Chapter 40 Playing detective part 1
A bit later, exactly, 5 minutes later to be precise, Tatsurou was out of his apartment and going down the stairs to meet up with Naoki and as he went down the stairs, he adjusted his hoodie and the jacket of his gakuran, and when he finally made it to the ground floor...
"You're late!" Naoki, that had her hair tied into a side ponytail and was wearing her usual school uniform, said with a rather angry tone as she crossed her arms.
"What are you talking about? I took exactly 5 minutes as you said..." Tatsurou said with a rather annoyed tone, as he looked at Naoki.
"When I say 5 minutes, it's actually two and a half minutes!" Naoki said as she pointed at Tatsurou.
"What the...you have to be kidding...me...?" As Tatsurou was saying this, he made a small stop, as he noticed a girl, that looked as if she was hiding behind Naoki.
"Um? Who's that?" Tatsurou asked, as he tilted his head and pointed at this girl that jolted upon hearing his question, and after a brief silence, she stooped hiding and placed herself by Naoki's side.
"M-My name is S-Shimaki Miyubi, and I-I'm Nao-chan's friend and partner in the Soteria Intern Program..." This girl, that had dark blue hair, that was tied into a braid that rested over her shoulder, and was wearing the same school uniform as Naoki, presented herself in a very shy and embarrassed tone as she bowed, to Tatsurou.
"Oh, I see...are you two in the same grade?" Tatsurou asked, a bit innocently as he noticed the height difference, between her and Naoki, that was quite big, maybe 40 centimeters.
"W-What does that mean?! Are you saying that I don't look like I'm in high school?" Naoki asked this with an angry tone, to Tatsurou that smiled.
"That's exactly, what I'm asking..." Tatsurou said with a stoic tone that had a hint of smugness behind it, as he looked and smiled at Naoki.
"Why you!!" Naoki said as she did a small hop to hit Tatsurou, but she was stooped, thanks to Miyubi that held her by placing her arms, around Naoki's waist.
"C-Come on, Nao-chan, I'm pretty sure, he didn't mean it like that! Right...um..." Miyubi said as she kept holding Naoki, as if she was a plushie.
"It's Kurokami Tatsurou, you can call me, whichever you prefer...and yes I didn't mean it like that, I was just joking a bit..." Tatsurou said as he smiled again.
"You see, Nao-chan! Kurokami-kun was just joking a bit!" Miyubi said as she smiled a bit to Naoki.
"I hate it, when people make those kinds of jokes! So you better not make anymore, you hear!" Naoki said, as she released herself out of Miyubi's grasp, Tatsurou just gave her a nod.
"Now, we should be going! The more time we waste, the longer it will take to finish this!" Naoki said as she adjusted the blazer of her uniform and began walking away.
"Oi, Izumi-san, you should at least tell me, where were going, right?" Tatsurou asked as he and Miyubi started following Naoki.
"We're going to the public park number one, here in District 4..." Naoki said as she looked at Tatsurou and Miyubi, without stooping...
A bit later Tatsurou, Naoki and Miyubi, were inside the monorail, that was going to take them to public park number one, the first park to be created in District 4, Tatsurou was standing up, while he held one of the monorails vertical bars, while Naoki and Miyubi took a seat in front of him...
"Say, Izumi-san, you still haven't told me, how the public park 1 and our mission are related..." Tatsurou said as he looked at Naoki.
"If you downloaded, the Soteria app just like Kuroiwa-san said, you would know!" Naoki said with a rather annoyed tone, that had a faint hint of anger, as she looked away from Tatsurou.
"N-Nao-chan!" Miyubi said as she looked at Naoki, a bit angry.
"Don't worry about it, the monorails have Wi-Fi, I will download the app right away..." Tatsurou said as he looked at the girls while taking out his phone, after a while of tapping around on it, Tatsurou downloaded the Soteria app and was now finishing setting up his account.
"Let's see...student Id and...card credential?" Tatsurou said as he looked at his phone a bit confused.
"Oh, that's the number, on the front of the Soteria card..." Miyubi said as she lifted her index finger.
"T-Thanks..." Tatsurou said as he took out his wallet, to look at his credential, after that, the only thing missing was, setting up a password and it was done.
"Finally...?" Tatsurou said as he sighed, but then he began looking at his phone a bit confused.
"Is something wrong?" Miyubi asked a bit curious to Tatsurou.
"Well, this app looks a bit old and confusing..." Tatsurou said as he showed his phone's screen to Naoki and Miyubi.
"When you download the Soteria app, you have to manually update it!" Naoki said as she sighed, a bit annoyed upon looking at the screen and seeing the old Soteria app home screen.
"I'm sorry, for not knowing that!" Tatsurou said in a stoic tone as he looked at Naoki, then back to his phone to download the update.
"What, no way! 3 hours to update?!" Tatsurou said with a shocked, yet impressed tone as he looked at his phone.
"Pfff, that is why you were told, to download the app in advance..." Naoki said in a mocking tone towards Tatsurou.
"Ok, ok, I get it! I should have downloaded this sooner, now would you please fill me in, Izumi-san?" Tatsurou asked with a faint hint of embarrassment, as he looked at Naoki.
"I don't know if should tell you, after all, you're not being serious, just like I..." Naoki said this with a rather smug tone, as she placed her right hand on her chest, but stooped as she looked to her side and saw Miyubi glaring at her a bit.
"Ok, no need to look at me like that Miyu, I'll tell him..." Naoki said as she laughed a bit.
"So, Kurokami, have you heard about the "Magician hunter"?" Naoki asked as she awaited Tatsurou's answer.
"I have heard the name...but I don't know much about him..." Tatsurou said, as he rubbed his chin a bit.
"You see, this guy has been attacking groups of delinquents and low lives for the past 3 months, but recently about 4 days ago, he began attacking groups of students, but what's more interesting, is the common trait between all of the attacks, he doesn't kill the people he attacks, and all of them are magic users, hence the name "Magician hunter"..." Naoki said as she crossed her arms, but moved her right hand, as she explained this to Tatsurou.
"Hmm, I see, but 3 months is quite some time, why is the Soteria, taking this seriously, only now?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone to Naoki.
"If I had to guess, It's probably because, since he attacked delinquents and low lives at first, everyone thought that he was a vigilante of sorts, but now that he attacks innocent people, well..." As Naoki said this she was interrupted by Tatsurou.
"... Let's just say he stooped looking like the "hero" everyone thought he was, so now people want him jailed..." Tatsurou said, as he finished Naoki's explanation.
"Pretty much..." Naoki said, as she sighed, upon hearing Tatsurou.
"So our mission is to find this, "magician hunter" basically?" Tatsurou asked, but in all honesty, he didn't need an answer.
"Exactly, and right now we're going to the last place he attacked, the public park 1..." As Naoki said this she was interrupted by a robotic voice
"Attention to all passengers, we will shortly arrive at District 4's park 1 station, Attention..." As the robotic voice said this Naoki got up from her seat.
"Well, we can talk more about it when we get there..." Naoki said as she looked at both Tatsurou and Miyubi, that just gave her a nod...
The walk to the public park, was a rather fast one, just 6 minutes, from the monorail station, and as Tatsurou and the girls got there...
"Whoa...!" Tatsurou said as he saw a scene that looked like it came out of a crime drama, Soteria agents analyzing the scene and taking photos, the yellow line that read "Do not cross" that made the perimeter, and the officers, that stood outside the line to stop the more "curious" people from getting to close.
"What is it? Never seen something like this?" Naoki asked a bit curious as she got close to Tatsurou.
"Well, more or less..." Tatsurou answered, as he kept looking around, with an impressed and curious face on.
"Being impressed by this kind of things, just shows who's more professional and experienced here..." As Naoki was saying this, she bumped against someone, that made her fall on her butt.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Naoki asked this, with a rather angry tone, to this someone.
"That is my line! Middle schoolers shouldn't be out this early!" The person that said this, was a rather young police officer, that crossed his arms as he looked at Naoki.
"What! I'm with the Soteria and I'm not a middle schooler!" Naoki said with a very angry tone as she quickly got up from the ground.
"Right...just go home, this is no place for kids..." The officer said as he sighed a bit.
"K-Kid, listen here you...?!" As Naoki was about to call not so good things, to the officer, she was stooped by Miyubi, that placed both of her hands on Naoki's mouth, Tatsurou sighed as he saw this.
"I'm sorry for my partner, she didn't get enough sleep, mister officer, but she is telling the truth, we are with the Soteria, see..." Tatsurou said as he approached the officer, and showed him his Soteria card.
"Oh, I am very sorry about this! Please, go on, and next time put your Soteria armbands, so it doesn't happen again..." The officer said in an apologetic tone, as he bowed, to Tatsurou and the girls.
"We will do, that!" Tatsurou said as he smiled, the officer then pulled the yellow line up, for them to pass, and as they were now on the other side, Tatsurou looked at Naoki for a bit.
"What is it?" Naoki asked a bit annoyed as she looked back at Tatsurou.
"You were quite "Professional" and "Experienced" back there Izumi-san..." Tatsurou said this with a rather smug tone after sighing, needless to say, that Naoki got angry.
"Z-Zip it! Kurokami, you moron!" Naoki said with an angry tone, as she punched Tatsurou in the stomach.
"W-What the hell, was that for?" Tatsurou asked, in a painful yet angry tone, as he placed both of his hands around his stomach.
"Hmpf! Learn how to keep your mouth shut, you idiot!" Naoki said in an irritated tone, as she put her Soteria armband on and began walking towards the "crime" scene.
"I know I kind of asked for this, but still..." Tatsurou said as he rubbed his stomach a bit, to ease the pain.
"Please, Kurokami-kun, forgive Nao-chan for this..." Miyubi said, as she got close to Tatsurou and made a slight bow.
"Don't worry about that...Shimaki-san, I kind of asked for this, by making a comment like that..." Tatsurou said as he smiled a bit and reached to his hoddie's pocket to get his Soteria armband.
"Well then, we better catch up to her..." Tatsurou said as he placed the armband and began walking in the same direction as Naoki, with Miyubi following him from behind...
After Tatsurou and Miyubi caught up to Naoki, they made their way to the "crime" scene...
"Oh god..." Miyubi said as she placed her hands in her mouth and gasped upon seeing the marks, that represented where the bodies of the victims were, upon finding them, they were a total of 3, one in the middle of the parks road, another close to a tree and lastly, one close to the bench.
"Hey, Izumi-san, do you think that..." As Tatsurou was about to ask Naoki if the "Magician hunter" finally started to kill his victims, he was interrupted by an unfamiliar voice...
"If you're going to ask, if the victims were killed, no, they weren't, but like all of the others before them, they were heavily injured, and are now unfortunately unconscious in the hospital and as always electricity was the weapon used..." As Tatsurou heard this, he turned around to see who this unfamiliar voice belonged to, and he saw a young woman with straight black hair that was tied in a low ponytail and was wearing a light blue wool sweater and a long dark blue high-waist skirt, she also wore a shawl that she draped around her shoulders.
"And worse of all, there are no witnesses..." The woman said as she sighed a bit.
" I see, but..." As Tatsurou was about to ask who this woman was he was interrupted again.
"Munesuki-sensei!" Both Naoki and Miyubi said at the same time as they got close to Emiko "My, My, at work so early, my sweet angels?" Emiko asked as she smiled at Naoki and Miyubi, while patting their heads, they nodded when upon hearing Emiko's question.
"And you must be the famous Kurokami Tatsurou, I have been hearing about!" Emiko said as she stooped head patting the girls, and got close to Tatsurou.
"Yes, that's me...um...?" Tatsurou said as he looked at Emiko for a bit.
"The name is Munesuki Emiko, I'm a Vice Lieutenant in the Soteria, a supervisor for Naoki-chan and Miyubi-chan, and also a rival to Yumeko-chan! Oh, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Tatsurou-chan!" Emiko said as she grabbed Tatsurou's hand to shake it.
"I see, the pleasure is all mine Munesuki-san..." Tatsurou said as he smiled.
"Say what are you doing here, Munesuki-sensei?" Miyubi asked as she got close to Emiko.
"Well, I live close to the park, so I was called to come and take a look...what about you two?" Emiko asked, as she stooped shaking Tatsurou's hand, and turned to Miyubi.
"It's because of the mission that Kuroiwa-san gave us, if I'm able to solve this case with Kurokiami, she will take me in as her supervisor!" Naoki said with a determined and happy tone as she looked at Emiko.
"Oh, I see, I see, I'm impressed you were able to convince Yumeko-chan to accept, that's impressive!" Emiko said, as she placed her hand on her cheek and smiled.
"So like always, that "Magician hunter" is attacking people, but then, spares their lives in the end...why?" Miyubi asked with a curious tone and Emiko smiled.
"Well, I do have an idea, but what do you think, Miyubi-chan?" Emiko asked, as she looked at Miyubi and smiled once more.
"Hmm...because he is...a really bad person?" Miyubi answered this, after a bit of thinking.
"Well, it's not wrong, but, it isn't quite right either..." Emiko said as she placed her hands together, while looking at the now embarrassed Miyubi.
"He wants attention..." Both Tatsurou and Naoki answered this at the same time making Miyubi and Emiko look at them surprised.
"Hmm, you think so? Do you mind filling us in?" Emiko asked, Tatsurou and Naoki with a curious tone, and Tatsurou was the one, who began explaining.
"If we look at all the information we have, it's simple, he only attacks Magic users, so we can assume, he has something against them, as for the reason why he doesn't kill them..." As Tatsurou was explaining his reasoning.
"The reason as for why he doesn't kill, is that he just wants to create fear on the other Magic users, sending some message like "You're next" if your not careful, basically he just wants some sort of attention, but not have a lot of heat on him, since he avoids killing them..." Naoki said as she crossed her arms, finishing the reasoning that Tatsurou started.
"Ding, Ding! Nice answer, Naoki-chan, Tatsurou-chan, you two used the information at hand, and created quite a good profile for our assailant! You two work together rather well!" Emiko said with an impressed tone, as she looked at Tatsurou and Naoki.
"N-No way! that's true!" Naoki said this with an angry tone, as she shook her head, Tatsurou sighed a bit as he heard this.
"Come on, Naoki-chan, don't say that! Here's a little reward, and you too Miyubi-chan, for the effort!" Emiko said as she put her right hand inside her sweater's left sleeve, and out of it she took three lollipops and gave them to Tatsurou and the girls.
"Thanks..." Tatsurou and the girls said as they gave a slight bow to Emiko.
"Well then, I won't bother your investigation any longer, but if you need any help don't hesitate to ask, so go on ahead, and do a great job!" Emiko said as she took her leave, while waving her hand, and when she was finally gone...
"She seems to be a good person, your really sure, that you want to change supervisor?" Tatsurou asked as he glanced at Naoki, while he put the lollipop inside his hoodie's pocket.
"I know that she is a good supervisor, but that's none of your business!" Naoki said as she placed her hands on her hips, and looked away from Tatsurou.
"There's no time to waste, let's investigate, come Miyu..." Naoki said as she grabbed Miyubi's hand.
"Nao-chan, wait..." Miyubi called Naoki, but it was useless as she began walking away from Tatsurou, to start her investigation.
"Weren't we supposed, to work together?" Tatsurou thought as he looked at Naoki and Miyubi walking away, in the direction of the bench.
"Never mind, I'll take a look around myself then..." Tatsurou said as he sighed and made his way to the markings of the first "victim".
"Hmm, let's see, so this was the first one that, was taken down?" Tatsurou thought as he looked at a square, that had a number 1 next to the white markings on the ground.
"This just tells me, that I'm looking at where the first victim was, other than that, nothing..." Tatsurou said, after he squatted, to have a better look at the marks on the ground.
"And by the looks of it, Izumi-san is out of luck too..." Tatsurou said as he got up and glanced at Naoki and Miyubi, that were investigating close to the bench.
"Anyways, let's have a look at the tree, over there..." Tatsurou said as he began walking towards the tree, that had markings in her trunk, and on its base.
"Hmm, looks like this is pretty much the same as the first one...and once again, it just tells me that this was the second one, and that the victim hit the trunk..." Tatsurou said as he looked at the tree, that had it's trunk a bit damaged.
"This is a really, complicated case... there are no witnesses, the victims are hospitalized and unconscious, and the "crime" scene, just tells me the order in which the victims, were attacked, and the only thing that we know is that electricity was used, but was it Magic based or Esper based electricity? I should have asked Munesuki-san..." Tatsurou thought, as he placed his right hand on his mouth, and tapped it with his index finger while putting his left hand on his hoodie's pocket.
"It's going to be complicated to solve...?" As Tatsurou was saying this, he stooped, as from the corner of his eye, he saw what could be the way, to solve this mystery.
"That's a security camera, and it's pointing right at the whole scene!" Tatsurou said as he was now looking up at the lamp post, that had a camera that pointed at the middle of the park's road.
"What are you doing Kurokami? Waiting for an answer, to fall from the sky?" Naoki asked with a mocking tone, as she and Miyubi got close.
"No, it's just that, there's a camera, on that lamppost, if we used it, then we could..." As Tatsurou was about to propose they used the camera, to find the culprit behind all of this, he was interrupted.
"I noticed it too, but when I asked the other Soteria agents, they said that those cameras, are really old and since this park, is more in the old town part, then the new town of District 4, they're turned off...so forget it..." Naoki said as she shrugged and turned her back to Tatsurou.
"They might be turned off, but since this park belongs more to the old town, there's a chance that..." Tatsurou thought, as he looked at the camera once more, but his thought process was suddenly halted.
"I said it was useless, didn't I? So stop pondering about it, so much..." Naoki said this a bit angry, as she turned to Tatsurou again.
"Ok then...so what do we, do now?" Tatsurou asked, with a curious tone to Naoki.
"It's already 07:26 am, there's not a lot more we can do with the lack of witnesses or evidence, so it's off to school with us..." Naoki said this with a rather annoyed tone, as she crossed her arms.
"But don't think this is over yet! After classes are over, we're going to look around some more!" Naoki said as she pointed at Tatsurou.
"Yes, I know you don't need to tell me..." Tatsurou said as he and the girls began walking away, with Naoki and Miyubi leading the way and Tatsurou following behind them, but he made a small stop, to look at the camera for a bit, before looking forward again and finally taking his leave...