This is a revised version of my story Rhythm Thief. I don't really like how it turned out, so this is my new version for it. I hope you enjoy it. Raphael is 16 in this fic, nearly 17. If you don't know the original version, you may want to check it out, but you don't have to. This one won't be exactly like it. It also won't be in script format like the original.

Chapter 1

Arrested

Raphael was about to sit and eat lunch with Fondue when there was a knock on the door. He walked over and answered it. To his surprise, Marie was standing right there.

"Hello, Marie. What brings you around? Would you like to come in?" Raphael asked.

"No, I just came by to see you. I wanted to ask you if, you'd like to come see my show this evening." Marie said. She didn't seem to want to look him in the eye, and she kept fidgeting.

"I would love to. You know I always do."

"I know, but this time, you don't have to sneak in. I have some tickets for you and Fondue."

"Really? Well, thanks, I guess. Why did you get us some tickets?" Raphael asked.

"I kind of, wanted an excuse to come see you. It's been a really long time since we last met face to face." She said, and looked him in the eye this time.

"It has, hasn't it? It's great to see you again Marie. I'll be sure to catch your show."

"Great." She opened her bag and handed him two tickets. "It'll be at the Paris Opera. I hope to see you there."

"You don't have to hope too much. I'll be there. No matter what. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"I'm glad you like my music so much."

"I love your music. I always have. Ever since I first heard Moon Princess." That made Marie smile.

"Well, I better get going. I'll see you later."

"See you later Marie." Marie walked away and Raphael shut the door. Part of him didn't want to say goodbye and he couldn't understand why. Though there were many things he still had yet to understand.

"Weouf!" Fondue's bark brought him out of his stupor.

"Right, I need to find an outfit to wear." He walked over to his closet and tried to find something that he normally doesn't wear out in public. He heard Marie scream and dropped everything. He ran out of his apartment, quickly switched to Phantom R and ran out into the open. Marie had been caught by two constables. Vergier walked forward.

"I knew that this girl would lure you out Phantom R." Vergier had said.

"Let Marie go. She hasn't done anything." Phantom R said.

"We will, once you surrender. Or we'll put her under arrest for being a cohort of Phantom R."

"You're really stooping that low to catch me, huh Vergier?"

"We'll go to any means to put you behind bars." He knew that Marie had nothing to do with Phantom R's work. He wouldn't let her go to jail even if she did have a hand in what he does. Phantom R lowered his head. Two constables came up behind him and chained his wrists behind his back. "We finally caught Phantom R."

"Cowardly is something you should add." Phantom R said, his head still lowered.

"You have the right to remain silent. Where's the dog you travel around with?"

"I thought you said I had the right to remain silent."

"You can speak."

"He's just a stray dog that happens to follow me. He doesn't have anything to do with this. Neither does Marie, so let her go." They let Marie go.

"I won't allow this. Please, let Phantom R go. Isn't the word of the duchess's daughter enough?" Marie said.

"Sorry, young girl, but he has done far too much. He is under arrest." Vergier said. They brought Phantom R over to one of the cars.

"Don't worry, Marie. I'll be fine." They put him inside and shut the door. The car was soon driving away with Phantom R inside. Marie ran back inside the apartments and went to his apartment to find Fondue. She found the key on top of the doorway and opened the door. Fondue had scratching at the door and whimpering for Raphael. He perked his ears back when he saw Marie walk in.

"I'm sorry Fondue. I wish there was something more I could have done. Phantom R's been arrested." Marie said.

~Phantom R~

It didn't take long to reach the constabulary. They brought Phantom R out of the car and inside. He was then put into an interrogation room.

"Alright, Phantom R. You will tell us everything about that mark upon the bracelet." Vergier said.

"What if I don't want to?" Phantom R said. He wasn't too happy. He imagined, if he were to be arrested by Vergier, it would be something grander and well, not using Marie to get to him.

"You'll only be here longer. Explain what you know. We may let you go." Vergier bargained.

"Trading freedom for secrets. Fine, I'll tell you." Vergier was a bit surprised.

"Well, spit it out."

"The truth is, I have no idea." Vergier sat back in his chair, a bit disappointed.

"Well, that was a waste of time. Then why'd you steal the bracelet?!" He said, standing back up and pointing at him.

"It had the same mark as this coin." Phantom R reached into his pocket and pulled out the coin.

"How'd you get out of your cuffs?"

"You really think I'm a petty thief?" He held up the coin.

"That mark…"

"Yep. That's why I stole it. This coin was what my father left me before he disappeared over four years ago. I thought that the bracelet would help me find him, but I guess not." He put the coin back into his pocket. "Now, I know at least what he's been doing these past few years. He's been helping Jean- François resurrect Napoleon Bonaparte."

"What about those other artworks. The ones you steal then return?"

"Well, I'm not completely finished, but I might as well tell you. My dad was a forgery artist. He'd steal artworks and replace them with fakes. I'm doing the opposite. I'm stealing the fakes and bringing back the real works. After that, I get rid of the fakes, most of them are destroyed."

"Why go through that trouble?"

"I don't know. It's just something I feel like I should do."

"Where are you keeping them?"

"That's a secret."

"Just tell me. We'll let you go free. We won't try to arrest you again unless you continue to steal."

"If you really want to know, you can find them in a cellar of my apartment. There's a book on the furthest bookcase to the left. It has the mark on the base of the spine. Pull it back and a secret door will open. My apartment's on the bottom floor. The first door on the left, under the stairs."

"Alright. You'll remain here until the constables finish searching." He pressed a button and two constables walked in. The scaredy cat, Eric, and the other one Phantom R couldn't remember the name of. They grabbed him by both his arms and led him out. They put him in a cell and made sure to lock the door so he couldn't escape.

"Hey, Eric, I've got something to say to you." The constable Eric looked at him.

"What would that be?"

"Woof! Woof!" Eric ran off. Phantom R started laughing.

"That was not funny Phantom R." The other constable said.

"Oh really? Then why are you trying not to smile?" Phantom R said.

"Good day, Phantom R." The constable walked away, but Phantom R kept smiling. He had to do something while he was locked up here. Why not start off by scaring a constable half to death?

"You're still a child, aren't you?" Phantom R turned around. Jean-François was sitting on a bench in the cell. "How are you doing Raphael? Finally got captured huh?"

"Yea, I have, why should you care how I'm doing?" Phantom R asked.

"Just trying to make a conversation between old enemies. I still don't understand why we were enemies at all. I guess it's just as well." Jean-François said.

"I'm nothing like my father if that's what you had in mind."

"No, of course not. You're quite different from him. Quite different indeed." JF said, kind of with a creepy smile.

"Um, ok then. Have you gone senile in the past year?" Phantom R asked.

"I don't believe so. Even though I'm stuck in here, I'll be taking part in phase two of our plan to bring Napoleon to his former glory as well as the land of France."

"Phase two? What's going to happen in Phase Two?"

"That's a secret my dear boy. You'll soon find out."

"Whatever you say, senile old bat." Phantom R turned back around. Though he was cautious in case JF tried anything. It stays silent for a long time until two different constables came and got him. They took him back to the interrogation room. Vergier was there waiting.

"I hear you were a bit of a trouble maker." Vergier starts.

"You probably heard right." Phantom R says.

"Just how old are you?"

"16." He said it so nonchalantly too.

"Can't you act your age?"

"Nope." He said, then smiled his usual Phantom R smile.

"Of course not… Anyway. We searched the hidden cellar and found the art works. You are free to go."

"Ok."

"That's it? No, 'woo hoo' or a 'yay' or 'yippee' or anything?"

"Nope. I'm not that childish."

"Ok then. I have a question to ask you, Phantom R."

"What would that be, Inspector Vergier?"

"Ok, this kid is just playing games here. Would you like to serve as an undercover agent for the constabulary?"

"An undercover agent, huh? Is that just a way for you to keep an eye on me so I don't steal anything?"

"Not at all. We'll even pay you."

"Can I have some time to think about it? I mean, I already have a job that pays well."

"Alright. I'll give you time to think about it. In the meantime, you're free to go."

"Thanks." The constables came in and lead him out. Phantom R was a bit surprised they let him free despite all the times he's stolen from museums. He ran back to his apartment. Fondue wasn't there it seemed. Phantom R whistled and Fondue came out from under the bed. "Hey Fondue. Sorry if I made you worry. Everything's ok now. I guess I won't be Phantom R for a while."

"Weouf!" Fondue said.

"Yea, I suppose you're right. Time to choose an outfit for the show this evening. I promised Marie practically, didn't I?" Phantom R switched back to Raphael and went over to his closet again. "After I choose an outfit, let's eat some lunch, ok? To make up for scaring you like that."

"Weouf! Weouf!"

"Haha, you're such a glutton. Then again, I can be too." He held up a shirt. "What do you think of this one?" Fondue tilted his head.

"Weouf!"

"No, ok, maybe I have something else. How about this one?" He picked up another shirt and held it up. Same reaction. He tried a few other shirts, but none of them agreed with Fondue. "That's all I've got. What should I wear then?" Fondue crawled over and tugged on Raphael's sleeve. "You think this one?"

"Weouf!"

"Ok then. Same with the pants huh?"

"Weouf"

"Ok. Well, I guess it's time for lunch, now that we have that settled." Raphael pulled out the two tickets from his pocket and set them on the dresser. He cleaned up the lunch he was about to have before he was arrested then made more lunch for him and Fondue. Afterwards, he went out to the store to get some new glasses. His were a bit messed up. He could only see without glasses if he were Phantom R. He didn't understand why. He made it back home. While he was out, he got a nice little neckerchief for Fondue, which was dark blue. "Alright Fondue, I think we're ready."

"Weouf!"

"Huh?" Raphael felt for his glasses, but they weren't there. "No wonder things were blurry." He pulled his glasses out of his pocket and put them on. "Thanks Fondue."

"Weouf!" Fondue started wagging his tail.

"Now, let's get going." He grabbed the tickets off the dresser and left his apartment with Fondue. As they were leaving the building, there was a hidden figure watching them. Raphael made his way to the Paris Opera. It wasn't too crowded yet. He gave the guy at the front the tickets and they walked in. He tried to find Marie. He found her sitting on the stage talking to her mother. Raphael walked in, but tried not to disturb them. Marie looked up when he walked in.

"Raphael?!" Marie yelled. She got off the stage. Marie's mother looked behind her and saw Raphael too. Marie ran over to him and hugged him tight. Raphael was blushing madly.

"M-Marie?" Raphael stuttered.

"Raphael, I was so worried. When inspector Vergier took you away, I thought you'd be in a lot of trouble. I'm so happy you're not locked up." Marie said.

"You and me both." Elisabeth made her way over. "Hello, Duchess Elisabeth." Marie stopped hugging Raphael and turned to look.

"No need for formalities, Raphael. Just call me Elisabeth. I'm glad you could come for Marie's show." Elisabeth said.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Raphael said.

"Curtains in five, Marie." Someone backstage called.

"Ok. I have to go. I'll see you later." Marie said.

"Do what you have to do. I'll be watching." Marie smiled and walked back stage. "I better get to my seat. Bye, Elisabeth."

"Goodbye."

Raphael walked with Fondue to the V.I.P. area and sat down. Within five minutes, the show started. Marie started with Moon Princess. Raphael was tapped on his shoulder. He looked behind him. It was a really tall man who wore sunglasses dark enough to hide his eyes.

"May I help you sir?" Raphael whispered.

"Yea, what's your name?" The man asked.

"Depends who's asking." Raphael whispered.

"Nobody you should be concerned about."

"Then I don't think I should tell you my name."

"I guess it'll just be luck." The man was about to grab him, when Raphael slid down his seat and under the one in front of him. He got up and turned around. He was in a fighting stance already. The man reached to grab him, but Raphael back flipped away, and landed on the railing for the V.I.P place. Someone noticed and screamed. Marie stopped her playing. She saw the danger Raphael was in.

"Raphael!"

There's the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed this.

See ya,

Hero of Twili ^_^