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“Going somewhere Mr Sholmes?" Naruhodou asked curiously as he temporarily looked away from the TV screen. He stuffed his face with the popcorn already in his hand.
"Why, to celebrate the new years of course!" Sholmes swivelled around. A long coat completely covered his torso.
"You off to see the fireworks?"
Sholmes returned his question with a quirky smile. "Where else my dear fellow?"
"I dunno… I thought-"
"That I'd be getting up to some mischief? Mr Naruhodou!" He struck his finger up in the air with a flourish. "What do you take me for?"
"Umm not really…?"
"Anywho, I need to get going. Dearest Mikotoba would be arriving anytime now."
And with that he opened the door strong of of his barely lit suit.
He stopped himself slowly and turned towards his flatmate, looking into the only source of light in the room.
"Don't let Iris stay up late and enjoy that movie." Naruhodou glanced in his direction momentarily before turning his attention back to the acrobatic antics of Neo.
Sholmes slowly closed the door behind them but stopped and smirked.
"You egg." He giggled to himself.
"You what!" Naruhodou looked around startled but the door was already closed.
"Oh that's it…" He got up from his chair. "Iris, he's gone now! We're watching the matrix for the new year!"
Meanwhile Sholmes left the building of 221B with uncontrollable cackling leaving his mouth. A horn beep rang in his ear and he looked at the direction, his eyes resting on that yellow mini cooper.
He had no choice but to smile with glee.
"Ah, why isn't it the bearded misogynist!"
"Beardless moustachio'd misogynist to you Mr The Third." Mikotoba deadpanned, not looking away from the front.
"Whatever you say my dear Mikotoba!" He said, taking off the coat revealing a red suit jacket on top of a black dress shirt, black slacks and a yellow tie.
"How do I look?"
"Magnifique." Mikotoba beamed. Starring at him momentarily.
"Is Miss Sussyo allright at home?" He said opening the car door.
"She's got Rei over. They're going to play fighting games until midnight."
"But unhealthy. Anyway, which one?" He cocked his head curiously.
"Ultimate Marvel VS Capcom 3."
"I don't know what that is. But I hope they enjoyed it."
"Sholmes, you played three rounds with me during Christmas!"
Sholmes shook his head. "Oh, have I? Silly me."
Sholmes got in the car, to the seat next to Yuujin. "Am I the first of your pickups?"
Mikotoba returned to the front window, letting his foot of the clutch slowly.
"Sithe and Gregson insisted on going there on their own, we're meeting them."
"And our prosecutor friend?" He buckled up his seat belt before neatly placing his coat on the floor of the car.
"Picking him up," He said bluntly as the car started to roll. "Don't worry about the food, I already bought it."
"Splendid." Sholmes smiled. "I'm glad he agreed in the end."
"He's so happy about wearing that." Mikotoba grinned. "It's ironic actually how he matches his personality."
"I know!" Both men snickered before erupting into laughter as the car started riding into the night.
—
"I hate this dress." Courtney sighed, taking a sip from her flask.
"Don't need to tell me that." Gregson replied, chomping on his fish and chips.
The get-up Sholmes got him to wear wasn't too dissimilar compared to what he typically wears.
The trench coat? Check.
A vest and tie? Check.
Pants and shoes? Everyone wears those.
He was still wearing a hat only this time it was a fedora instead of a pork pie.
Courtney wasn't exactly thrilled with the fact she has to wear one of the dresses, the character she's cosplaying as frequently wears.
She doesn't typically wear dresses but when she does they look more Conservative and refined than… this.
At least she's allowed to keep her hair up.
"You tell Gina yet?" She leaned in on the railing, looking towards the ocean.
"No…" Gregson muttered. "You didn't tell Maria the same didja?"
"I didn't…"
Both people looked solemnly towards the London Tower, this is where the new years fireworks would start.
"Say, how is that girl?" She swirled her flask around, there was still some left.
"She's doing fine at sixth form." He said. "Can't say much for her studying though."
"Can't focus?"
"Can't focus." He took another bite from his fish and chips. "Getting her diagnosed with something at some point. It's hard for absolutely no reason."
"...word."
"I mean the girl couldn't read for a long time, failing English." Courtney raised an eyebrow and grief her teeth. "But now she's reading comic books everyday and something called… visual novels?"
"What the fuck is a visual novel?"
"Bugger me I don't know!" He raised his hands in the air flabbergasted. "Yer able to read all that yet you still can't write an essay about Shakespeare."
Gregson's face drooped down, he pulled his hat down and looked towards the ocean. "I'm gonna miss her a lot."
"You're not going to Paris without her are you?"
"I am." He said solemnly.
"What's young to happen to her then?"
"Well… she's very buddy buddy with Maria…"
It clicked for Courtney. "Oh you're not serious."
"Oh c'mon now." He looked at her longingly. "I mean it's not like I can trust anyone else y'know. Not with the skeletons in my closet."
Courtney sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll take care of her."
"If it'll make ya feel any better. I'm planning to sell that house of mine…" Gregson scratched the back of his head. "If its okay, you can…"
"You don't need to convince me further. Deal's a deal." She stared at him. "That money would be nice though…"
"Still got another month, then it'll be time to say Ta-Ta to London Town." He tipped his fedora.
Silence fell for a few seconds, it started to feel a little bit awkward.
"Okay where's Sholmes a-"
A distant car engine diverted her attention, she looked backwards to see a pair of headlights. From what she could make out, it belonged to a yellow mini cooper.
"Bought time." Gregson murmured.
Well that answered her question.
Suddenly the passenger seat flew upon and stumbled out of it - WHILE IT WAS STILL SPEEDING - was a blur of red and black.
"What the shit!?"
“Lupin The Third!” Sholmes sang, striking a “ta-da” pose on his knees, he was dirty from the fall. “Nah, a plane would have been better.”
“Plane? You want to fall out of a plane!?” The mini cooper stopped slowly and the engine died.
Mikotoba got out of the car, closing the door on his side, the passenger side still agape. “There’s no stopping Sholmes from wanting some sort of eccentric entrance.
“Godsake…” Gregson muttered. “You should watch yourself sunshine!”
"Ah dearest pops of interpol." Gregson grumbled aggressively, turning around. "One can't watch themself, I mean - we don't see ourselves in third person after all!"
Herlock erupted into laughter much to chagrin to the three other people outside of the car.
"You still need to cease making risks like this." Mikotoba shook his head.
"Ah but my dearest partner, without risks-"
"Ugh, save it." He said, moving from the front of the car closing the open passenger seat door on the way and approached Sholmes. "Here let me help you up."
Through the windshield of the mini, Courtney could see the scowl of Barok van Zeiks, eyes closed.
"Been wondering where you were, Barok." She called out.
He winced a little.
Mikotoba passed the car, carrying Sholmes. "Hey, can you get the food out?"
Grumbling, he opened the door.
Stepping out of the vehicle, with bags in hand, his appearance made Courtney and Gregson chuckle a little.
He can't live this down now.
"Hope you're happy now." He growled throwing one of the two bags over to Courtney who caught it.
"You finally got me to wear this. I hope you think I look good."
"You have my blessing." Mikotoba beamed.
"The splitting image of Goemon."
"You would have looked better in the 'Goemon's Bloodspray' outfit."
"Thanks for that." He grumbled.
"How long is left of this year?" Sholmes cocked his head.
Courtney checked her phone. "Half an hour."
"Excellent!" He gracefully unwrapped himself away from Mikotoba and grabbed the other bag from van Zeiks before sitting on the roof of the car.
"Now how to make the time go by?"
The other starred at him blankly.
"Eh, might as well eat." Mikotoba shrugged.
--
"Say Barok, what convinced you to come as Goemon?" Gregson
Barok scowled in response before sighing and finally answering. "Iris…"
"Scuse me?"
"Sholmes told me he was Iris' favourite."
"The young lady likes Goemon?" He scratched his moustache.
"Why yes indeed!" Sholmes piped up. "She tells me Goemon is like a large Teddy bear to her!"
"Goemon… a Teddy bear?" Courtney raised an eyebrow.
"I mean that's not wrong isn't it?" Mikotoba said. "He has the energy of a grumpy uncle that isn’t good with kids that somehow gets along with them pretty well. Like a teddy bear.”
“You’re right, that’s exactly what he is.” Courtney agreed
Barok grumbled again.
“My dear Mikotoba is correct in calling Ishikawa Goemon XIII a grumpy uncle. I mean hope better to describe your relationship to Iris.” Sholmes spoke through his donner kebabs and naan, the wet crumbs got everywhere on the roof of the car.
“I’m not grum…. Oh.”
“See? Accurate.”
“That and, like it was said before, you don’t look half bad in a kimono prosecutor.” Gregson saluted in his gregson. Barok turned away.
“Thank you,”
“Ey wazzat?” Gregson genuinely couldn’t hear Barok’s soft whisper.
“Nothing.”
Courtney wiped her lips with the handkerchief the takeout came in. “That was harder than what convinced us all to join in.”
“And what was that?” Barok didn’t dare look in her direction.
“We all really like Lupin.”
As if one cue; Mikotoba and Gregson guffawed along Courtney as if it was the funniest thing in the world.
“I can never EVER understand your infatuation with a Japanese cartoon.”
“Oh, desert uncle of my adopted child.” Barok winced at that. “Have you never seen an episode of Lupin III before?”
“No?”
“My God! Mikotoba! I believe our reaper friend hasn’t been graced by Lupin!”
Mikotoba stared at him blankly. “I believe that was obvious before, partner.”
Ignoring him, Sholmes went back to Barok. “How could you not find Lupin interesting?”
“I told you I don’t watch it or understand your fascination so I wouldn’t know if it ac-”
“It is a perfect blend of action, comedy, suspense and drama!”
“This sounds like every other argument for a cartoon show ever.”
“Nay, my good man Lupin is special, Lupin is-”
“Hold it Mr Herlock.” Courtney shook her head. “You really shouldn’t wax poetic. Lupin is good because… it’s Lupin.”
Sholmes stood there for a moment, he was about to ponder a way to make into some sort of gacha.
“Like it’s enjoyable.”
“Yes, like the red jacket series.” Mikotoba pointed.
“Call me old fashioned, but Cagliostro is my Lupin and always will be.” Gregson scratched the back of his neck.
“Oh and you Mrs Sithe?”
Courtney pursed her lips, she is going to contradict what she just said didn’t she? “Woman Called Fujiko mine.”
Mikotoba blinked. “I thought you like Lupin because it was fun, the Fujiko Mine series… it's unapologetically artsy.”
“It’s too good, okay! Can you blame me?!”
“Fair.”
“Don’t mind me bursting in but for me…” Sholmes pressed his finger to his temple in preparation to give a flourish to the words that are about to come out of his mouth.
“Blue Jacket series, parts IV and V.”
“My word Mikotoba! How did you guess?” He was wide eyed with amusement.
“I didn’t. I knew.”
Sholmes laughed a considerable amount. “Magnificent deduction, partner. Did you know I met the real Lupin?”
“I was there, partner.”
A dead silence fell over the outside, it appeared there was roughly 10 minutes left until the new year.
“You are joking?” She broke the silence.
“For once, I am actually quite serious.”
“No bleedin’, way! He’s a fictional character, sunshine.”
Sholmes flicked his finger and looked at Gregson. “People still believe me to be fictional.”
Sholmes cleared his throat. “You see, the original Arsene Lupin was printed in france. Maurice Leblanc who printed these stories based them of a man he used to know.”
“The original Arsene Lupin.” Mikotoba completed.
“Correct again, partner.” He continued. “So anyway, Mr Arsene Lupin II wasn’t a thief - as much as Monkey Punch would lead you to believe - Lupin III on the other hand made himself infamous in the 60’s and following his grandfather’s footsteps a manga was made to mythasise his image.”
“Jesus.” Gregson dusted off his cap.
Barok was hiding his surprise underneath a mask of stoicism, courtney had no clue what to think of this.
“Me and Mikotoba met Arsene Lupin IV, born in 1978, he lived a professional career on his own, no authors, no Lupin gang, it was him and his own wits.”
“I didn’t quite like the chap.” Mikotoba murmured. “He was too… edgy for my tastes.”
“Define ‘edgey’” Barok said.
“Like ‘90’s edgy.”
“Ew.”
“Oh Miktoba i forgot to tell you,” Sholmes turned to Mikotoba. “I found his son back in 2017.”
“WHAT!?”
“Okay what?” Courtney scratched her forehead. “I think there’s a lot of context here we are missing.”
Ignoring her, Sholmes continued. “It was a bet between me and that dastardly frenchman Peirot. Thankfully i found the estranged 16 year old in no time flat.”
“He was 16!?”
“Yes, he was attending highschool in tokyo, on probation. Little chap said he wanted to steal my heart one day, can you believe it?”
“Well I can’t!” Chips flew out of it’s cone as Gregson waved them about. “How come I never knew anything about this? not from you and Mickie over there or from that frenchie.”
“You were sick when we met Lupin.”
Gregson looked o blankly and seemed to recall.
“Oh…”
“As for me, Mikotoba and Pierot - why my dear fellow! You never asked!”
“Double oh…”
Suddenly a loud eruption caused all five people to shake. Looking towards Big Ben, the night sky was flooded with neon flame.
It was the fireworks.
“Oh my look at the time…”
“Happy new years fellas.” Courtney said, sipping on what little whiskey she had left in her flask.
“Ah you know what that means, then!” Everyone promptly got off the mini cooper and stoof in front of the railings of the bridge.
“Who’s taking the photo?”
“I’ll do it.” Courtney vollunteered, bringin out her mobile.
The four men stood in front of the fireworks, the show not ending any time soon.
Courtney snapped a perfect, shot. Even Barok looked happy in it.
“Oooh! Make sure you send it to the children!” Sholmes piped up.
“Most of them are legal adults.” Mikotoba deadpanned.
“Well not susato and Iris though.”
“...fair.”
“Allright… got all their names down, what do I say?” Courtney looked up.
“Anything really, as long as it’s sweet!”
“Hmm…” Courtney began typing away. “Uncle Barok finally wearing a damn kimono for once.”
“EXCELLENT!”
“DAMN YOU SHOLMES!”
Courtney ended up giggling as she pressed the send button. This would be a laugh riot.
“Wait… you didn’t tag Gina, didja?” Gregson asked sheepishly.
“Yeah, what of it?”
“Well um…” He licked his lips nervously.
“Gregson… did you tell her?”
He scratched the back of his head.
“DID YOU TELL HER?”
He gritted his teeth, his eye brows raised.
“GREGSON!”
“...no”
“Oh my God… you told us you’d tell her Barok is Iris’... AAARGH!”
The three other men looked at Tobias with a confused scowl.
“Look i was meaning to… Honest! I just…”
“Procrastinated?” Mikotoba deadpanned.
“Smoke bomb!” Gregson yelled before running away.
“Well then partner that’s our cue.” They promptly got back into their car, starting the engine before driving off.
“Wait a minute…” Barok said. “HANG ON I CAN’T WALK HOME IN THIS COME BACK HERE! SHOLMES!”
Courtney pinched the bridge of her nose.
Men are a hassle.