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Chapter Thirty-six

"Kai," Hitomi beamed, leaning down to kiss her foster son on the cheek as he walked through the door. "How was your trip?" The aqua eyed woman was glowing. Understandable, considering she was five months pregnant. Needless to say, that had been a shock, though a pleasant one. At almost forty years old, the kunoichi hadn't been expecting to have another child.

After returning her grin, the magician groaned dramatically, dropping his travel bag to the floor. "That Carmen Sandiego chick is crazy," he announced stepping further into the room. "I don't care how tempted I am, I will never steal anything bigger than my head."

Huyu laughed from where he had appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Not even a bag of money?" he inquired teasingly. The eighteen-year old had stayed behind this time to train with his Father. He wouldn't have traded the experience for the world, in spite of the collection of bruises he had picked up. But, he had missed his brother.

Kaito paused, considering that. "Oh all right," he conceded, admitting his previous declaration was a bit impractical. "But nothing I can't carry and run with at the same time." He would leave the whole disappearing landmarks gig to the trench-coated female thief. Though why someone would want to steal a building in the first place the magician couldn't fathom.

The sixteen-year old stretched, working out the kinks in his back. The seats on that plane had not been at all comfortable. Once he had finished, Kai ghost stepped across the room, appearing almost magically at his foster mother's side. "And how's my little sister today?" he cooed, placing one hand on Hitomi's stomach.

"Sister?" Huyu objected. "How do you know it is a girl?" Not that he would especially mind a sister, but a boy would be better. He had enough problems with people flirting with Kai. The last guy to check out the disguise artist's ass had nearly lost a hand.

A mental image of a dark-haired young woman with his Kaasan's eyes and Fujiko's figure appeared and the samurai shuddered. That would be it, he knew. A single wrong move towards the hypothetical member of his family and that would be that. Murder one, on the bright side; his Father would probably help him hide the body. Huyu looked over at Kai, dark brown eyes meeting blue. "It will be a boy," he said flatly.

Kaito merely grinned, an expression akin to the cat that had just eaten the canary. "Just keep telling yourself that niisan," he told the other, patting him on the head.

The samurai jerked away, giving Kai an extremely suspicious look. Then, Huyu groaned. "You peaked, didn't you?" So much for a baby brother. Would it have killed his parents to burn the ultrasound photos?

Kai just grinned wider. "Maybe," he admitted.

Later that evening, the pair was sitting on the back porch while Kai sketched in a notebook, Psyche lying at his side. Huyu leaned over, curious, careful not to disturb the sleeping familiar. "What are you doing?" the swordsman asked. Drawing had never been among his brother's hobbies.

A pair of blue eyes blinked, Kai looking up from the paper. Quickly, he put on a few finishing touches before handing the pad over. On it was a sketch of a slender figure in a white jumpsuit, a dark mantle and hood shielding his masked features. A multi-compartmented belt was around his waist, his boots ending just below the knee. And behind the thief, for that was what he was, a long white cape flapped in the non-existent breeze.

Now it was Huyu's turn to blink. "Is this?" he asked.

The magician nodded. It was. He had already told the adults his intentions, which had lead to a massive fight with Lupin. The world famous thief had thought he was too young. Ultimately however, he had been forced to admit Kai was ready. In the grand scheme of things, a few more years weren't going to make a difference. Nor could he claim his ward's more mundane education would suffer. The kid could pass the exams any time he wanted.

"But," the swordsman frowned. "I thought you were going to take up your Father's mantle." Although, Huyu considered, Kai had never said that straight out. Still, everyone had thought it.

Kaito merely shrugged. "I was going to," he said. "But Snake would have to be a complete idiot to believe I am him, and a new outfit will make it easier for me to pass myself off as Dad's apprentice." In the long run, it wouldn't really matter if the Black Organization realized he was alive. However, the magician would prefer they not. At least, not yet.

Thus the whole cover story. It wasn't that much of a stretch really, to believe that the Kaitou Kid was training someone on the side. In any case, technically he had been his Father's student, and all the best lies had a grain of truth. "Besides," Kai grinned. "Kaitou Kid the Second-sama is way too much of a mouthful."

Laughing, his foster brother could only agree. Inwardly though, Huyu had more serious matters on his mind. When he sought out his Father that night, Goemon was less than surprised.

"You intend to go with him, do you not," the older samurai stated more than asked. He had seen this coming years ago. Really, wasn't that why they had sent the boys together in the first place? Everyone needed someone to watch their back.

Huyu merely nodded, kneeling in front of the man and removing his sword to place it between them. "Kai is my brother in all but blood," he stated softly. "It is only right that I make his quest my own."

Goemon sighed, closing his eyes briefly before leaning forward to kiss his oldest child on the forehead. "Then go with my blessing," he looked over Huyu's shoulder to where another figure stood, nearly invisible in the shadows. "Both of you."

Finis

Yes, at long last it is over. Err, before you all kill me only meant this one is over.

There will be sequels. I have decided to split them into episode form to improve flow and allow me time to write other stuff between them. I had no idea how long this story would end up when I started writing it.

Next on the list is my long awaited X-men fic as well as a short story in the 'Kuroba 'Verse. So keep your eyes peeled, they should be up any day now.