“Yeah, it all depends on if they want to help me or not. Or if they have info.” He smiled. “Humanoids like statues, portrait paintings, dolls, basically anything with a face. Do the old painting-eye-peepholes trick. It’s fun.”
A quick glance over his shoulder at the red wisp. “Oh, that’s just Rojo. Lesser demon, hangs out with me because I don’t know. Surprisingly noble for a demon. Hates guns. Got pretty miffed when he saw me bite it, and he’s been helping me get used to things.”
“Kaixo,” says the wisp.
The thief didn’t really understand what Rojo said, but he smiled, maybe a touch nervously, and bowed his head in greeting. He already became used to parallel versions of himself, so a ghost version didn’t bother him as much as a normal one might have, but he’s had very little experience with demons. If it’s been helping his doppelganger, though, then it should be fine.
“Nice to meet you. A noble demon with a relatively noble thief…” He hummed, then grinned as a hand easily slid into a pocket. “Sounds suiting. And I definitely have to agree with the sentiment on guns. Far too many people around who like to use them as well.”
“Yeah, I’m not gonna cause any other deaths. Being dead without a purpose is horrible.“ He pats his other self on the shoulder, his touch cool but friendly. “Also you can’t even change your outfit, which is kinda dumb. I’m insta-recognizable when I’m a spirit. Usually I have to haunt random objects around my target, spook ‘em, and then slip in while their defenses are down.”
A cheeky grin. “I only take calculated risks unless I’m in serious trouble. And with all the dead people around, I can always chat with them about what’s going on and who’s dangerous.”
A wispy red form hovers behind him.
Odd though it was hearing a version of himself explaining how he can work as a ghost, Kid’s half wondering if he should take mental notes. Considering he could be joining the other at any time. Would be better to know what he might could do himself over taking the time to test things.
“Huh… must be nice to have information sources no one could completely mess with. Can you only possess people or is it possible with dolls or something similar…” His voice may trail off when he notices and stares a bit. That didn’t seem like something his other self was causing…
“Rats. Are you having trouble? I can always pop in and wreak some supernatural havoc. I’m no poltergeist but I can rapid-jump hosts to cause confusion. Make really cold spots, touch people, set off alarms, dumb little things! I think I can kill a guy but that’s not my thing. I don’t kill.”
A thoughtful look crossed his face. “Yeah… mediums exist. So do demons, apparently. Giant-ass summoning circle in Ekoda! Since there are mediums and demons, there’s gonna be exorcists. None yet but it’s just a matter of time. Can’t wait to possess them.”
“Yeah… don’t need to be killing anyone. There’s been enough death for one thief already, so nice to know you still avoid causing it. As far as havoc goes, I think I’m good right now. The problems tend to pop up at random, like the ones who showed up at the roof during the Blue Birthday heist, so… they’re a bit hard to be completely prepared for. The more difficult ones, in any case.”
Snake and Spider he could half guess, depending on what he planned to steal and the circumstances around the target. And he didn’t have any other major troubles right now. Aside from people trying to kill him, most things were more touch and go.
“And don’t just go messing with those kinds of people at random. Some of them might actually have experience to hurt you. Or trap you inside a body. I’ve heard quite a few sories, and I’d rather not see if any of them would be true if you’re involved.”
“Oh yeah. I know all about it. I was running after them immediately after I died, but I didn’t even know I was dead then. Just thought that I got lucky when I glided out of that fall but that was actually my ghost levitation kicking in. I know about Pandora – that’s why I’m still trying to find it.”
A sigh as he scratched his neck. “Pain in the ass gem.”
“I’ll say… Though, in a way, you got lucky yourself. Since you died as soon as you met them, you don’t have to go through all the troubles that came after that…”
Like Spider and Nightmare, to name a couple of the bigger ones. Also Corbeau.
“Though, while Pandora’s immortality claim is still up for question, magic does exist, so even if you’re checking things as a ghost, best to be careful.” A grin. “And maybe mediums and exorcists, for your special case. Not just police and guys with guns who wouldn’t want you doing your job, in your case.”
“I just take what I can get. And now I don’t have to worry so much about getting killed, or other things that are essential to life. Though sometimes I have to steal life energy from high-death areas, usually Beika. Gotta stay manifested somehow, y’know?
”You got real lucky when that bullet riccocheted off Blue Birthday instead of shattering it and tearing through your chest. I died that night.”
“Ah…”
The thief isn’t entirely sure what to say… Sorry didn’t seem right. He did know he was lucky, as with most of the instances he could have been killed. Everything, when it came down to the job, had been decided by sheer coincidence. And if any of those coincidences had failed…
He’d be making ‘phantom’ thief cracks about himself. Well, more than he already was, anyway.
“So… did you find out why you were killed? Aside from them not liking you going after Blue Birthday and giving a warning about it.”
“Nah, I usually pick a random officer. Though they’re starting to put talismans on themselves. There’s at least one guy who likes it though. Brr.” Weirdo.
“Also, a very famous tantei also bit it back where I’m from. He uses hosts to try getting close to me, with varying amounts of success.”
…Well, that would probably make it clear it’s more likely a ghost. if officers are possessed. Not even the people looking for Pandora could kill many police officers without raising more than a few questions.
“I see… Your worlds luck seems a lot worse than most others’. Watch yourself, though. If they’ve actually taken to using talismans in the first place, they might do even more to get rid of a ‘phantom’ problem.”
He’s not sure he wants to ask which tantei died as well, since the names that did pop up, he wouldn’t want to consider being dead. Not quite as bad knowing both he and his other self still existed as ghosts, but even so…
“It’s a title, not a person.” A little smile. “Can’t kill a title. Oh, and I can control people and heist through them now.”
“True… but the person using the title can be killed. Or people… I hope you aren’t just picking random people to involuntarily throw into all of this mess, considering what already happened… More than once, it looks like.”
“Maybe not an actual ghost, but this is actually pretty neat.”
“True, though even without being dead, Kaitou Kid could be argued to be a ghost anyway. Just plus being seen and targeted and minus any interesting ghost powers that may come from being killed.”
“A dirty old sheet is one thing I’m not going to scavenge. People only throw those out when they’re really messed up.” Shudder. “I could just take a fresh one, I guess. Would have to find a secluded place to hang that hammock… sleeping on the ground and on a bench doesn’t attract that much attention, but making a hammock, that’s an unusual sight around here.”
“Depends on the people throwing it away. I’m sure some people just wouldn’t want to deal with a bad stain on some. Though I suppose it’s true that’d be hard to find… And though I hesitate to suggest outright committing more crimes outside of gem searching, it’s less of a concern when you’re on hard times anyway and it’s necessary… If you do steal one, take it from a hotel or such. I know they aren’t the best of choices, but you could aim for an empty room. Those are usually washed, and it’d be better than taking it from a store that might have better security for thefts.
As far as attracting attention…”
“Well… true, it’d be noticed if you set it up in the park… But so long as there’s something to hang it from, there’s no reason something like that can’t be used where there are less prying eyes. Just because you’re on the run doesn’t mean you need to be tied down to how most might act in that circumstance. You’re free to move and be as creative as you want with how to act and live right now, after all. Things don’t have to be all bad, even if they’re a temporary problem. Could even consider yourself Aladdin right now~ Things seemed to work out for him.”
Moonlight Archive 