhood, Kazuhito holds no grudge against the thief who actually saved his life during a particularly dangerous heist, which resulted in Kazuhito learning the truth about his 'legacy' and the arrest of his mother by Inspector Zenigata. When we sat down with the author, he revealed that the two of them met earlier this month and discussed..."

"I guess that means they will call soon..." Arturia muttered to herself as she finished her glass. She set down the mug and placed the appropriate amount of pounds on the counter. "Thanks for the pint, Andy."

"Eh? Usually you have more."

"I have a home to get back to."

"It's usually seven or eight." Andy muttered as he took the glass. "Lord knows where you put it all..."

Arturia smirked and exited the pub. She looked at Kay and said, "Come along boy." He barked and followed the former Servant on her walk.

Her apartment was only two blocks away, still facing the park. The building itself was rather old, with grey stones making up the building and a tiled roof. Her room was on the third floor, a short trip up that only took about four minutes for her. She had only three neighbors, and her room was nested between them.

When she got to the floor, she noticed a small boy wearing a light blue shirt and dark blue shorts. His mother wore a light pink jacket and pink hat, walking beside him.

"Hello Miss Altria." The woman greeted, and Arturia nodded her head.

"Evening Miss Anglo, young Charlie." She greeted with a smile and friendly tone with Kay barking lightly to say hello. She passed them and began fishing through her pockets for her apartment keys.

"Hey mum..." Her ears picked up Charlie's voice from the stairway. "Who is Miss Altria? You're real friendly with her, and you saw each other a lot... but she never really talks all that much."

"No one really knows, Charlie." His mother said in response. Her tone wistful as she said, "But I think that is how she likes it."

Arturia allowed a small, sad smile to show on her face as she took out her keys and put them into the keyhole. As she entered her apartment with her dog, she thought one thing.

"Oh, you have no idea how right you are..."