Kaito Kuroba 黒羽快斗 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
whiteofcrime) wrote2014-11-01 04:06 pm
whiteofcrime) wrote2014-11-01 04:06 pm
Entry tags:
App for Maison de Portes
Character: Kaito Kuroba
Canon: Detective Conan/Magic Kaito
Version: Manga + movies
Canon Point: Post-chapter 33 (MK) [Kaitou Corbeau], post-chapter 862-864 (DC) [Green Emperor alexandrite]
Age: 17 (18 in Cycle 2, probably)
Gender: Male
History: Short version here | Self-composed timeline of events here
Eight years ago, Kaito's father, Touichi Kuroba, died during one of his magic shows. Until the present day, it had been assumed that the incident was an accident. But the resurfacing of the Phantom Thief, Kaitou Kid, and the opening of a secret panel in his son's room would soon expose the truth: Kaito's father was the original Kaitou Kid and his accidental death was actually a murder.
Kaito dons the costume he finds in his father's secret room and heads out to meet the new Kid on the block. He correctly predicts the thief's movements and meets him on the roof as they're escaping from the police. After seeing through the trick to the mirrors used to render themselves 'invisible' and unmasking the thief, Kaito discovers that the identity of the new Kid is none other than his father's assistant, Jii Kounosuke. Jii, thinking he's speaking to Touichi Kuroba, unwittingly reveals that he'd thought he had been murdered. Upon realising his mistake, he then unwillingly confirms Kaito's suspicions that Kaito's father had been the original Phantom Thief. Their conversation is soon interrupted by the arrival of the police, led by Inspector Nakamori (long-time pursuer of Kid). Some quick thinking on Kaito's part allows Jii to swiftly escape the scene while Kaito himself assumes the role of Kid and steals away into the night.
From then on, Kaito moonlights as world-renowned thief Kaitou Kid, liberating several precious jewels and artworks in carefully planned and elaborate heists. He always showing himself at the appointed hour and nimbly evades the police's clutches afterwards. It is after one of these heists that he is contacted through a nearby payphone by those responsible for his father's death. They inform him that if he continues to target jewels, his life is forfeit. Ignoring this warning, Kaito sends a notice to the police of his intended theft of Blue Birthday, a large Indian sapphire. While he is successful in its theft, he is accosted as he is about to escape on his hang glider. A bullet shears through one of the supporting rods and destroys the contraption. The snake in the grass finally rears its head: the man introduces himself as a dubious reptile and reveals that not only did he know the identity of the former Kid, he was also responsible for arranging Touichi Kuroba's death.
Trapped on the edge of the roof, Kaito cedes to their demand to hand over the Blue Birthday gem. When he asks why the men are targeting the jewels, Snake admits all he knows is that it's the key to eternity. He then shoots Kaito in the heart, causing Kaito to topple over the edge to his presumed death, and leaves the scene to deliver the jewel to his superior. There, the purpose for collecting the sapphire is explained: Blue Birthday is one of many large jewels that may hold Pandora - the stone of immortality. It is a doublet (gem within a gem) that only appears when held up to the moon for inspection. However, when Snake's employer does so, an unwelcome truth comes to light: the Blue Birthday Kaito tossed to Snake is not true blue but is a fake that was prepared earlier.
Kaito, who had survived due to the bullet hitting the real sapphire in his breast pocket, speaks up then, having heard the entire conversation from a nearby tree. Blue Birthday, it turns out, does not contain Pandora, but it does contain a tracker placed prior to its theft by Inspector Nakamori. Before disappearing, Kaito chucks the jewel back to Snake's employer, vowing to find Pandora before their organisation and smash it to pieces. Stuck between their precious rock and a hard place, the men follow his lead and escape through underground tunnels, leaving the gem behind.
From then on, Kaitou Kid's heists are always accompanied by at least one of the organisation's goons, seeking to grab Pandora before Kid can destroy it. They follow him to his next heist at a theatre, to a train hosting a visiting queen, and so on, making his heists somewhat of a royal pain. Once he has inspected them in the moonlight, Kaito always returns the jewels to their original owners if they do not contain Pandora.
Although his modus operandi is to send advance notice of his thefts, Kaito also responds to challenges from owners of large jewels - notably those of Jirokichi Suzuki, who has repeatedly procured rare gems and challenged Kid to steal his acquisitions in spite of the elaborate and expensive traps protecting them. Kid may also appear when fake notices are sent and assist the police in trapping the real culprits (whilst making off with the target in the fake notice).
Kaitou Kid is known to Interpol as 'International Criminal 1412'. A reporter took the numbers and deliberately misread them as 'Kid', thus giving Phantom Thief the new moniker of 'Phantom Thief Kid', or 'Kaitou Kid'.
Movie canon:
The movies change very little essentially about Kaito/Kid. However, the biggest discrepancy is his knowledge that Conan is Shinichi Kudou. In the manga, he is not shown to suspect nor make the connection between the two, nor has he ever impersonated Shinichi in either manga. It is manga-canon that his appearance resembles that of Shinichi's however, although no-one who is familiar with Shinichi has ever seen Kaito clearly. I'll be accepting his knowledge of Conan's identity as canon for this app.
In addition, he meets Hattori and Conan while disguised as Saguru during movie 10, "Private Eyes' Requiem". This is the detectives' first meeting in the movies, however their first meeting in the manga actually occurs during the Detective Koshien (ch. 562-566, DC). As the manga is generally favoured as canon over the fandom's other media, I will be ignoring this movie as the detectives' first canon meeting, but will maintain that Kaito/Kid is aware of or may have participated in/observed the investigation.
Kaito makes a very brief appearance at the beginning and end of the Lupin III vs Conan movie crossover (the one featuring the Cherry Sapphire theft released in 2013). I am unsure of whether to consider this canon given his minimal presence; it would ultimately depend on potential Conan player/s.
Personality:
As a normal student --
Kaito is an extremely vibrant and popular individual at his high school. He displays a cockiness and confidence that goes hand-in-hand with the bold magic tricks he uses prior to his taking on the mantle of Kaitou Kid. If the first chapter of the manga is anything to go by, his frequent disruptions to class time constitute a normal day. Even though his maths teacher attempts to stop his shenanigans by distracting him with a problem, they do nothing to subtract his attention from the antics at hand. According to Saguru Hakuba, a detective who occasionally finds time to join Inspector Nakamori's pursuit of Kid, Kaito/Kid has an IQ of 400.
Magic has been a part of him since his youth. Touichi Kuroba was a world-renowned magician and Kaito's idol. He is the only man whom Kaito acknowledges as a superior magician and expresses a desire to one day surpass him. Kaito is shown to be very inventive with his tricks, and displays a level of preparation that allows him to pull off seemingly impossible feats during his heists. Although his magic is largely used to further his search for the illusive Pandora gem, Kaito believes that magic is something which people should enjoy being deceived by. It is different to the real magic wielded by his classmate, the bewitching Akako, which she uses to charm others and steal their hearts (well, only Kaito's).
Not only is Kaito extremely intelligent, he is also very athletic. With the exception of billiards and ice-skating, Kaito is shown to be adept at handling any sport and skill from hang-gliding to driving a motorbike, from skiing to a comfortable familiarity with the controls of a commercial airliner (if his movie appearances are to be believed). He also appears to be adept at electronics and hacking, having manipulated or hacked the light setups of numerous buildings in the course of his thefts with help from Jii. Of course, with his talent it's a given that he's also very competitive (and not the best sport when he loses). When Saguru transfers to his class and offers to go with Aoko to a concert she has won tickets to, Kaito immediately reacts by mocking them both and instantly accepts the teenage detective's challenge over who will accompany her to the concert despite his initial indifference towards the event. Even if it meant relations with the detective were like treading on thin ice from that moment onwards.
Perhaps because he is clever and talented, Kaito also displays a measure of arrogance apparent both as Kaitou Kid and as himself. He describes himself as a flamboyant thief, different to the usual thief who wears black and sneaks through the night. His white attire certainly makes him stand out from the crowd (pretty flying for a white guy when he makes his airborne getaways), but Kaito seems to enjoy the attention and his own success - to the point that he buys the newspaper on the mornings following his thefts in order to gloat privately in class.
There is also the fact that Kaito is an unrepentant pervert. He often gets in trouble from other girls for peeking in on them in the change rooms, or for lifting their skirts to peek at their underwear. This behaviour applies even to his childhood friend Aoko, who is not exempt from his horseplay and antics. Yet despite his perversity, Kaito appears to harbour some genuine romantic feelings towards Aoko and goes out of his way to impress her and be considerate of her feelings.
As proof, some of his heists have ulterior motives that are rooted around Aoko or her father. He once deliberately lets himself get caught by the Inspector while in disguise and, after escaping, declares that his thefts never go the way he plans when Nakamori is around. This leads to the Inspector retaining his job as Kid's lead pursuer, which in turn eases Aoko's worry for her father. For Aoko herself, he plotted a grand-scale trick which meant a certain clock tower would not be demolished by its owners as long as the police were investigating it as part of his crime, the reason being that the clock tower was a reminder of the time they first met. Although she was initially ticked off, he managed to win his way back into her good graces after his stunt.
Kaito has a somewhat disdainful attitude towards other magicians, viewing them by default as worse than either himself or his father (with a few exceptions). This attitude likely comes from being familiar with all the basic magic tricks used by magicians, which enables him to easily see through them, or at least easily deconstruct how they were performed. Because of this disdain he refuses to watch other magicians' shows, describing them as 'hacks' or simply 'terrible'.
Outgoing and vibrant, Kaito is charismatic enough to enjoy popularity amongst the girls in his school in spite of his less likable traits. He is able to charm even his teacher into forgiving him for his disruptions and enjoys making people laugh with his magic. He is always ready to put on a show for others, whether as himself or as Kid.
And he is extremely fond of puns. If you haven't already noticed.
As Kaitou Kid --
Kaito's alter ego is considerably more expressive and exaggerated compared to his normal self. His charisma and charm come to the forefront and his manner of speech changes to become simultaneously more grand and formal, truly like a magician on stage. Inspector Nakamori describes his way of speaking as arrogant, and it is apparently distinct enough that he can immediately tell whether he is chasing the real Kid or not from the thief's manner. Kaito, for his part, is every bit the showman during his heists. He does not slip away quietly: he always reveals himself after taking possession of his target jewel, or at least sets up a decoy for Nakamori and his men to chase. The more noise, the better. As much as Kid is exasperated at the ease with which he is able to trick Nakamori and his men, his offhand comments indicate he seems to genuinely enjoy the challenges posed by the inspector (a sentiment apparently reciprocated by Nakamori, who is initially overjoyed to receive his heist notices after Kid's eight-year absence).
It is interesting to note that as Kid, Kaito tends to be more truthful than as himself. Partly because Kaito, by necessity, must lie in order to conceal his activities as the phantom thief. Kid on the other hand has not been known to tell a falsehood. He always arrives when he says he will, he doesn't steal if he says he's only there to observe. He may not tell the whole truth, but an outright lie has yet to be told by him, and this is why he, Inspector Nakamori, and the other detectives seem to have a high degree of trust in his actions.
When it comes to adversaries, Saguru Hakuba is a prime threat to Kid's plans due to his insight and attention to detail that allows him to predict Kid's movements and set traps or prevention measures ahead of time. Yet despite the rivalry, Kid treats Saguru similarly to Nakamori. The novel strategies employed against him make for a challenging heist quite unlike those conceived by the police inspector. It's very likely that it's become something like a game of trying to one-up the other. Although Saguru has come close several times, as of yet he hasn't managed to trap him.
Saguru's presence is in fact a good learning curve for Kid. His recent heists have been more carefully planned than previous, and several backup plans prepared in case Saguru happened to be in the country. This applies even if Kid thinks he knows for certain that Saguru is not in the country, as he has been surprised once. Thanks to the detective, Kid is careful to fully analyse the personnel, weather, building layout, and general situation before any theft, regardless of his opponent.
His third, serious adversary is Shinichi Kudou, a detective specialising more in murders than thieves, yet whose path Kid crosses from time to time due to circumstance. An incident shrunk Shinichi to a boy, and he now goes by the name of Conan Edogawa. Unlike Nakamori or Saguru, Conan has no issue with deliberately interfering with Kid's plans and actively tries to prevent the theft from occurring. If the theft is successful, Conan becomes a dogged pursuer whom Kid has to shake off. I'm not kidding when I say he's become enough of a nuisance that Kid acts much more low-key and tends not to show himself openly unless it's necessary. He will also organise some sort of diversion to keep the little detective busy and delay him finding out where Kid is hiding.
Given that Kid always wears a poker face, it can be difficult to tell what he's thinking or feeling. However, that obviously does not mean he is devoid of emotion. His thoughts are for the most part hidden behind a careful mask, whether that mask is smiling or frowning. Capable as he is of a wide range of expressions, as well as control over them, this is not difficult for him. The only time it might slip is when unexpected incidents occur. Kid is capable of quickly adapting himself to any situation, but such spontaneous moments often give him away to those looking for tells.
Kid's ability to improvise on the spot is in part due to the preparation that Kaito undertakes before heading out in the guise. They do say that the perfect plan is one where not only every conceivable eventuality is accounted for but also the unexpected ones. Kid is rarely stuck, even when it seems like the situation is not going his way. There's always a distraction, a way out. It may not be something that he originally intended, but Kid is able to take advantage of most situations.
His heists are, first and foremost, a show for the public. There is always an element of extravagance to each one, whether it's in the theft itself or the escape afterwards. Given that he only needs to see if his target is Pandora or not in moonlight, Kid places a low priority on escaping with the jewel and a higher importance on evading his pursuers. The jewels are always returned to their original owners or the police once they have been checked, should he happen to successfully take them with him.
Fears:
F i s h.
Phobias aside, his greatest fear is the potential threat that the knowledge of his identity poses to those close to him. This includes, but may not be limited to, Jii Sounosuke (his partner and assistant) and Aoko Nakamori (best friend and romantic interest). He has at least demonstrated intense distress when a criminal known as Nightmare reveals he knows of the connection between Jii and Kid and threatens to take the information to the police. It is enough to force Kaito's cooperation in Nightmare's planned crime, although not enough to stop him from exposing the man’s identity afterwards.
Then there is the exposure of his own identity. He mostly worries about Aoko discovering that he has been masquerading as Kid, knowing or guessing (given her vocal disapproval for the thief) that she would be disappointed in him. He seems to care a lot about whether Aoko pays attention to him or not, whether that's in the form of affection or irritation, to the point where he uses his alter ego to indirectly cheer her up. Recently he doesn't seem to mind whether she hates Kid or not because it gives her a way to tease and rile her up. What's important is she doesn't equate the two together, as she almost did soon after his debut, because then her negative feelings for Kid might transfer to him.
To a much lesser extent he would also fear being caught (slightly different, but linked to the exposure of his identity), if only because that would make it harder for him to pursue Pandora. Since his father was murdered, Kaito may feel that not destroying the jewel would make his father's death meaningless. The Organisation taking possession of Pandora before him would also be his loss. Whether or not his father knew of the gem, Kaito feels a sense of obligation in continuing to hunt down the big jewels and would likely be distraught if he was arrested and held up in a criminal investigation.
He fears for his own life of course, as almost everyone does. He is a bit more reckless than most when it comes to it, but that can be attributed to him being prepared for near-death experiences. There hasn't yet been a situation where he has genuinely been afraid he would die.
Weaknesses:
His personal attachments, friends, close acquaintances, and family are all vulnerabilities. It is surprising that, given the original identity of Kaitou Kid, the organisation Snake belongs to hasn't yet targeted Kaito, his mother, or Jii. Assuming it's linked to the Black Organisation in Detective Conan, the branch pursuing Kaito seem to place a greater importance on subterfuge. They have yet to do anything that draws the attention of the police force. Presumably, threatening Aoko would immediately involve her father and the police; it is probably difficult to locate Kaito's mother overseas [she used to be the Phantom Lady as well]; they may see Kaito's thefts as more efficient than their own methods and thus leave him to steal the jewel first before confronting him. In any case, if they want to stop Kaito, they have the means to.
In his arrogance, Kaito can sometimes underestimate his adversary. Saguru is an example of a close call: the detective almost succeeds in exposing his identity as Kaitou Kid, but for the timely intervention of Akako, who impersonated him. While Kid never makes the same mistake twice and has since gotten better at predicting even unpredictable situations, Kaito could easily let pass something that may throw a figurative spanner in his plans while distracted by any number of other matters.
Kaito also isn't particularly good at honesty - ironic given his reputation as an ethical and honest thief. He is audacious but also lacks straightforwardness when dealing with others. His actions are always made with good intentions, but they can be easily misunderstood. This can lead people to think that he’s mean, or even cruel, through his offhand comments. A lot of his comments are mocking, and it isn’t until he sees someone hurt by them that he realises he may have gone too far.
Because he tries not to let anyone get hurt during his heists if he can help it, his attempt to save people from dangerous situations may cause him to break character in order to protect them. This means drawing more suspicion upon himself while in disguise, or sometimes exposing himself completely if the right (or wrong) people notice his slip.
On the topic of slip-ups, Kaito is extremely thorough when it comes to his disguises, which is both a strength and a weakness. It is a strength because he can impersonate a person so well as to deceive even those close to them. However he cannot impersonate them perfectly if he does not know intimate details of their habits, or does not partake in a habit they have (e.g. smoking). On the other hand, his being thorough has once led to him being exposed. His eidetic memory makes it difficult for him to impersonate someone with a poor memory, and he once mistook a woman for a man when they entered the men's restroom (an understandable mistake, but it led Conan to deduce who he was). In every impersonation, there has always been a small detail to give him away.
Finally, Kaito's grander magic pieces require Jii's assistance, whether in providing manpower behind the scenes, obtaining props for the tricks themselves, or acting as a stand-in for his young master. Without him, many of Kaito's heists probably would not go as well as they do. Although Kaito seems perfectly capable of organising and arranging the thefts on his own, their infallibility is surely a combination of his and Jii's efforts. After all, a good magician is rarely without an assistant. Jii rarely makes an open appearance and this makes it easy to underestimate the hand he has in the heists.
And Kaito really, really doesn't like fish for some reason.
Mundane Strengths/Abilities:
He is a top-class magician with incredible athletic ability and intelligence. He possesses an eidetic memory and all the traits that come with a professional magician.
= Dexterity: lock-picking, sleight-of-hand
= Hand-eye coordination: knows how to manipulate airborne cards and use firearms accurately
= Vast practical skill base: able to drive numerous vehicles despite probably not having a license for all of them (biplane, motorcycle, car, commercial airliner)
= Vast academic knowledge: has an understanding of a wide range of topics, such as physics, chemistry, history, and so on (not sure how in-depth)
= Physical ability: partakes in various physical activities (except ice-skating) and excels at all of them. This includes, but is not limited to, kendo, skiing, hang-gliding, track and field, swimming, diving, and gymnastics.
= Has many 'voices': he is able to change his voice and mimic anyone without use of a machine
= Excellent actor: he can impersonate just about anyone after observing them, even if it's from a video
= Master of disguise: given enough source material and the right props/costuming, he can disguise himself as anyone he wishes. He tends to take the clothes and accessories directly off his targets after knocking them out but the masks and wigs are pre-prepared.
He probably doesn't know how to fish though.
(It's kind of sad how much of this isn't exaggeration.)
Sensitivity/Magical Ability:
There is only one real witch in his canon, and that is Akako. Kaito is said to be immune to her usual seduction, requiring her to go to extreme lengths in order to forcefully bewitch him. When she turns her magic against him, he is definitely affected however.
Kaito himself possesses no magical abilities or sensitivity beyond the normal human (no matter how much the good Inspector, or Aoko, may believe otherwise).
Supply List:
= Two collapsible silk hats (may or may not be rigged with a small trick inside)
= Two easily folded mantles (double as hang-gliding wings)
= Spare gloves
= Several: lighters, card decks, candles, roses, scarves, pre-prepared masks/wigs, smoke bombs, sleeping gas bombs, writing utensils (pen and pencil), wire, dice, fake gem.
= Black cloak
= Casual wear*
= Kaitou Kid outfit* (fitted with retractable hang-gliding apparatus)
= Bullet-proof vest
= Card Gun + two refill chambers
= One self-inflatable balloon/rubber doll
= Lockpicks
= Mobile phone and tablet
= Gas mask
= Small binoculars
= Remote controls and switches (can be programmed/wired to things)
* Depending on which outfit he's wearing (Kid costume or casual wear), the other will be stored in hidden pockets etc.
(I realise this is probably a ridiculous amount for anyone to carry, even with extra pockets. There are some I can cut out if necessary, although exactly what he takes with him does depend on which guise he arrives in...)
Game Transfers: N/A
Sample RP post:
Odd. This wasn't what he had been expecting when he ducked into the bathroom. Kaito stared at the wall-length mirror opposite, dumbfounded. It wasn't a standard public men's restroom. This place had a bath, uncovered lights, a single basin, a single sit-down toilet. A quick crouch confirmed his suspicion that the tiles were heated from underneath. It looked like a bathroom in someone's house rather than the restroom of a public building.
He backed up a few steps, opened the door and peered out. His eyes nearly fell out of his head in shock. The corridor had changed completely! He shut the door, waited, then opened it again almost expecting the illusion to have disappeared. But no, his surroundings hadn't changed. He didn't feel like he was under someone's spell (this was too elaborate for Akako). Rapping on the walls didn't reveal anything that might suggest he'd somehow walked into an elaborate room trick. The walls weren't hollow or thin. There were no joints in the corners or sides either.
Troubled, Kaito stood in the bathroom deep in thought. He was sure he hadn't taken a wrong turn somewhere. No amount of poring over the fixtures was giving him answers, so there was nothing to do but to step outside and take a good look at where he had found himself.
The door to the bathroom opened into a corridor in a half-finished, unpainted state, with another corridor leading away from the door that could have fit well in a cheap horror mansion. The teen glanced at the hall stretching either side of him and took note of the sliding door at the end to his right. He began to head there - a look outside should tell him where he was.
"Kaito..."
He froze. That was-- "Dad?" he whispered. There was no-one in the hallway. Kaito immediately began scrutinishing the walls and ceiling for hidden speakers. But that voice...
"Kaito..."
Nothing. No hidden speakers, cameras, nothing. His name kept being repeated as he paced the length of the hallway several times over. Eventually he sprinted to the sliding door at the end of the hallway and burst on to the patio. He leaned heavily on the bannister, gripping the wood railing tightly. Hearing and seeing Corbeau wear his dad's face had been shocking enough. If there were no speakers or other sound devices, it must be someone speaking. Corbeau, he had a feeling, had already left Japan as per their bet. But he couldn't be sure.
He sighed heavily, dropping his head. Well, if their intent had been to disturb him, they'd succeeded. It was hard to keep a straight face when the dead seemed to speak. He clenched the rail and vaulted over the bannister easily, landing with an 'oof' on the grassy path beyond. That lake looked as good a place as any to take a breather, and there was another house beyond that. Once he had composed himself, he'd head back inside and resume his investigation.
Canon: Detective Conan/Magic Kaito
Version: Manga + movies
Canon Point: Post-chapter 33 (MK) [Kaitou Corbeau], post-chapter 862-864 (DC) [Green Emperor alexandrite]
Age: 17 (18 in Cycle 2, probably)
Gender: Male
History: Short version here | Self-composed timeline of events here
Eight years ago, Kaito's father, Touichi Kuroba, died during one of his magic shows. Until the present day, it had been assumed that the incident was an accident. But the resurfacing of the Phantom Thief, Kaitou Kid, and the opening of a secret panel in his son's room would soon expose the truth: Kaito's father was the original Kaitou Kid and his accidental death was actually a murder.
Kaito dons the costume he finds in his father's secret room and heads out to meet the new Kid on the block. He correctly predicts the thief's movements and meets him on the roof as they're escaping from the police. After seeing through the trick to the mirrors used to render themselves 'invisible' and unmasking the thief, Kaito discovers that the identity of the new Kid is none other than his father's assistant, Jii Kounosuke. Jii, thinking he's speaking to Touichi Kuroba, unwittingly reveals that he'd thought he had been murdered. Upon realising his mistake, he then unwillingly confirms Kaito's suspicions that Kaito's father had been the original Phantom Thief. Their conversation is soon interrupted by the arrival of the police, led by Inspector Nakamori (long-time pursuer of Kid). Some quick thinking on Kaito's part allows Jii to swiftly escape the scene while Kaito himself assumes the role of Kid and steals away into the night.
From then on, Kaito moonlights as world-renowned thief Kaitou Kid, liberating several precious jewels and artworks in carefully planned and elaborate heists. He always showing himself at the appointed hour and nimbly evades the police's clutches afterwards. It is after one of these heists that he is contacted through a nearby payphone by those responsible for his father's death. They inform him that if he continues to target jewels, his life is forfeit. Ignoring this warning, Kaito sends a notice to the police of his intended theft of Blue Birthday, a large Indian sapphire. While he is successful in its theft, he is accosted as he is about to escape on his hang glider. A bullet shears through one of the supporting rods and destroys the contraption. The snake in the grass finally rears its head: the man introduces himself as a dubious reptile and reveals that not only did he know the identity of the former Kid, he was also responsible for arranging Touichi Kuroba's death.
Trapped on the edge of the roof, Kaito cedes to their demand to hand over the Blue Birthday gem. When he asks why the men are targeting the jewels, Snake admits all he knows is that it's the key to eternity. He then shoots Kaito in the heart, causing Kaito to topple over the edge to his presumed death, and leaves the scene to deliver the jewel to his superior. There, the purpose for collecting the sapphire is explained: Blue Birthday is one of many large jewels that may hold Pandora - the stone of immortality. It is a doublet (gem within a gem) that only appears when held up to the moon for inspection. However, when Snake's employer does so, an unwelcome truth comes to light: the Blue Birthday Kaito tossed to Snake is not true blue but is a fake that was prepared earlier.
Kaito, who had survived due to the bullet hitting the real sapphire in his breast pocket, speaks up then, having heard the entire conversation from a nearby tree. Blue Birthday, it turns out, does not contain Pandora, but it does contain a tracker placed prior to its theft by Inspector Nakamori. Before disappearing, Kaito chucks the jewel back to Snake's employer, vowing to find Pandora before their organisation and smash it to pieces. Stuck between their precious rock and a hard place, the men follow his lead and escape through underground tunnels, leaving the gem behind.
From then on, Kaitou Kid's heists are always accompanied by at least one of the organisation's goons, seeking to grab Pandora before Kid can destroy it. They follow him to his next heist at a theatre, to a train hosting a visiting queen, and so on, making his heists somewhat of a royal pain. Once he has inspected them in the moonlight, Kaito always returns the jewels to their original owners if they do not contain Pandora.
Although his modus operandi is to send advance notice of his thefts, Kaito also responds to challenges from owners of large jewels - notably those of Jirokichi Suzuki, who has repeatedly procured rare gems and challenged Kid to steal his acquisitions in spite of the elaborate and expensive traps protecting them. Kid may also appear when fake notices are sent and assist the police in trapping the real culprits (whilst making off with the target in the fake notice).
Kaitou Kid is known to Interpol as 'International Criminal 1412'. A reporter took the numbers and deliberately misread them as 'Kid', thus giving Phantom Thief the new moniker of 'Phantom Thief Kid', or 'Kaitou Kid'.
Movie canon:
The movies change very little essentially about Kaito/Kid. However, the biggest discrepancy is his knowledge that Conan is Shinichi Kudou. In the manga, he is not shown to suspect nor make the connection between the two, nor has he ever impersonated Shinichi in either manga. It is manga-canon that his appearance resembles that of Shinichi's however, although no-one who is familiar with Shinichi has ever seen Kaito clearly. I'll be accepting his knowledge of Conan's identity as canon for this app.
In addition, he meets Hattori and Conan while disguised as Saguru during movie 10, "Private Eyes' Requiem". This is the detectives' first meeting in the movies, however their first meeting in the manga actually occurs during the Detective Koshien (ch. 562-566, DC). As the manga is generally favoured as canon over the fandom's other media, I will be ignoring this movie as the detectives' first canon meeting, but will maintain that Kaito/Kid is aware of or may have participated in/observed the investigation.
Kaito makes a very brief appearance at the beginning and end of the Lupin III vs Conan movie crossover (the one featuring the Cherry Sapphire theft released in 2013). I am unsure of whether to consider this canon given his minimal presence; it would ultimately depend on potential Conan player/s.
Personality:
As a normal student --
Kaito is an extremely vibrant and popular individual at his high school. He displays a cockiness and confidence that goes hand-in-hand with the bold magic tricks he uses prior to his taking on the mantle of Kaitou Kid. If the first chapter of the manga is anything to go by, his frequent disruptions to class time constitute a normal day. Even though his maths teacher attempts to stop his shenanigans by distracting him with a problem, they do nothing to subtract his attention from the antics at hand. According to Saguru Hakuba, a detective who occasionally finds time to join Inspector Nakamori's pursuit of Kid, Kaito/Kid has an IQ of 400.
Magic has been a part of him since his youth. Touichi Kuroba was a world-renowned magician and Kaito's idol. He is the only man whom Kaito acknowledges as a superior magician and expresses a desire to one day surpass him. Kaito is shown to be very inventive with his tricks, and displays a level of preparation that allows him to pull off seemingly impossible feats during his heists. Although his magic is largely used to further his search for the illusive Pandora gem, Kaito believes that magic is something which people should enjoy being deceived by. It is different to the real magic wielded by his classmate, the bewitching Akako, which she uses to charm others and steal their hearts (well, only Kaito's).
Not only is Kaito extremely intelligent, he is also very athletic. With the exception of billiards and ice-skating, Kaito is shown to be adept at handling any sport and skill from hang-gliding to driving a motorbike, from skiing to a comfortable familiarity with the controls of a commercial airliner (if his movie appearances are to be believed). He also appears to be adept at electronics and hacking, having manipulated or hacked the light setups of numerous buildings in the course of his thefts with help from Jii. Of course, with his talent it's a given that he's also very competitive (and not the best sport when he loses). When Saguru transfers to his class and offers to go with Aoko to a concert she has won tickets to, Kaito immediately reacts by mocking them both and instantly accepts the teenage detective's challenge over who will accompany her to the concert despite his initial indifference towards the event. Even if it meant relations with the detective were like treading on thin ice from that moment onwards.
Perhaps because he is clever and talented, Kaito also displays a measure of arrogance apparent both as Kaitou Kid and as himself. He describes himself as a flamboyant thief, different to the usual thief who wears black and sneaks through the night. His white attire certainly makes him stand out from the crowd (pretty flying for a white guy when he makes his airborne getaways), but Kaito seems to enjoy the attention and his own success - to the point that he buys the newspaper on the mornings following his thefts in order to gloat privately in class.
There is also the fact that Kaito is an unrepentant pervert. He often gets in trouble from other girls for peeking in on them in the change rooms, or for lifting their skirts to peek at their underwear. This behaviour applies even to his childhood friend Aoko, who is not exempt from his horseplay and antics. Yet despite his perversity, Kaito appears to harbour some genuine romantic feelings towards Aoko and goes out of his way to impress her and be considerate of her feelings.
As proof, some of his heists have ulterior motives that are rooted around Aoko or her father. He once deliberately lets himself get caught by the Inspector while in disguise and, after escaping, declares that his thefts never go the way he plans when Nakamori is around. This leads to the Inspector retaining his job as Kid's lead pursuer, which in turn eases Aoko's worry for her father. For Aoko herself, he plotted a grand-scale trick which meant a certain clock tower would not be demolished by its owners as long as the police were investigating it as part of his crime, the reason being that the clock tower was a reminder of the time they first met. Although she was initially ticked off, he managed to win his way back into her good graces after his stunt.
Kaito has a somewhat disdainful attitude towards other magicians, viewing them by default as worse than either himself or his father (with a few exceptions). This attitude likely comes from being familiar with all the basic magic tricks used by magicians, which enables him to easily see through them, or at least easily deconstruct how they were performed. Because of this disdain he refuses to watch other magicians' shows, describing them as 'hacks' or simply 'terrible'.
Outgoing and vibrant, Kaito is charismatic enough to enjoy popularity amongst the girls in his school in spite of his less likable traits. He is able to charm even his teacher into forgiving him for his disruptions and enjoys making people laugh with his magic. He is always ready to put on a show for others, whether as himself or as Kid.
And he is extremely fond of puns. If you haven't already noticed.
As Kaitou Kid --
Kaito's alter ego is considerably more expressive and exaggerated compared to his normal self. His charisma and charm come to the forefront and his manner of speech changes to become simultaneously more grand and formal, truly like a magician on stage. Inspector Nakamori describes his way of speaking as arrogant, and it is apparently distinct enough that he can immediately tell whether he is chasing the real Kid or not from the thief's manner. Kaito, for his part, is every bit the showman during his heists. He does not slip away quietly: he always reveals himself after taking possession of his target jewel, or at least sets up a decoy for Nakamori and his men to chase. The more noise, the better. As much as Kid is exasperated at the ease with which he is able to trick Nakamori and his men, his offhand comments indicate he seems to genuinely enjoy the challenges posed by the inspector (a sentiment apparently reciprocated by Nakamori, who is initially overjoyed to receive his heist notices after Kid's eight-year absence).
It is interesting to note that as Kid, Kaito tends to be more truthful than as himself. Partly because Kaito, by necessity, must lie in order to conceal his activities as the phantom thief. Kid on the other hand has not been known to tell a falsehood. He always arrives when he says he will, he doesn't steal if he says he's only there to observe. He may not tell the whole truth, but an outright lie has yet to be told by him, and this is why he, Inspector Nakamori, and the other detectives seem to have a high degree of trust in his actions.
When it comes to adversaries, Saguru Hakuba is a prime threat to Kid's plans due to his insight and attention to detail that allows him to predict Kid's movements and set traps or prevention measures ahead of time. Yet despite the rivalry, Kid treats Saguru similarly to Nakamori. The novel strategies employed against him make for a challenging heist quite unlike those conceived by the police inspector. It's very likely that it's become something like a game of trying to one-up the other. Although Saguru has come close several times, as of yet he hasn't managed to trap him.
Saguru's presence is in fact a good learning curve for Kid. His recent heists have been more carefully planned than previous, and several backup plans prepared in case Saguru happened to be in the country. This applies even if Kid thinks he knows for certain that Saguru is not in the country, as he has been surprised once. Thanks to the detective, Kid is careful to fully analyse the personnel, weather, building layout, and general situation before any theft, regardless of his opponent.
His third, serious adversary is Shinichi Kudou, a detective specialising more in murders than thieves, yet whose path Kid crosses from time to time due to circumstance. An incident shrunk Shinichi to a boy, and he now goes by the name of Conan Edogawa. Unlike Nakamori or Saguru, Conan has no issue with deliberately interfering with Kid's plans and actively tries to prevent the theft from occurring. If the theft is successful, Conan becomes a dogged pursuer whom Kid has to shake off. I'm not kidding when I say he's become enough of a nuisance that Kid acts much more low-key and tends not to show himself openly unless it's necessary. He will also organise some sort of diversion to keep the little detective busy and delay him finding out where Kid is hiding.
Given that Kid always wears a poker face, it can be difficult to tell what he's thinking or feeling. However, that obviously does not mean he is devoid of emotion. His thoughts are for the most part hidden behind a careful mask, whether that mask is smiling or frowning. Capable as he is of a wide range of expressions, as well as control over them, this is not difficult for him. The only time it might slip is when unexpected incidents occur. Kid is capable of quickly adapting himself to any situation, but such spontaneous moments often give him away to those looking for tells.
Kid's ability to improvise on the spot is in part due to the preparation that Kaito undertakes before heading out in the guise. They do say that the perfect plan is one where not only every conceivable eventuality is accounted for but also the unexpected ones. Kid is rarely stuck, even when it seems like the situation is not going his way. There's always a distraction, a way out. It may not be something that he originally intended, but Kid is able to take advantage of most situations.
His heists are, first and foremost, a show for the public. There is always an element of extravagance to each one, whether it's in the theft itself or the escape afterwards. Given that he only needs to see if his target is Pandora or not in moonlight, Kid places a low priority on escaping with the jewel and a higher importance on evading his pursuers. The jewels are always returned to their original owners or the police once they have been checked, should he happen to successfully take them with him.
Fears:
F i s h.
Phobias aside, his greatest fear is the potential threat that the knowledge of his identity poses to those close to him. This includes, but may not be limited to, Jii Sounosuke (his partner and assistant) and Aoko Nakamori (best friend and romantic interest). He has at least demonstrated intense distress when a criminal known as Nightmare reveals he knows of the connection between Jii and Kid and threatens to take the information to the police. It is enough to force Kaito's cooperation in Nightmare's planned crime, although not enough to stop him from exposing the man’s identity afterwards.
Then there is the exposure of his own identity. He mostly worries about Aoko discovering that he has been masquerading as Kid, knowing or guessing (given her vocal disapproval for the thief) that she would be disappointed in him. He seems to care a lot about whether Aoko pays attention to him or not, whether that's in the form of affection or irritation, to the point where he uses his alter ego to indirectly cheer her up. Recently he doesn't seem to mind whether she hates Kid or not because it gives her a way to tease and rile her up. What's important is she doesn't equate the two together, as she almost did soon after his debut, because then her negative feelings for Kid might transfer to him.
To a much lesser extent he would also fear being caught (slightly different, but linked to the exposure of his identity), if only because that would make it harder for him to pursue Pandora. Since his father was murdered, Kaito may feel that not destroying the jewel would make his father's death meaningless. The Organisation taking possession of Pandora before him would also be his loss. Whether or not his father knew of the gem, Kaito feels a sense of obligation in continuing to hunt down the big jewels and would likely be distraught if he was arrested and held up in a criminal investigation.
He fears for his own life of course, as almost everyone does. He is a bit more reckless than most when it comes to it, but that can be attributed to him being prepared for near-death experiences. There hasn't yet been a situation where he has genuinely been afraid he would die.
Weaknesses:
His personal attachments, friends, close acquaintances, and family are all vulnerabilities. It is surprising that, given the original identity of Kaitou Kid, the organisation Snake belongs to hasn't yet targeted Kaito, his mother, or Jii. Assuming it's linked to the Black Organisation in Detective Conan, the branch pursuing Kaito seem to place a greater importance on subterfuge. They have yet to do anything that draws the attention of the police force. Presumably, threatening Aoko would immediately involve her father and the police; it is probably difficult to locate Kaito's mother overseas [she used to be the Phantom Lady as well]; they may see Kaito's thefts as more efficient than their own methods and thus leave him to steal the jewel first before confronting him. In any case, if they want to stop Kaito, they have the means to.
In his arrogance, Kaito can sometimes underestimate his adversary. Saguru is an example of a close call: the detective almost succeeds in exposing his identity as Kaitou Kid, but for the timely intervention of Akako, who impersonated him. While Kid never makes the same mistake twice and has since gotten better at predicting even unpredictable situations, Kaito could easily let pass something that may throw a figurative spanner in his plans while distracted by any number of other matters.
Kaito also isn't particularly good at honesty - ironic given his reputation as an ethical and honest thief. He is audacious but also lacks straightforwardness when dealing with others. His actions are always made with good intentions, but they can be easily misunderstood. This can lead people to think that he’s mean, or even cruel, through his offhand comments. A lot of his comments are mocking, and it isn’t until he sees someone hurt by them that he realises he may have gone too far.
Because he tries not to let anyone get hurt during his heists if he can help it, his attempt to save people from dangerous situations may cause him to break character in order to protect them. This means drawing more suspicion upon himself while in disguise, or sometimes exposing himself completely if the right (or wrong) people notice his slip.
On the topic of slip-ups, Kaito is extremely thorough when it comes to his disguises, which is both a strength and a weakness. It is a strength because he can impersonate a person so well as to deceive even those close to them. However he cannot impersonate them perfectly if he does not know intimate details of their habits, or does not partake in a habit they have (e.g. smoking). On the other hand, his being thorough has once led to him being exposed. His eidetic memory makes it difficult for him to impersonate someone with a poor memory, and he once mistook a woman for a man when they entered the men's restroom (an understandable mistake, but it led Conan to deduce who he was). In every impersonation, there has always been a small detail to give him away.
Finally, Kaito's grander magic pieces require Jii's assistance, whether in providing manpower behind the scenes, obtaining props for the tricks themselves, or acting as a stand-in for his young master. Without him, many of Kaito's heists probably would not go as well as they do. Although Kaito seems perfectly capable of organising and arranging the thefts on his own, their infallibility is surely a combination of his and Jii's efforts. After all, a good magician is rarely without an assistant. Jii rarely makes an open appearance and this makes it easy to underestimate the hand he has in the heists.
And Kaito really, really doesn't like fish for some reason.
Mundane Strengths/Abilities:
He is a top-class magician with incredible athletic ability and intelligence. He possesses an eidetic memory and all the traits that come with a professional magician.
= Dexterity: lock-picking, sleight-of-hand
= Hand-eye coordination: knows how to manipulate airborne cards and use firearms accurately
= Vast practical skill base: able to drive numerous vehicles despite probably not having a license for all of them (biplane, motorcycle, car, commercial airliner)
= Vast academic knowledge: has an understanding of a wide range of topics, such as physics, chemistry, history, and so on (not sure how in-depth)
= Physical ability: partakes in various physical activities (except ice-skating) and excels at all of them. This includes, but is not limited to, kendo, skiing, hang-gliding, track and field, swimming, diving, and gymnastics.
= Has many 'voices': he is able to change his voice and mimic anyone without use of a machine
= Excellent actor: he can impersonate just about anyone after observing them, even if it's from a video
= Master of disguise: given enough source material and the right props/costuming, he can disguise himself as anyone he wishes. He tends to take the clothes and accessories directly off his targets after knocking them out but the masks and wigs are pre-prepared.
He probably doesn't know how to fish though.
(It's kind of sad how much of this isn't exaggeration.)
Sensitivity/Magical Ability:
There is only one real witch in his canon, and that is Akako. Kaito is said to be immune to her usual seduction, requiring her to go to extreme lengths in order to forcefully bewitch him. When she turns her magic against him, he is definitely affected however.
Kaito himself possesses no magical abilities or sensitivity beyond the normal human (no matter how much the good Inspector, or Aoko, may believe otherwise).
Supply List:
= Two collapsible silk hats (may or may not be rigged with a small trick inside)
= Two easily folded mantles (double as hang-gliding wings)
= Spare gloves
= Several: lighters, card decks, candles, roses, scarves, pre-prepared masks/wigs, smoke bombs, sleeping gas bombs, writing utensils (pen and pencil), wire, dice, fake gem.
= Black cloak
= Casual wear*
= Kaitou Kid outfit* (fitted with retractable hang-gliding apparatus)
= Bullet-proof vest
= Card Gun + two refill chambers
= One self-inflatable balloon/rubber doll
= Lockpicks
= Mobile phone and tablet
= Gas mask
= Small binoculars
= Remote controls and switches (can be programmed/wired to things)
* Depending on which outfit he's wearing (Kid costume or casual wear), the other will be stored in hidden pockets etc.
(I realise this is probably a ridiculous amount for anyone to carry, even with extra pockets. There are some I can cut out if necessary, although exactly what he takes with him does depend on which guise he arrives in...)
Game Transfers: N/A
Sample RP post:
Odd. This wasn't what he had been expecting when he ducked into the bathroom. Kaito stared at the wall-length mirror opposite, dumbfounded. It wasn't a standard public men's restroom. This place had a bath, uncovered lights, a single basin, a single sit-down toilet. A quick crouch confirmed his suspicion that the tiles were heated from underneath. It looked like a bathroom in someone's house rather than the restroom of a public building.
He backed up a few steps, opened the door and peered out. His eyes nearly fell out of his head in shock. The corridor had changed completely! He shut the door, waited, then opened it again almost expecting the illusion to have disappeared. But no, his surroundings hadn't changed. He didn't feel like he was under someone's spell (this was too elaborate for Akako). Rapping on the walls didn't reveal anything that might suggest he'd somehow walked into an elaborate room trick. The walls weren't hollow or thin. There were no joints in the corners or sides either.
Troubled, Kaito stood in the bathroom deep in thought. He was sure he hadn't taken a wrong turn somewhere. No amount of poring over the fixtures was giving him answers, so there was nothing to do but to step outside and take a good look at where he had found himself.
The door to the bathroom opened into a corridor in a half-finished, unpainted state, with another corridor leading away from the door that could have fit well in a cheap horror mansion. The teen glanced at the hall stretching either side of him and took note of the sliding door at the end to his right. He began to head there - a look outside should tell him where he was.
"Kaito..."
He froze. That was-- "Dad?" he whispered. There was no-one in the hallway. Kaito immediately began scrutinishing the walls and ceiling for hidden speakers. But that voice...
"Kaito..."
Nothing. No hidden speakers, cameras, nothing. His name kept being repeated as he paced the length of the hallway several times over. Eventually he sprinted to the sliding door at the end of the hallway and burst on to the patio. He leaned heavily on the bannister, gripping the wood railing tightly. Hearing and seeing Corbeau wear his dad's face had been shocking enough. If there were no speakers or other sound devices, it must be someone speaking. Corbeau, he had a feeling, had already left Japan as per their bet. But he couldn't be sure.
He sighed heavily, dropping his head. Well, if their intent had been to disturb him, they'd succeeded. It was hard to keep a straight face when the dead seemed to speak. He clenched the rail and vaulted over the bannister easily, landing with an 'oof' on the grassy path beyond. That lake looked as good a place as any to take a breather, and there was another house beyond that. Once he had composed himself, he'd head back inside and resume his investigation.
Canon update for Cycle 2, Day 25
Current canon point: Near the end of Sunflowers of Inferno movie
Updated canon point: Close to the end of the Sun Halo heist (chapter 36 in MK manga)
SUMMARY: (link to prose)
Kaito returns to his world, waking up in his bed the same night he got back home from the Sunflowers incident. Everything from Portes feels like a long, extended dream, but he can recall events far more clearly than one ought to for a dream. He doesnt carry anything unusual that would prove he had been to another world however, so he's left to carry on with his life as if the past year or so had been fiction.
It weighs on his mind constantly however. Certain smells, sights, sounds trigger memories of the 'dream' and it doesn't go unnoticed by Saguru or Akako. Of course, he brushes off their concern and works harder to appear normal, but by now he has forgotten what normal was. Acting the class clown at least puts the rest of his class off noticing any oddness.
By chance, he bumps into an old man one night who has just been pickpocketed. It is easy for him to retrieve the precious moonstone, which he casually checks in the moonlight before handing it back. He thinks nothing more of it...until challenged to steal it by the old man's widow a month afterward. The stone is kept in a fiendish puzzle box - a prime temptation for someone like him - but Kid merely helps the widow (and Conan) find the solution while in disguise.
(No changes to the Luna Memoria heist.)
Kaito is afflicted by restlessness in the proceeding days. Theft seems so pointless and dangerous when he really thinks it through. He remembers having such thoughts in his dream.
Some weeks later, he is challenged to steal the Sun Halo.
Although he doesn't feel strongly about his heists any more, he does all the necessary planning ahead of time. He enters the museum as himself, together with Aoko and her father. They're shown to the Kannon statue the Sun Halo is supposedly set in but Kaito quickly identifies it and its jewel inset as a fake. Irritated by having his time wasted, he sneaks off to change and makes Kid's appearance almost five hours early.
The priestess overseeing the statue surprises him by opening a trap door beneath the statue's display case. While he initially tries to rapel upwards, Aoko loses her footing and slips towards the hole. He falls in after her, and then twists at the last minute to land on the broken glass case in her place. This leaves a nasty wound in his side but saves Aoko any injury.
The pair are transported to an unknown location and dumped in a seemingly empty room with no clear exit. A note left behind tells Kid that he must escape to have his answers. Kaito, by rote, erases the blood evidence left behind on the glass case as he ponders the room. Aoko, who had fallen unconscious earlier, now wakes and sneaks up on him, ripping off his hat with one movement. His face is exposed.
In the manga, Aoko assumes Kid has taken on Kaito's face to upset her and Kaito plays along with that assumption. Portes Kaito does this, with the same amount of panic but less relief.
They make it to the next room but Kaito's injuries begin to catch up with him. He fails to scale two pillars to look at a tiny word written on the ceiling, forcing Aoko to act in his stead to unlock the door. He then has to be propped up as they head into the third and final room.
Here, Kaito is nearly fainting from pain. He's left beside the door and Aoko once again has to solve the room's puzzle. She does well until she tries to pick one of the keyholes on a wall of locks; Kaito is forced to drag her backwards to avoid rows of needles shooting out due to her incorrect choice.
With her assistance, he begins to unlock all the correct keyholes. As he does, she starts to suspect his identity anew due to their proximity. Kaito is aware of the danger yet he has no choice since the painkillers he took earlier had yet to kick in. After the final lock is opened, he 'faints' on top of her and switches places with her. The painkillers have now taken effect and allow him to escape as per the events of the chapter.
Three days later, Aoko shows up at his house unannounced with a helmet and demands he take her on a day out. Unfortunately, Kaito's wounds still haven't healed and he's hesitant to go out since he's no longer confident he can conceal the presence of his injuries from her. This naturally makes Aoko suspicious and demanding, so to appease her he hastily acquiesces and goes to start the motorcycle.
It's when she wraps her arms around him that he flinches - as he feared he would - and gives himself away to her.
The truth comes out, they argue, the pair abandon any plans for a day out and return to their respective homes to process the abrupt shift in their relationship. It's while Kaito is convalescing in bed that he falls asleep and wakes back up in Portes.
(Originally, the manga lampshades Aoko's suspicions and life continues on as normal.)