The Boundary of Emptiness II: New Generation

-By: Chiba Hiro

*I do not own Kara no Kyoukai or any references toward Nasu. All that I have are the characters that I made up, and it's purely for other's enjoyment.*

… … …

Prologue- Years Later: Murder Speculation III

… … …

Present-day Tokyo – Christmas Eve, Tuesday, 11:59PM

The streets of central Tokyo are especially busy around midnight, but this night was no exception. People are bustling to shops for late night shopping for their loved ones. The scene near Tokyo Tower is especially remarkable. Almost nothing can happen on a Christmas Eve, can it?

*Crash!*

*Boom!*

"Ah!"

The sound of three gunfire shots is heard, and people around Tokyo Tower stop dead in their tracks and stare at the murder scene. Horrifying to look at, three people, two high school girls and one older boy, shot and killed. No one was expecting anyone to be killed on Christmas Eve. Who would be sick enough to kill someone in public, and on Christmas Eve for that matter? It was 11:59PM, one minute to midnight, and three people are dead.

Cops pull in and move the crowd to a fair distance away from the three bodies. Some of the police put caution tape around the victims, and direct traffic. Sheriffs and detectives are investigating the scene, but no one could tell where the bullets had been shot from.

One of the detectives goes up to a woman in the crowd and interrogates her.

"Excuse me, can I ask you a question?" the detective asked.

"Yes." The woman replied hesitantly.

"Do you know who shot and killed these three?" he asked.

"No, but I was walking by and then all of a sudden, they were killed! I had no idea where the hell the bullets came from! I swear!" she exclaimed.

"Were there any other witnesses?" the detective asked.

"I think so." She said.

"Then it looks like we have a murder case on our hands." The detective said quietly to himself. "Officers! Seal the entire area off! I want each and everyone interrogated! The murderer can't have gone far!"

The officers that remained went to interrogate the nearest among the crowds, while the detective got interrogated by a news reporter.

"We are live on the scene of a crime where three people, one old man, and two high school girls have been shot and killed randomly in the crowd. I'm here tonight with Detective Miyazaki." The news reporter announced, and turned her attention to Detective Miyazaki.

"Mr. Miyazaki, when this happened, does anyone know who the murderer might be?" she asked.

"I have no witnesses that say they saw what happened. I just interrogated three people and they all said the exact same thing: It all happened too fast, and tonight's murder was completely unexpected." He paused to cough into his handkerchief, and then continued. "What has been celebrated as a holiday of joys and happiness, we now have a holiday of murder and grief. Whoever shot these three will not go unpunished." Detective Miyazaki explained.

"Sources tell me that this is not the first time this month that people have been killed randomly, and on important days too. Tell us, is this not the first time?" the reporter asked.

"Indeed. There have been six cases total this month, but this particular murder has occurred in central Tokyo while the others occurred randomly elsewhere. I have investigated them all, and all who were witnesses say they could not see the murderer." Detective Miyazaki elaborated.

"What do you suspect?" the reporter asked after some time.

"I know for a fact that each and every case we've had to investigate happened on Tuesdays only minutes from midnight. So my guess is that the next murder will happen next Tuesday at the same time, and possibly around the same area." Detective Miyazaki said.

"Are you terrified that these murders have been happening frequently?"

"Absolutely."

"Are the victims all related in some way?"

"Well, three weeks ago, one boy was shot and killed in the middle of a shopping district, he was alone. A week later, five high school students, two boys and three girls, were shot and killed almost two blocks west of the murder that happened a week prior. And last week two government officials were murdered inside their office, and all the tapes were destroyed before we could see the murderer." Miyazaki said.

"Now we have three more cases today, and this time there were three murders. Three hours ago, a teenage boy and girl were shot and killed near the abandoned building in 'that' district, and half an hour later, one construction worker was killed by the building site near the park, and now there are three killings only minutes from midnight."

"Somehow, I think the murderer likes to kill people before midnight, but after nine o'clock."

"And I think they were related because they were all out without adult supervision."

"How is your group planning to stop these murders from happening?" the reporter asked.

"Now if these murders don't stop soon, we'll have to quarantine the city. I remember one time many, many years ago when this many people died, and it was the same thing, all of it happened within days of each other in this very city."

"Anything else you have to say to everyone?"

"I do. Well, we need a miracle to stop this, and someone who knows how to track down murderers, and I think I know the one person who can help."

… … …

Elsewhere, a redheaded woman is sitting at her workplace when the phone rings. She lights up a cigarette, and starts smoking. She picks up the phone and answers it while taking a puff of her cigarette.

"Hello, this is Touko Aozaki speaking. How may I be of assistance?" She answered.

"Touko." Miyazaki's voice rang through the phone.

"Oh, it's the useless detective." She mocked sarcastically. "what is it now?"

"I have a job for you and your assistant."

Touko places the phone on loud speaker. In the shadows, a young teenage girl of about sixteen, in a school uniform, with short, messy black hair, and grey colored eyes, stood listening silently.

"I'm listening." Touko said while winking.

"I want you to put a stop to these murders. I leave it up to you to stop the next one from happening." Miyazaki said.

"Done." Touko said, hanging up with content.

"Well, you heard what you have to do. You have a mission to complete, my little apprentice." Touko said to the girl, grinning.

The girl bowed her head in agreement, and shut her eyes. When she reopened them, they were no longer the color grey, instead they were a glowing bright blue mixed with purple and gold swirling in a circuit-like motion.

"Understood."

… … …