redjacketthief | 1st Turn: [Accidental Voice/Action]

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1st Turn: [Accidental Voice/Action]

[There is a man in the woods. His hair is a mess, and his clothes are way too plain for his liking. Residents would recognize him as a new feather--he just thinks he had way, way too many drinks the night before.

Somehow he lost his jacket.

And his shoes.

And his composure.

His only clue was that book he found--that annoying book. It wasn't useful at all.

Arsene Lupin III throws that book to the ground, swearing. It lands open, with its pages in the dirt.]

Aagh...this isn't working. [There's a shuffle of pages--he's kicked the book.] Guess I gotta regroup. Eeegh. Woods, Lupin. Think!

Looks like walking north isn't enough. [He starts pacing] And without a map...aa, this is really annoying. [The pacing stops--he has an idea.]

HEY!! IS THERE ANYONE AROUND HERE!? WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!

[Because shouting is such a productive idea...at least he feels a little better.]

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[He's sprinting now, his boots making some awful squishing sounds in the post-snow muck. Normally, he would hate that, it means he's gotta clean it up, but not today. His mind has fixated on something. Someone. Lupin was here. The guy that he'd given everything up to catch. The comedic jerkface who he really cared for, but could never admit.

Zenigata bursts through into the clearing where he heard the voice, and stops within inches of his "nemesis"]

L...Lupin? Is that really you? Holy crap, it really is...

[Lupin gave pause, having heard a voice that was unexpected, but not unwelcome. He couldn't help but crack a grin as he kicked himself for his thoughtlessness. Of all the people he had to run into on this wet, mucky day, when he was getting over a hangover and still unable to find a road or his clothes...

He stood, and briefly paused to force his mussed hair back into some manner of order, He knew it would be futile; he didn't care. Appearances were important too, if only for his own sake.]

Wow, hey Pops! [He gave the inspector a cocky grin.] You know, this really is a good time for you to be here, unlike how this normally works.

[He paused a beat.] You're gonna arrest me now, aren't you?

[Zenigata blinks, and then laughs. He just starts shaking and roaring with laughter, slapping his knees and everything]

It...it really IS you! AHAHA, this is...well...this is nuts! Of all the times I could've gotten you alone, beat up, and disoriented it'd be here in this shithole.

[The cop wipes back a tear of laughter and tosses Lupin a pack of cigarettes from in his voluminous coat. He rarely smoked anymore, but figured the thief was gonna need them]

You're gonna need these, this place is pretty screwy.

[Pause]

And no, I'm not going to arrest you. No reason to. You aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

[Lupin watches the display, his confusion evident on his face. Where were the handcuffs? Where was the thunderous declaration of his repeated arrest? He caught the tossed pack of cigarettes--and held them. He had no pockets.]

It must be pretty screwy if you're not arresting me, Pops.

[Those hands were unable to keep still for any longer. He tapped out a cigarette, acting on old habits rather than on conscious thought. He couldn't help but frown a little as he considered Zenigata's words.]

And I dunno if I should thank you or not. What is this place? What do you mean I'm 'not going anywhere?'

[He paused, holding that cigarette between his lips.]

Pops. Does this have anything to do with the fact that I haven't heard a car all day?

[He didn't ask the obvious. There was no point.]

[Zenigata holds out a lighter, offering it to Lupin. Obviously, the cop knew he wouldn't have one. He hadn't either when he first landed]

This place is called Luceti. Gonna sound really weird, but we aren't on Earth anymore, and we're trapped in some funky barrier. Like, trapped and can't get out. Period. Can't fly out of it, can't dig under it, can't go through it. A lot of people with all kinds of crazy super-powers live here, and they can't get out either. We're both stuck here. Period.

[There is an air of finality to Zenigata's last word. He's as serious about that as he is about not arresting Lupin. What a screwy world...]

[Wait--that's a lot to process. Lupin takes a moment to think it over as he lights his cigarette with the poffered flame.]

Sounds like a cheesy cartoon, and like I'm still drunk.

[It would explain the lack of cars, though. Lupin's seen Zenigata in many situations and under many conditions, but never has he seen the inspector so serious on such an absurd topic.

He searched for a small smile, a clue that maybe he was the butt of a giant joke. Finding none, he puffed on his cigarette instead.]

Pops. What about these wings?

[He wanted to believe he was still drunk, because that made more sense than itty bitty wings and being stuck in Middle Earth. But that tone in Zenigata's voice, in his carriage, left Lupin questioning even that. He didn't look like he was lying, despite the absurdity of his words.]

The wings ehh? Figured you'd have asked about that first. Well, they are just that. Wings. Do yourself a favor, and don't pull on them. It hurts like hell if you do. Also, don't cut 'em off. That'll actually kill you. I'm not joking.

[Zenigata sighs, obviously used to this sort of questioning. He just never expected to give it to Lupin]

You aren't drunk. You really are stuck in a weird...fantasy world. I've made friends with some of the strangest folks here. Anywho. There should be some sort of book, or journal around here somewhere. Where is it?

[There it was, spoken plainly to his face. Lupin saw that he had two choices: accept the absurdity, or simply don't adapt. Given the options, he knew he would only choose the first one, any day.]

I'll believe you, if only because you're not a liar like me. And, if I was dreaming, I wouldn't have felt like I was hit by a truck earlier. The only reason I didn't mention them is because I have my reputation to maintain, you know. I may do crazy stuff, but I'm not that crazy. ...It's a pretty crazy thing to ask about.

[He had been preserving his own ego infront of the man who has tried to arrest him a million times and more. Lupin offered the inspector a smile in an attempt to lighten the mood. The seriousness was getting to him, and he didn't like it.]

A book you say? You mean the one with the empty pages that was next to me when I woke up? That has been my only clue to some kind of civilized population all day? I...well, I got mad. And kicked it.

It's...[He does a quick search, and scoops it out of the dirt.] Here!

[Zenigata smiles, glad that Lupin at least accepted the inevitable without a fight. He also turns around to show Lupin his own wings]

We all got 'em. Some of them have different colors, but we all got em.

Now, open that book up. Look around the front, there should be a guide and a map. It'll have at least some basic info.

[Lupin followed the Inspector's instructions. Indeed, as he said, there was indeed a map, and some info. He didn't read it in detail--he could do that later. Instead, he focused on the map.

Just because Lupin was acting calm didn't mean his mind was still. Zenigata said something along the lines of being trapped and unable to escape. That alone made Lupin all the more curious about his current situation.]

Are the wings useful for anything aside for being annoying, Pops? I mean, other than the 'cut-them-off-and-die' thing.

Also...is there anyone else here that we know?

[Jigen, Goemon, Fujiko...any one of them would be great. If not, he could handle being with Zenigata. He could make it work.

He didn't like the idea of being 'trapped'. That alone was something that grated on him, something that told him 'no.' He didn't like being told 'no.' There was no point in hiding these thoughts. Although they weren't spoken, anyone who knew the thief would recognize the signs of his mind at work.]

Nope. The wings are pretty much useless. You can't fly with them, at all. Anyway, lets start heading to town, we can talk on the way, get you some actual clothes.

[Zenigata motions towards the way he came]

And yea, we got some friends around. Goemon's been here about the same time I have, and Fujiko's been around for a while. Jigen was here for a bit, but he just up and disappeared.

I see...

[The two words were said carefully as he processed that information as well. He fell into step beside Zenigata, allowing the man to lead him, as he continued thinking and talking.]

That's good to know. At least I know its just another part of this wierdness that I'm gonna have to deal with. Anyway, Jigen disappeared?

[Unspoken was an additional question: 'there's a way out?'

He would have smiled if he weren't fighting how deeply he was chilled. He puffed on his cigarette instead, unconsciously using it as a shield. He was focused more on retaining his ego than retaining a sense of normalcy. His smile would have felt forced anyway, even for him. He wanted food, he wanted sleep.]

Yea, Jigen disappeared. Sometimes folks just get sent home. Like, the creepers that brought us here just get done with you and send you packing. Its not really an escape since its uncontrollable.

[He knows what you are thinking...]

Whats say we get you a shirt, and a bite? We aren't too far from town now.

[Lupin does smile this time, a small one. There's a glint of mischief in his eyes.]

They really do sound like creepers if they brought Jigen here and got tired of him. That's almost as bad as what I've seen some women do.

...And yeah. A shirt and a bite would be great.

Lupin, if only you knew. Those Malnosso guys are just pure evil. Hell, just last week they made us think the goddamn MOON was gonna crash down on our heads and kill us all. Don't underestimate the fucked up shit they can do. Ditching Jigen...well...thats small potatoes.

[Not much longer till they make it to town]

[The moon? Lupin almost does a double takem but decides to just roll with it. There was so much absurdity already in his day that hearing news of the moon crashing from orbit didn't sound too crazy. At least, that was scientifically possible. Zenigata standing right there before him...not so much.]

That sounds pretty nasty. I've not even been here for a full day, and already I don't like this place. I take it your survival has something to do with these...Malnosso or whatever you're talking about?

And thanks for the warning, Zenigata. Seriously. Thats...very useful to me.

Somethin' like that. The Malnosso are the freaks who put us here, put up the damn barrier that keeps us in too. And somehow they made it so it dampens people's superpowers or something.

[a pause]

Yea, I said superpowers. My best buddy here is a cop from another world who can turn into smoke. From what Fujiko's told me, that barrier keeps GODS in. The old kind, Zeus, Thor, Amaterasu. That sorta stuff we learned about in grade school.

[Finally, a smile as they make it to town]

But now that your here. Well, maybe we can figure a way outta this mess together, eh? I mean hell, I remember the time you stole the Statue of Liberty, and that big ol' statue of Christ in Rio. I bet if we put our noodles together, we'll come up with somethin'

[That smile grows broader as the thief takes in the information. There it was, a challenge, stated boldly to his face. He chuckled, and clapped the old cop on the shoulder.]

You know me too well, Inspector. Really, you do. If I didn't know you so well, I'd be thinking that this was all insane, that I was dreaming or something. But, you know...you know...

This sounds like a good challenge. And then, once we're out, you can go back to arresting me like you always do. Just, you have to give me time. I may be Lupin III, but I'm not a miracle worker. I need more information...

And, wouldn't it be obvious even for me to pull something like this? They sound like a tricky bunch, so we're gonna have to be trickier.

[He pauses.]

From what you're saying, it sounds like Fujiko knows things. I'm gonna want to find her. Goemon too--that Zantetsuken of his, if he has it, is going to be useful. Pity Jigen's not here, but you not arresting me will be handy.

Give me a few weeks, Pops. I don't know anything here, and I need to think this through. If they can throw a moon at everyone, who knows what else they can do?

[Zenigata laughs a bit]

You never change, do you? We'll see.

[But who knows. Zenigata's thoughts are interrupted by arriving in town]

Well, here we are.

[Lupin surveyed his surroundings, taking in the old fashioned atmosphere and storybook village appearance. It...wasn't quite what he expected, but it oddly seemed to fit with what he heard from Zenigata and his further assumptions.]

It's...quaint.

[He scowled playfully at the inspector.]

Looks boring!

[Zenigata just laughs and heads towards the shops]

It is boring, up until the moon falls from the sky.

[The words clicked. Lupin couldn't help but join in laughing with the inspector.]

Yeah. I guess you're right on that one, Pops.

Well, here we are. [Zenigata motions to the clothing shop]

Go get yourself a jacket.

[Lupin studies the store, lightly bouncing on the balls of his feet in an effort to keep in motion, to keep warm. He glancs at Zenigata, curious, and continues to puff on that cigarette.

He frowns.]

It's not like you th advocate theft, Pops. That is, unless you have some money here to buy me a new wardrobe. I can pay you back later; I have that much decency, at least.

Money doesn't apply here, Lupin. What good is it in a place where people come from a buncha different worlds, with all sorts of different kinds of money?

It ain't stealing anyway, it's YOUR jacket. Seems those Malnosso bastards drop it off in a shop. Found my badge and ID in there myself.

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