Chapter Text
Peeking out from an air vent, hovering over a glass box encapsulating her target: a flashy jeweled fan by an esteemed Japanese artist with an intricately hand-painted dragon on one side, and a fierce tiger on the other. Claudine had grown to appreciate art over time, impressed by their ability to capture the world through their own lenses in a way that only they could truly understand.
But even while Claudine held a great admiration for the fine arts, previously dabbling in it herself, but she didn’t appreciate it nearly as much now that she was hiding in a musty air vent in a black jumpsuit waiting for a good moment to steal it.
Kaoruko hadn’t exactly been clear with her demands for Claudine, so she took her own freedoms with the plotting and eventual heist. It was meant to be a solo mission after all. She should be the one to decide the specifics of her own heist.
Claudine busied herself with her harness, watching the watchguards leave as they switched to the next night shifts. After taking several days to observe the guard change patterns and overall layout in secret, she had finally decided on the date of her heist. Maya had been essential in helping Claudine with her plot, being the more experienced of the two on the criminal side of the law.
Being an ex-cop had its pros, Claudine knew the state-of-the-art technology used to guard most of the gallery and the best way to evade them. This specific trigger system included seemingly invisible lasers around the exhibit and a weight based glass holder that would set off the moment she took the fan. She had planned something for that as well, having a small metal weight to replace the fan after the snatched it.
The plan had originally included a Claudine gaining the favor of one of the guards, but Maya had had her issues with that plan, claiming Claudine for herself. Everyone knew she was just jealous. The one she was using now had a more secretive approach, in and out, without a single soul ever knowing what had occurred until tomorrow morning.
Thanks to Maya, Claudine was now in a nearly pitch black museum gallery with flashlights lighting up the doorways as the guards continued their usual routines. She could hear their conversations at they walked the halls echoing through the rooms.
“A couple more minutes, yeah Val?”
A flashlight turned towards the sound, and Claudine cursed as the edges of the beam snuck through the grills of the duct.
“It won’t kill anyone if we leave a bit early. I’m gonna miss my kid’s birthday at this rate.” A woman, presumably Val, replied.
“Oh, alright. You go ahead. I’ll stay a bit longer till Aaron arrives.”
“Oh my god, you’re a lifesaver!” The flashlight mildly blinding Claudine flicked off, and the sound of footsteps pattered away. Now Claudine had only wait for this so called ‘Aaron’ to arrive and she would be able to set her plan into motion.
Claudine patiently waited, biding her time until the last guard left for the underground parking lot. She would have about two minutes with the horrendously slow elevator coming back up with the new guard and their partner.
Claudine took a deep breath as she pressed her ear piece signaling Maya she began to lower herself down, “Swan, I'm starting now.” Claudine tied up the rope on one of the beams, before removing the vent door and tossing the other end of the rope to the ground.
Maya’s voice came through the device, “Alright, stay safe Aladdin.”
As Claudine started lowering herself, scaling the wall, she counted off the time. With just a few seconds spent on getting down, she had about a minute and a half left, if she were to trust her watch. Stepping on the ground she lifted the glass silently, having the weight ready in her other hand. She held a pensive breath as she quickly grabbed the fan replacing it with the weight as she did so.
Releasing a shaky exhale, Claudine popped open the tube on her back and let the fan fall into it. Slinging the pipe onto her back, Claudine grabbed the rope again, planning on climbing back up until she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. A nearby display held two antique rings with the shape of small swans on their bands.
Claudine walked towards the display, careful not to trip the lasers surrounding the fan. In front of the two rings was a metal plate describing the work.
Amour Rayonnant
These two rings of a black and white swan were made by a promising new artist by the name of Louise Ainsworth. Ainsworth is known for her works of jewelry featuring the majestic swan. The white swan (left) is named Élégance and has a thin white gold band with a simplistic swan inlaid with small diamonds. Its partner Imprévisible, the black swan (right), has a golden band with an identical swan made of black diamond.
Maya would love that, and who would she be to deny Maya what she clearly deserved? Carefully walking over, she lifted the glass, realizing she didn’t have another weight. Inwardly sighing to herself, she grabbed the rest of her rope, pulling it down the ceiling and quietly wrapping it up between her elbow and hand. She then slung the rope over her shoulder and across her chest before grabbing the two rings. The alarm sounded and Claudine merely sighed again, “ Merde Maya, what I do for you sometimes.”
In a moment of pure unfortunate circumstance, Claudine heard the dreaded ding of the elevator as a few guards from other exhibits ran in to see what the commotion was. Groaning, Claudine set out on a sprint, slipping the ring on her finger and running from the very people she used to work with before.
God damn it, Maya. Claudine knew she shouldn’t have listened to Maya and her stupid ideas. It was cruel to use their date against her like that, and Claudine knew Maya knew it too. Not that she didn’t enjoy herself anyways.
_
“You’re punctual as always, Maya.” Claudine quietly thanked the waiter who helped her find Maya’s table, where the woman was already waiting for her. They were at a small cafe, nothing too extravagant, but enough for Claudine to appreciate.
“Did you expect me to be late, Claudine?” Maya sat across from Claudine, setting her phone on the table. She looked like she was waiting for something, but Claudine wasn’t too bothered by it. The spring breeze blew quietly at her Maya’s hair, and in that moment, Claudine thought that Maya looked dazzling.
Maya must have thought the same, gazing at Claudine with that soft smile of hers that made Claudine crumble. She made a huffing sound as Maya watched her, “What?”
“You’re beautiful,” Maya said as she pushed back a stray piece of hair. It had been a while since their last get-together. She had found herself missing them the same way a river longed for water after a dry spell. How she functioned without Claudine, she would never know.
Claudine felt the blood rush to her face, “You’re so annoying! Where’s this coming from?” Claudine missed their meetings just as much as Maya did, but she would never admit to such a truth. It was for her to know and no one else. Not that Maya couldn’t tell purely through Claudine’s hidden expressions. A smile that disappeared within seconds, her body language, her speech. It was all a dead giveaway for Maya.
“What? It’s true, and you know it.” Maya took a sip of her tea, a tamaryokucha tea that came from Kyushu and reminded her of her home province. She savored the citrus flavor the seeped from the leaves settled on the bottom, disrupted by her movements. “I ordered you a chamomile tea. I hope you don’t mind.”
Claudine grumbled. God, it was so annoying that after all this time Maya still remembered her favorite tea and had the gall to compliment her out of the blue, “You’re beautiful too…” Claudine admitted, finally sitting in the metal white chair Maya gestured to. This is where Claudine would usually come up with some small talk for the two to amuse themselves with, but it seems Maya had other plans.
Maya heard her phone buzz, picking it up and swiping at it and smirking at what Claudine could only speculate was a dumb joke, before setting her phone back down, “Claudine, my dear. How do you feel about a new job opportunity?”
“I’m sorry?” Claudine was quite content with her job at the station, even if Junna and Nana didn’t give her nearly as many field jobs because of her “relationship” with Maya. “I suppose I’d be open to it.”
Maya set her tea back on its saucer, watching as the leaves swirled to the bottom of the half full cup, “I have a proposition…”
—
This was not how Claudine had expected to spend her Sunday, running from the guards of the Tri with precious stolen goods in her hands. She had somehow been convinced through Maya’s charisma and plausible reasoning that she should try out for Gang Stars, and depending on her state after this, she may indeed thank Maya for her proposition.
Claudine made it through several exhibits, watching the flashlights shine throughout the the halls. She was breathing hard, but she had to keep quiet.
“Where are they?!”
That one sounded particularly close. She would have to move. Claudine crept towards the Renaissance painting exhibit near the edges of the building. A bright light suddenly swung her way, and Claudine’s eyes grew wide. She had been found.
With an audible groan, Claudine took off towards the closest window, haphazardly shoving it open and muttering into her ear piece, “Swan, je compte sur toi .”
Maya’s reply was subtle, but affirmative, “Got it.”
Claudine took a deep breath. Then, she jumped. Her heartbeat accelerated as she fell, gripping the rope and strap across her chest until her hands began to pale. Claudine was terrified. She wanted to close her eyes, to let out a scream of pure terror—but she trusted Maya, and if Maya didn’t deliver, Claudine would wait for her to come down to hell so she could yell at her.
Claudine had estimated the fall, maybe around 40 or so feet high and decided she could live with a few broken bones if Maya didn’t come through. Thankfully, her less than one second fall had somehow given Maya enough time to come up with something, because Claudine did not hit the concrete or splatter against the ground.
She opened her eyes, unsure of whether or not she was legitimately still alive from her careless leap, and was glad to still hear the sound of a bustling night in the city. She was also greeted by Maya’s voice, saying that they had to leave, and soon. So Claudine slid down the dark blue airbag as it compressed with her shifting weight. She fumbled upon reaching the ground, but Maya’s hand there to hold her steady.
Dusting herself off, Claudine followed Maya into the parking lot next to the tri , "I hope you can drive," Maya said, tossing a rock into a priceless Porche's window.
Claudine closed her ears as the alarm blared, yelling over the noise, "Of all the cars you could have chosen, you chose the most expensive one to break?"
"Well of course. The members of Gang Star only travel in style," Maya winked at Claudine, something that definitely should have annoyed her, but somehow didn't.
Maya had opened the driver's side, clearly waiting for Claudine to appreciate her gentlemanly act and take a the driver's seat, but Claudine had absolutely no intention on driving tonight, or ever. She had previously driven with Junna and Nana back at the department when she was first hired and once played the role of the chaser. That day, Claudine's driving was so horrendously bad, Junna and Nana had barred her from driving in a car chase ever again. Who knew how she would fare if she was to be the one pursued. Her steering was nonexistent and she always hit the break too hard.
Claudine looked at Maya, confused, "What? Do you expect me to drive?"
"Well... yes. That was the plan."
"Oh god, Maya. I can't fucking drive."
"Oh, well that's an issue, since I can't either." So there the two of them stood, Maya awkwardly holding the door open, with Claudine shaking her head at Maya's inability to plan ahead. She had a plan before, one where she was the sole driver and passenger, so only she would be subjugated to the torture that was her driving. But with Maya along, she couldn't let Maya suffer. It would be too cruel.
"Um-"
The sound of sirens grew louder, and Claudine looked at Maya expectantly. The latter sighed as she hurriedly stepped into the driver's side and started the car.
"How in the world did you do that?"
"Do what?" Maya slammed on the gas and… the tired just screeched.
"I was honestly curious how you started the car so fast, but how the fuck you forget to take the car out of park!? Good god, Maya!"
"Oh," Maya sheepishly shifted the stick shift into reverse, again slamming on the gas and somehow making it out of the parking lot.
Claudine looked to the left where the museum was. God, the police would be onto them with this unmistakably broken window and very obviously stolen Porche. And... Speak of the devil and they shall appear.
"Maya, are you checking for cars in the middle of a chase."
Maya's head swiveled back and forth, checking ongoing traffic as if they had all the time in the world, and while Claudine would usually appreciate Maya's cautiousness any other day or time than now, she really needed Maya to hop the divider, plow through the flowers, and drive the wrong way on a one way street.
"Maya, let's go !"
"Your word is my command, darling."
At Claudine's request, Maya indeed hopped the divider, plowed through flowers and barreled down a one way street going the wrong way, all at nearly 100 miles per hour.
The police weren't far behind, chasing on the other side of the street with their flashing lights swiveling, casting a red and blue glow in the night. They did not hop the divider, plow through the flowers, or drive the wrong way down a one way street. Their pursuers were sticklers for rules, and intended not to break a single one as they chased Claudine and Maya down the road.
A brunette poked her head out the passenger window, cocking her pistol and aiming it at the stolen car's tires. She let out a few shots, all missing Claudine by a hair.
Claudine ducked upon hearing the sound of gunshots. She could see Maya flinch a little too, but she held true and kept her eyes on the road. Gang Star hadn't had civilian casualties before, and Maya nor Claudine intend to break that record. Maya did know, however, that this road would be ending very soon, and that they wouldn't be able to outrun the police if she didn't get Futaba and Kaoruko to pull some magic.
"Kaoruko?" Maya said, one hand on the device in her ear and the other holding the steering wheel and swerving through oncoming traffic.
"What is it, Tendo-han? Do you need the almighty Kaoruko to come to your aid?" Maya could almost imagine her hair flip and smug smirk as she flipped open a fan she was likely holding in her other hand.
She sighed, "Unfortunately, yes. Are you nearby?"
"Of course! We wouldn't leave a member of our own behind," Maya had suspected that Kaoruko was in the shadows with Futaba, judging Claudine on her performance the same way they had judged hers.
"Do you have access to a plane?"
"Ohoho. I see what you're thinking, I like it."
"I'll see you when we drive over the cliff then."
"Yes, of course, Tendo-han." Kaoruko smiled to herself, calling Futaba over. They had a plane to prepare, after all.
Claudine, overhearing only Maya's side of the conversation, was genuinely curious what their fates would be when they drove ‘over the cliff’ as Maya had put it. Claudine wasn't sure whether she meant that metaphorically or legitimately. She was definitely hoping for the former, as she really didn't want to lose her stomach more than once today. She decided not to comment on Maya's shockingly nonchalant conversation with Kaoruko, instead poking her own head to return fire at the sole police car that had managed to stay on their trail.
The two of them exchanged fire, Maya and the platinum haired blonde in the other car sending threatening glares at each other through glinting glass and Claudine and the other officer with a small ponytail aiming for each other's vehicles. The Porche had long since taken its last bullet, and was reaching its breaking point. Claudine ducked back into the car, peeking at the bullets she had left. Two more.
"Maya, do you have more ammo?"
"I do not. Good thing we're nearly at the cliff, right?"
"Man, I was really hoping you were joking about that one."
"It'll be fine, trust me,” Maya spared a glance at Claudine, seeing the uncertainty in her face, "Do you trust me?"
Claudine audibly sighed. Boy, she was doing that a lot today. " Oui. Open the sunroof."
The cliff was in sight, and the driver of the other car had already begun to lower her speed, but Maya did the exact opposite, digging her foot into the gas pedal as much as it would allow her to. "On three."
"One..." Claudine could see the water on the other side of the cliff as she haphazardly poked her head out the sunroof.
"Two..."
"Three!" The car hurtled forward and suddenly lost all grasp on the road as it took off. Maya shoved her door open, and leapt out of the car. Claudine did too, climbing onto the sunroof and jumping off. Claudine and Maya were in free fall for a while, as they watched the car fall into the water and create giant ripples. Maya could see Kaoruko and Futaba on their biplane, swooping in to break their fall, and got ready to land on the top on a wing.
"Incoming!" Kaoruko hollered to the sky and Claudine looked to her side, definitely alarmed by how fast Futaba was coming in, but Maya had somehow landed on the left wing with some annoyingly practiced ease and Claudine wasn't about to be one-upped. Claudine tumbled through the air, falling into a somersault as she landed. She looked at Maya expectantly, and Maya gave her a small smile and clapped.
“Impressive for your first time, Ma Claudine.”
“Oh shut up,” Claudine wasn’t sure whether Maya was being condescending or not, grumbling as she climbed into the back of the plane. “What are you waiting for? Get in.”
Maya stayed silent, climbing in from the other side.
“Well?” Kaoruko turned to the back from the passenger seat. “Lemme see.”
Claudine grabbed the tube from her back, letting lose the ponytail she on for the heist in the process. She delicately pulled out the fan, and handed it to Kaoruko, “Here.”
Kaoruko flashed her signature smile, “Ara, thank you, Saijo-han.” She flicked open the fan, admiring its beauty. “Ahh, Futaba-han look at it… It’s almost as pretty as me.”
Futaba grinned, “Nothing is as pretty as you.”
“We’re here you know.” Claudine huffed, crossing her hands over her chest.
“You’ll get used to it,” Maya commented, “I’ve seen them—”
Claudine made large gestures with her hands, forming an x, “I don’t want to know!”
“You’re not even a little curious?”
“Nope!” Claudine played with the metal on her ring finger, in the midst of the chaos she had put the black swan ring on to keep it safe. Shockingly, it fit. The other ring was safely kept in the breast pocket of her jacket, but she still put up a hand to ensure that the black swan’s companion ring was still in her pocket.
“Ara, Kuro-han, what’s that?”
“A ring.”
Kaoruko gasped dramatically, as if rudely insulted, “Alright Kuro-han, I’m not dumb. Why do you have a ring anyways? It’s even on your left ring finger!”
“It’s not mine. It was… convenient at the time,” Claudine continued to turn the ring.
“Mhm... So you stole that too,” Kaoruko was curious, but pushed no further, “Buckle up, by the way.”
The rest of their ride was fairly uneventful, Maya throwing dumb jokes at Claudine and Claudine giving her so many eye rolls she feared her eyes would pop out. Of the more bearable jokes, there was a multitude of horrific puns and stupidly Maya-esque knock-knock jokes. Claudine still enjoyed being with Maya nonetheless.
Once they landed Claudine was first to hop out of the plane. She didn’t hate flying but after literally dropping onto a plane wing, she was a little shaken up and wished for solid ground more than anything in the world.
“Saijo-han, once you’ve settled down, meet me in my room. If you don’t know where it is just have Maya-han bring you.” Kaoruko took Futaba’s hand pulling her through the sea of hemlock firs and Japanese cypress. The two trees were more than sufficient cover for the hidden estate of the Hanayagis.
“I swear that girl can smell emotions…” Claudine grumbled to herself, kicking at the dirt. The soil was soft and moist, and the air smelled of the falling sun and elderly pine trees.
“Hey Claudine?” Maya followed after Claudine, her eyes still wandering as they made their way to the main estate.
Claudine turned around to Maya, “Oui?”
“Why do you have a ring?”
Oh . Claudine had almost forgotten about that, how was she supposed to explain that. “Um… I grabbed it.”
“Oh. It is pretty,” Maya said as she held Claudine’s hand in hers, admiring the ring.
“It has a companion ring,” Claudine unzipped her pocket, grabbing Élégance and holding it out in her palm for Maya. “This one’s for you,” Claudine looked away from Maya, her cheeks heating up.
“What?”
“It’s for you. I took it for you,” Claudine felt Maya looking at her, and it was really beginning to show in her speech.
“Really?” Maya looked back to the ring, “You didn’t have to do that. Is that why the alarm went off?”
“Yeah. I didn’t have another weight—not that it matters now.” Claudine took the ring between her fingers, “Give me your hand.”
Maya felt her cheeks warm up as she put out her left hand.
“Maya, no offense, but i’m not proposing to you.” Yet. Claudine thought silently, “Other hand.”
Maya chuckled, swapping hands and looking down at Claudine putting the ring on Maya’s right ring finger. She opened her mouth to speak, closing it a second later as she thought of what to say, “It’s beautiful.”
“Just like you,” Claudine said, giving Maya a tired smile and kissing her on the cheek, starting to walk away, “I know the way to their room, don’t worry.”
Upon reaching the main ground of the traditional Japanese estate, Claudine was still amazed by the sheer size of it. Kaoruko’s room was simple to find, the only part of the building with a second floor. She switched her sneakers for comfy slippers at the door and walked up the stairs towards Kaoruko’s room. Claudine took a breath before knocking on the door.
“Come in!”
Claudine opened the door, it wasn’t her first time in the room, but it still amazed her. It was gorgeous. The canopy bed reminded her of her own at home, silky purple fabric cascading from the top. The atmosphere was tense, but the room served to ease the tension that Claudine held in her breath.
“Sit,” Kaoruko pointed to the chair next to hers, although none of these ‘chairs’ were very practical; in fact, Kaoruko was lying on a chaise lounge, her newly stolen fan opened in her right hand.
Claudine sat next to her in one of the many cushioned chairs, her posture straight as she looked to Kaoruko.
“How do you think you did?”
“I could’ve done better, but considering the circumstances I think I did good.”
Kaoruko nodded approvingly at Claudine’s honest self-evaluation, “You did do well, although Maya-han did help you a bit… you have potential, Saijo-han. I expect good things from you as we continue to work together. Welcome to Gang Star.”
“What do you mean the fan and rings were taken?” Junna sat in her office, phone up to her ear as Nana sat across from her.
“... Yes we’ll be there later. Thank you.” Junna pulled the phone away from her ear, hanging up the phone.
“What happened?”
“The dragon fan and swan rings were stolen from the tri .”
Nana perked up from her spot, “Are we on the case?”
Junna signed walking over to Nana, kissing her head. “Yes, of course we’re on the case, babe.”
“Well? What are we waiting for?”