Work Text:
Monday, June 9 > 06:40
National Japanese Detective Agency
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Walking into the building, Kirigiri - cover name being Key - put down her bag and pulled out her laptop. Powering it on, Kirigiri signed in (psst! Her username is KiriKey19 and her password is OHopesPeak ! Sign in!) and soon found herself on the documents page for Lock, the newest - and hardest - current case Kirigiri was working on. All the other cases given to her were solved in a matter of hours, all leaving the Key case.
The case was not hard, by any means - the clues and locations given each time were easy to solve. The difficult part was the thief herself.
Though seemingly working alone, she was one of the most difficult cases ever and not even the Chief Detective , Hoshimori Emiyo , was able to find the thief's identity after working on the case for half a year. However, once they found out Kirigiri Kyouko, the Ultimate Detective , had started working part-time for the agency..
Case D:LPT was the first case given to Kirigiri, and the only one that was still left to solve. The department disliked giving new cases to the purple-haired adult, but they were still given to her on occasion (also known as literally every other day). Though, they took her a matter of a couple interrogations and perhaps searching to find the suspect, then bringing them to court. However, attorneys seemed busy the past few months - was there something within them all?
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“Kirigiri-kun! How are you doing with Case D:LPT ?” asked Takahara, a senior at NJDA. She was upbeat as always and was smiling when Kirigiri turned to answer her.
“Takahara-senpai,” Kirigiri addressed, face pokered as usual. “The case is going well. It just seems to be Lock's escapes as usual. How she manages running in heels is a mystery to me as much as the next person.”
Nodding, Takahara replied, “Yeah, but you also run in heeled boots. Not too much difference.”
Kirigiri scoffed, gesturing to her costume's shoes. “My boots are shorter, and the heels are definitely less thin and risky. Those heels of Lock's are incredibly thin, long, and could snap at any point. I'd be surprised if they haven't broken before.”
“I see, then. You observe very well, Kirigiri-kun.”
“Of course; otherwise we have no information about our suspects and or targets. We would be in shambles and have nothing to work with.”
Smiling proudly, Takahara walked away.
[ ☆ ]
Wednesday, June 11 > 17:04
National Japanese Detective Agency
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Kirigiri just wanted some sleep for once in her goddamn life-
This was the day of the heist, and the lead detective was not doing well.
The homework given to the criminology major were tedious and long-winded, and the purple-haired adult spent most of her time on studies. On top, they were no closer to finding out where Lock's next heist was to take place, but everyone knew it was that week. It had been two weeks since the last trip, after all.
Lock's heists were always exactly two weeks after the last, even to the minute. It lasted the same duration every time, from the second the censors of the company or clue messages were sent off to the minute the thief jumped away. It would have been definitely fascinating if only both sides were not on the opposite sides of the government.
Everyone working on Case D:LPT were laying around on their chairs, used to the routine by now (it had been a year or so since the robberies first started). The clue or censors were to be sent to Computer 005 as usual.
Except it was not. Not this time.
Workers jumped as the clue went to Computer 001 , Hoshimori's computer. Peering at their chief's face, the message seemed not to be a pleasant one.
The chief detective sighed, before reading out the message.
“Good evening, Hoshimori Emiyo. I hope you find this message in good spirits. To break them.
I request that the Lead Detective of my case - Key - come alone to her residence. I shall be waiting for one hour from seventeen-thirty - five thirty, Kirigiri-kun,” Hoshimori confirmed, “-to meet me.
Our conversation must be kept secret, and will not be extremely long if it comes on as scheduled. No other officers are permitted to come, as that spoils the secrecy and importance of the talk we are to have. Key is to take her personal car to her house, instead of a police car, to meet.She will not be coming back to the agency after, but is allowed to call the agency afterwards to assure them she is okay. No matters of the conversation are to be mentioned to anyone other than Lock and Key.
Thank you! I do not wish for a response, but if one is something you want to do, please confirm that Key is coming.
Lock, professional Phantom Thief and Law Dodger. I wish you well.”
After the full reading of the message (letter), the room was met with silence. No one dared to speak, unsure of what to say or respond. Hesitance was seen all over the room.
“I shall go,” Kirigiri stood up from her desk chair, looking at Hoshimori. “Lock has said that I will make a call after our conversation to assure that I am okay. She would not do that if she knew I was not to come back. Then, everyone would know that she has done something fatal to me or taken my electronics. It will be fine.” She sounded so confident and sure that she would be fine.
Sceptical, Hoshimori questioned Kirigiri continuously, all questions on safety and recalling past training of when she was a trainee of the job and not some experienced part-time worker. Questioning took up around five minutes, giving Kirigiri around ten minutes before the waiting time would start, being released once deemed 'able' and 'steady enough' to go.
“We await your call, Kirigiri-kun.”
“Of course. I will not keep you waiting if I do not have to.”
[ ☆ ]
Wednesday, June 11 > 17:35
Kirigiri Residence
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Observance was key, especially when facing a master in poker faces. One twitch could say more than you could ever imagine.
Lock was a master in poker faces. Key would not be surprised if Lock played Poker or even gambled . Poker faces were key in those sorts of games. It would not be behind Lock to gamble, Key thought.
Pulling up to her house, Key noticed Lock sitting on the railings to the stairs up to the house, facing the driveway.
“Ah, Key!” the thief exclaimed, hair out of her glamorous bun flowing in the wind. “It has been five minutes. Thank you for not leaving me in this cold waiting for an hour straight.” Smiling, Lock hopped off the rails, landing straight and curtsied. “Will you let me in? We can sit on the sofas in the living room.”
Squinting, Key scanned Lock for any malicious items and or intent. Finding nothing, she sighed and grabbed the door keys, letting them both in and freeing them from the freezing temperatures outside.
“Ah yes, much warmer,” Lock smiled. The house was elegant, but had a minimal theme to it, only having must-haves such as bookshelves, a shoe rack, and coat hangers. A compartment was also by the front door to put bags in. It was a fancy house, all things considered. Especially with the size of it.
“I must ask, seeing as you waited here for me, how do you know where I live?” Key looked over at Lock, a calm but frustrated glare heading towards the black-haired adult(?).
“Oh, it was no trouble,” Lock smirked. “Following and spying is an easy task.”
Staying silent, Key went to brew herself a cup of tea.
“Want one?”
“Ah, no thank you. I will be fine without.”
Key nodded, taking a teabag out of the box. The air had become awkward without the casual flow of conversation or teasing. Instead, it was tense and inauspicious.
“So,” Lock decided to break the uncomfortable atmosphere created, “I came for the heist.”
“Definitely something worth stealing here,” Key retorted sarcastically, sighing as she drank her newly brewed tea. “Unless you want to steal case files that have already been solved or something of the sort. I aimed for a minimalistic theme.”
Nodding, the criminal looked around, “Of course. You have managed to capture that. However, I must object to the first statement. There is something worth capturing.”
“Hm? Capturing? Not stealing now, I suppose?”
“Of course not! This... hm. This... whatever I'm taking... is too important.”
“Are you implying that what you are intending to capture is not an inanimate object?” Key raised an eyebrow.
“...Perhaps. Interpret it how you wish.” Slyly tilting her head, Lock's eyes became half-lidded and smirked.
“I see,” the purplenette sighed, the list of things to steal - capture? - being narrowed down significantly.
Sliding across the room, Lock leaned on a kitchen counter and moved her head, pointing it towards the ceiling of the cream-coloured room.
“What are you really here for, Lock? We both know you intend to capture something from this... humble abode,” the wording made even Key cringe, but it was the only thing she could create on the spot.
“Hm. How about we play a game of Guess!” the thief's head shot back into its original position, making a large crack noise as she got excited almost immediately. “It's self-explanatory. I'll be the Creator, you the Guesser!” Although too innocent, it was the only option the detective had. She wordlessly agreed, and the game began.
“Alright... The thing is living. They move. They are inside this house.”
Living and inside the house. There weren't many things that fit the criteria already, and Key was expecting the criminal to be vague. The only things that can be considered living are the clocks and lights. However, based on the hints given earlier, the item is delicate. Neither of those are fragile enough unless Lock cares about clocks or lights, which is unlikely.
“They are inside the room,” Lock finished, seemingly the end of the hints.
Inside the room? The more time Key thought about it, the less she could come up with anything plausible.
Unless...
“You cannot mean me, can you?” It was the only option left, but it barely seemed explainable enough for herself to be the item.
Smiling, the thief gave her assent. “Yes! Finally. You , my nemesis, is the answer! You fit all criteria.”
“I gave it some thought. What are you planning to do? What are you capturing? Me?”
“Your heart, of course!”
[ ☆ ]
Wednesday, June 11 > 18:02
National Japanese Detective Agency
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An incoming phone call interrupted the silent fright of the workers currently waiting for Key. Multiple gasped as they hoped it was the purple-haired part-time worker.
Hoshimori reached for her personal cell, turning it on speaker as soon as she could. A familiar voice rung out.
“Detective Kirigiri Kyouko, coming from my house to report on the situation.”
“Kirigiri!” There were numerous sighs of relief.
“Suspect detained. I have identified Lock as Yasuhiro Taeko, however, better known as Celestia Ludenburg in the gambling society.”
Lock was Celestia. That was interesting.
“Celestia Ludenburg?” Hoshimori asked.
“Correct,” confirmed Kirigiri. “She will be paying a visit to prison for a while, before being released into the public again. Case D:LPT closed.”
Cheers covered the room, glad a long-time case was finally closed. The answers were most definitely surprising, but not impossible.
Who knew all it took was a trip to their Lead Detective's house?