Phantom Memories
Last chapter an explosive mask is used in an attempt to kill one of the detectives, but Nogami survived, thanks to his "demon" heritage, but here another detective is about to get "bombarded"…
More on the students as they are about to be interrogated amid the resumption of the preparations of the school play, "Phantom of The Opera"…
Hiroshima High School.
Kyuu and Fujimaru are observing classes as the first subject began, as they made it appear that they are transfer students and fortunately the other students took the bait and the two DDS students mixed well with the other students, and soon the claim about the two being "detective club members" slowly died down, though a pair of silhouette eyes seem to be aiming for the two. One glances at Fujimaru, still holding his laptop and then at Kyuu, seeing that beneath the youthful look of the 15-year old, despite resembling a pre-teen sized teen, the eyes says he is more than that.
"The brat with the laptop is no problem…but the other one…I can tell he's a detective…I saw him a few days ago when his badge was confiscated…DDS, huh? Well…you'll be saying goodbye to your school once the night falls down…and you won't be leaving this school alive…"
As recess arrived, Kyu and Fujimaru huddled outside the school building and checked the laptop to check out the names of the students who are involved in the school play "Phantom Of The Opera", having learned (via inquiry from other students) that the rehearsals have been re-made following the deaths of Makoto Itou and Kotonoha Katsura. The two undercover DDS students decided to try to get more leads by joining the school play but Fujimaru opted for a stealthy approach.
"Kyuu…I think you should join…I have a feeling that the culprit might get ideas after the inspector told the students that we're detective club members. Even after we told everyone that we're just fooling around, I don't think the culprit's buying it. Moreover…I think the culprit's somewhere here in the school…first Itou and Katsura are killed off…then the inspector and his wife…it seems that whoever is behind this is determined to keep everyone within bounds…"
"I see…okay…just keep a low profile while I try to get through the school play…"
"Just be careful…and bring your Gaia Memory and belt with you…"
"Got it."
Both then went back inside the classroom and glances at the laptop where the students' names are listed as among those who are still involved in the stage play. They are still alive but he had a feeling that one of them could be the next target and had to keep an eye on them. They are:
- Setsuna Kiyoura
- Taisuke Sawanaga
- Minami Obuchi
- Otome Katou
- Natsumi Koizumi
- Kumi Mori
- Yuuki Ashikaga
- Roka Kitsuregawa
- Kyouichi Kasannoin
- Nanami Kanroji
By then the next teacher arrive and both Kyuu and Fujimaru are surprised to see who came inside – Hajime Kindaichi! It turns out that he had a contact within the Hiroshima prefecture who also has connections and helped him infiltrate the school by having Kindaichi pose as a teacher, and Kindaichi secretly glances at the two DDS students, seemingly aware that they are here to do a secret investigation.
"Kyuu…isn't that…?"
"The guy we saw at the police station…"
"Isn't he quite young to be a teacher here…?"
"We'll have to keep an eye out in case he's the culprit…"
By then Kindaichi straightened his clothes as he told everyone that classes are about to start.
"Okay…classes are in session…I'm your Social Studies teacher…Hajime Kindaichi…"
As the students are opening their books, Kindaichi glances at Kyuu and Fujimaru, seeing that he isn't alone in making an investigation on the Hiroshima High murders. He felt that he's got competition yet he is quite annoyed yet fine with this. At least this would make investigation easier.
"Seriously…why did I have to pose as a subject teacher when I can do Physical Education instructor since that's one subject I can excel…"
-x-
At the auditorium room, Kyuu went there to audition for the lead role of the play Phantom Of The Opera, which the director of the play seem to have taken interest in him, despite his slight lower height, but the teacher sees potential in the Class Q leader. The other students who are still "contracted" in the play glances at Kyuu, seeing that he will do in playing the role of the "phantom", yet all they need now is a female lead.
"Great…a new transfer student and yet he gets cast easily as the "phantom"…"
"Well…at least we can start rehearsals…"
"Who else do you plan to place a lead in our play…?"
"Students…I make the decision and it's final…"
Outside, Kindaichi glances at the scene, seeing that the DDS student is one step ahead and the other students in the play are reluctant to accept Kyuu being in the lead role yet he finds it too early to judge and decided to observe more while another pair of silhouette eyes glances at Kyuu, seeing him as a threat and wanted to rid him as well so that his "plans" would push through.
"Kyuu Renjou, huh? Well…once I find your address…you'll be easy to find…and there I'll kill you…"
As the rehearsal is ongoing, the other students agreed that another student, Yuuki Ashikaga, would be Kyuu's alternate lead male and then they all began voting on who gets to play the female lead role, which Roka Kitsuregawa is voted to be the female protagonist of the play. Soon the other students involved on the play are given supportive roles, but the silhouette eyes began pointing towards Kyuu, intending to target him first before setting its eyes on Yuuki and Roka.
"Darn…of all the lead stars…why Yuuki and Roka…? I deserve to be the lead star…and Kyuu is not fit to be the lead male star…I'll deal with those two later…right now that detective club member boy must go…! I can't afford letting him live…his snooping might expose me even if he claims he's an amateur…I can't take any chances…I'll have to get rid of him…"
After several minutes the cast of the "Phantom of The Opera" play discussed on when the rehearsal starts and which day they are to meet so they can begin practicing their lines as the director told them that the play date will be six weeks from now and thus they must practice on the said dates. After that they are dismissed and all went home except for Kyuu as he claims that he has to do some paper work.
-x-
Outside the campus, Nogami and Yako, are at separate corners, disguising themselves as janitors, and glances at the departing students but still haven't got any breakthrough and she is wondering when the culprit would strike and who is the next target. Her musing was interrupted when Nogami took her hand and placed a snail which she shrieked on sight.
"KKKKYYYYAAAAAHHHHH!"
"He-he-he…Nogami…two points…!"
"You moron! That's disgusting!"
"At least it got rid of my boredom…"
"You're going to lose your only source of energy if you keep on pissing me off…!"
"You humans can be so short-tempered…can't you live a little humor…? At least it'll lessen our impatience…"
"You're the one who's impatient…"
The school's principal passed by and told the two to keep cleaning and the disguised detectives went back to work, not wanting to let the principal know that they're phony workers or else their chances of nailing the culprit would go to waste.
-x-
Later that evening, Kyuu and Fujimaru are staying at a rented apartment thanks to Fujimaru's allowance from Third-I, and as they are working on the case, they discussed at what Fujimaru found so far using his hacking skills, but so far he hasn't found anything useful in regards to the case. By then Kyuu decided to go be the convenient store to buy some snacks.
"Be careful out there…the case we are investigating may not be near Bloody Monday, but the deaths can be considered a prelude…we don't eve know what caused the victims' true deaths or why they died with their faces crumbling…better bring your belt and Gaia Memory with you…"
"I will…a detective must always be prepared…"
"Good to hear…and call me mentally if you run into trouble…"
"Got it."
Five minutes later Kyuu went to the convenient store and bought several snacks and is on the way home at his rented apartment when he came across someone, which is Yuuki Ashikaga, and the two began talking, which minutes later formed a fast friendship between the two.
"So…feeling nervous about being casted as the lead actor?"
"Yeah…I guess…what about you? Are you okay being my alternate stand-in…?"
"Not at all…I don't mind…as long as the director knows what he's doing…and if the play becomes a success…then it's okay…you should feel lucky…being a transfer student and easily landed a lead role…you don't know how lucky you are…"
But their discussion was interrupted when something struck Yuuki's face, and Kyuu saw it. It appeared to be a theatre mask which looked like a sad face and Yuuki is starting to have trouble breathing, and Kyuu tries to get it off but the mask remained stuck on the student's face, and to Kyuu's horror, Yuuki Ashikaga slowly dies from lack of oxygen, dying in Kyuu's arms.
"No…Yuuki…hang on! Don't die on me…! Darn…why can't I get this blasted thing off…?"
By then someone emerged from the darkness and this surprised Kyuu a lot, seeing the intruder's appearance which it appeared like a mecha, its body ws quite muscular, colored silver, sporting pointed shoulder pads, wears what appeared to be a crown on its head, and its face was…bizarre. The main face appeared metallic, sporting a similar mask from a theatre. It appeared neutral, but then it's the DDS student notices that the left and right sides also have similar faces, as the left side has a mask that resembles a "tragic mask" while the right side has an "angry" face.
"Lucky you…that brat moved and took the mask meant for you…but this time you won't escape me…"
Suddenly the intruder's "metallic face" spins around, revealing that he has four masks ' a "happy", "tragic", "horror", and a "neutral" face. After seeing the four faces, Kyuu slowly deduces that these faces may have played a part in the deaths of the four victims and realized that this intruder may be connected and now he finds himself becoming a target. The DDS student is now facing the Masked Dopant.
"You…you did this…! Why?"
"Why do you ask when you're going to die?"
With a wave of its arm, a theatre mask flew towards its target but Kyuu evaded it, and instead struck a stray dog and the dog tries to get the mask off but slowly dies due to lack of oxygen and the DDS student began to ran as he realized that he is open and needed a cover to weigh his options but the Masked Dopant goes after him, intending to catch and kill him.
"Run all you want…my masks will fit your face…no matter how big or small it fits…ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
As Kyuu ran away, he kept on swerving as he narrowly evaded the "masks" which struck a group of stray cats and he knew that he can't afford to get caught or else the culprit would continue committing more crime sprees and he is the only one who witnessed who the perpetrator.
"Who would've thought that a Dopant is behind this…? Looks like I'll be needing some help here… and fast!"
To Be Continued…
Looks like our four detective heroes from their respective series are getting at work, posing in their disguises just to get a glimpse of the school and how it works…and it appeared that Kyuu Renjou from Detective School Q is the first to find out who is behind the killings, yet he himself is about to get killed…
Preview:
See what happens if Kyuu would survive the assault or not…and who will come to Kyuu's aid…
