Phantom Memories

The chapter shifts back to Hiroshima High where Kindaichi decides to infiltrate and assumes the guise of a guidance counselor while Kyuu continues to mix in with the students as Fujimaru "hacks" into some info on the students involved in the play…and Nogami manages to get inside without arousing suspicion…

-x-

At the rest house, about 20 minutes, Minami, Kanou and Otoya are glancing at both Kyuu and Fujimaru, both are relieved, yet worried at how the two younger teens managed to narrowly escape the explosion that involves two giant masks trying to crush the two, and though Kyuu managed to use his usual humor to quell off the tension, Fujimaru is quite visibly serious as how he and Kyuu were able to evade death.

Minami: "Seriously…you two are lucky not to get crushed and exploded…"

Otoya: "We were really worried that we thought you two had died…"

Kyuu: "No worries…we're back here in one piece…"

Kanou: "Still…how did you managed to get out of the two giant masks that are about to envelope and explode on you…?"

As the rest are babbling, Fujimaru mentally looked back at the events that took place several minutes ago, and how his and Kyuu's quick thinking saved their lives.

-FLASHBACK-

About 20 minutes ago…

As the Masked Dopant grappled onto W's neck and started to strangle the prey, W immediately reacted by stomping the Metal Staff onto the Dopant's foot, and because it is powered by the Heat Memory's power, the staff' edge that hit the Dopant's foot causes a combustive impact , and pain can be felt on the Dopant, which caused it to release its hold, and then W struck the Dopant's chest area where the SWAT team's weapons earlier hit with its right hand (which is the Heat Memory's aura is felt) and the blow caused another combustive effect.

"AAARRRRGGGHHHH!"

Clutching its chest, the Dopant is starting to breath rather raggedly and realized that the tide is turning in W's favor and decided to do a diversion in order to escape and conjures several masks to form a huge phantom-like mask that is the size of a bus and had it move towards W, and before leaving, the Masked Dopant make its parting words.

"Let's see how good you are…that masks I conjure and combined have all the explosive elements which are equivalent of a mortar shell bomb…you can dodge it but it'll go straight until hitting something…like a car or a building… given the size of it, it's enough to cause an explosion to level several vehicles and lots of people…if you're that concerned…why not stop it…? Or have someone else stop it for you…"

"Kyuu…that thing's not bluffing…that giant mask is highly combustible and is like a walking bomb…"

"Darn…you…you're insane! Causing all of this over a school play…!"

"Either way you choose you cannot win!"

"When we're going to stop that mask…we'll stop you! And believe me…we'll rip that mask out of your crazy face!"

"Ha-ha-ha…! Masquerade! Every face has a different shade. Masquerade! Look around, there's another mask behind you!"

Turning around, W saw another bus-sized mask approaching from behind him as the masked Dopant secretly conjured the remains of the exploded masks and had them merge and form another explosive type mask, and now the two masks are slowly heading towards one another, slowly pinning W in between, and both Fujimaru and Kyuu are hard-pressed and had to think of a way to get out and avoid getting caught in the explosion as the Dopant makes a getaway.

Kindaichi and the SWAT force watched the scene in horror, having heard what the masked Dopant said and now they are about to witness something that they never thought they would imagine. The SWAT leader urged his men to evacuate and pulls Kindaichi away from the scene which the teen detective reluctantly does, while Yako went towards a deep field and drags an unconscious Nogami with her, and took cover while W braces himself for the inevitable.

Otoya is being restrained by the two Third-I members as they too had to seek cover to avoid getting hit by the imminent explosion and managed to persuade Fujimaru's friend to leave the area, assuring him that Fujimaru and Kyuu will be alright. Clenching his fist, he was forced to hide behind a thick wall of a nearby convenience store along with Kanou and Minami.

"Are you sure this is what we should do right now, Kanou?"

"Trust me, Minami…we can't let ourselves get caught by whatever blast those four masks are about to do…and I'm sure Fujimaru and Kyuu can survive that…Otoya…trust me on this…your friends will get out…"

"…fine…"

Meanwhile, W is slowly being pressed as the two giant masks are closing in, ready to crush the "two detectives-in-one" while feeling the heat of the two masks even though they are already armored, and as Kyuu thinks of a way to find a way out, he notices that two more giant masks appeared on both sides, thus covering all four corners and escape appeared to be impossible, but then Fujimaru thought of something and spoke to Kyuu.

"Kyuu…look upwards…! We can still get out!"

"I see…but how? The masks are to big…and jumping over it is not going to be easy…!"

"No need! I know just the thing!"

"Surprise me, computer brain…"

In an instant, W's right hand went to the right side compartment of the W-Belt and took out a flashdisk which is colored yellow with the capital "L" engraved, and removes the Heat memory flashdisk and inserts the yellow one, triggering another transformation.

W Buckle: "LUNA…METAL!"

The right side of W's body glowed and is now colored in metallic yellow, and not wasting any time, his right leg began to expand and wrapped itself around the rest of his body while his right arm stretches upward and fastens around and on top of the electric post and pulled himself up, thus escaping their trapped situation and then maneuvers around until seeing Otoya waving his hands and there W went to the thick wall and joins the others in hiding.

By then the four masks got close to each other and then exploded, and the blast was quite immense that it leveled down a few unmanned establishments and shattered windows and nearby car windows, and fortunately no one else is around, for the blast can be fatal to those who are unlucky enough to get caught. By then W removed the two flashdisks and closed the W device, and Kyuu and Fujimaru returned to normal in their separate bodies, sneaking their way out. Minami hugged Fujimaru while Kanou nudges Kyuu.

"That was close…you two had us scared…"

"Yeah…Third-I would be severely handicapped without out hacker…not to mention our important contact to Dan Detective School…"

"Thanks, you two…"

"He-he-he…"

As everyone heads back to their rented motel, Yako and a now-awakened Nogami sticking their heads up and saw the smoke that was caused by the explosion and noticed that the mask Dopant has already fled. Now they have to start again from scratch by infiltrating Hiroshima High. At least they Yako got the clue by listening to the Shakespeare phrases that the Dopant made before fleeing.

"Looks like we'll have to go back to Hiroshima High and use another disguise…I'm sure of it now…the thing controlling the masks is definitely one of the students involved…and our starting point would be the drama club…that's where it all points out…the Phantom Of The Opera play…"

"Hmm…interesting…here…you can have my sandwich…"

"Thanks…"

After taking a bit, she noticed that the rest of the sandwich has an antenna sticking out and as she opened it, a pair of cockroaches jumps out, one went to her face and this earned a shriek from the teen detective.

"KKKKKYYYYAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"Ah…music to my ears…"

"You moron! No riddles for you in a week! You'll be an ordinary human for the rest of your life!"

"ARE YOU THREATENING ME?"

"AFTER THAT PRANK YOU PULLED? HELL, YES!"

As the two bickered while leaving, Kindaichi and the SWAT team returned to survey the area, but they found no clue and Kindaichi himself is sure that the attacker is connected to Hiroshima High and now he is starting to mentally build a pattern after recalling how the incident started. He'll have to go back to Hiroshima High and assume a guise to get close to the students involved in the school play, and he'll be very careful not to give himself away.

"Hiroshima High is supposed to launch its school play, "The Phantom Of The Opera"…and now it's been delayed because of that masked murderer's action…but now I have the clues that'll pinpoint to the source…and I'll have to wriggle my way through that school…"

As Kindaichi looks around, the SWAT team are ready to leave after failing to find some pieces of clue at the aftermath of the explosion, and after a few more minutes the teen detective finally left.

-END FLASHBACK-

As everyone were drinking coffees (Kyuu and Fujimaru milk), Kyuu glances at the yellow flashdisk he is holding and Kanou glances at it, curious as to what that thing could do, and Fujimaru answers it by telling her that the Luna Memory is what helped them escape from that dire situation. Kanou then asked Fujimaru if he could see all of the Gaia Memory Fujimaru and Kyuu have and the hacker obliges, and there the Third-I agents and Otoya get to see them again and each one with different colors and once again Fujimaru explained to them what they are capable of after opening his laptop and the screen shows out the specs and info.

Cyclone Memory (サイクロンメモリ, Saikuron Memori?): The Cyclone Memory, also known as the Windy Memory (風の記憶, Kaze no Kioku?), allows the user to move at fast speeds, controlling the very power of wind, becoming the Windy Warrior (風の戦士, Kaze no Senshi?). When used, half of the user becomes the green Cyclonic Right Half (旋風の右半身, Senpū no Migi Hanshin?). Forms using the Cyclone Memory possess a Windy Stabilizer (ウィンディスタビライザー, Windi Sutabiraizā?), a silver scarf hanging from the neck.

Joker Memory (ジョーカーメモリ, Jōkā Memori?): The Joker Memory, also known as the Trump Card Memory (切り札の記憶, Kirifuda no Kioku?), allows the user to increase fighting potential, becoming the Skill Warrior (技戦士, Waza Senshi?). When used, the other half of W becomes the black Trumping Left Half (切り札の左半身, Kirifuda no Hidari Hanshin?). When the Joker Memory is placed in the Maximum Slot on the Double Driver, it allows Double to split into two halves to deliver an elemental-powered Maximum Drive attack.

Heat Memory (ヒートメモリ, Hīto Memori?): The Heat Memory, also known as the Hot Memory (熱き記憶, Atsuki Kioku?), empowers the user with the element of fire, becoming the Blazing Warrior (炎の戦士, Honō no Senshi?). When used, half of W becomes the red Heated Right Half (熱き右半身, Atsuki Migi Hanshin?).

Metal Memory (メタルメモリ, Metaru Memori?): The Metal Memory, also known as the Steel Memory (鋼鉄の記憶, Kōtetsu no Kioku?) or the Fighter Memory (闘士の記憶, Tōshi no Kioku?), empowers the user with great strength and magnified resistance to physical harm, becoming the Superpowered Warrior (怪力戦士, Kairiki Senshi?). When used, half of W becomes the silver Fighting Left Half (闘士の左半身, Tōshi no Hidari Hanshin?). When the Metal Memory is placed in the Maximum Slot on the Metal Shaft, it allows Double to infuse the tips of the Metal Shaft with an elemental-powered Maximum Drive attack.

Luna Memory (ルナメモリ, Runa Memori?): The Luna Memory, also known as the Illusion Memory (幻想の記憶, Gensō no Kioku?), allows the user to cast illusions, stretching limbs and bending gunshots, becoming the Mysterious Warrior (神秘の戦士, Shinpi no Senshi?). When used, half of W becomes the gold Fantastical Right Half (幻想の右半身, Gensō no Migi Hanshin?).

Trigger Memory (トリガーメモリ, Torigā Memori?): The Trigger Memory, also known as the Sniper Memory (銃撃手の記憶, Jūgekishu no Kioku?), turns the user into an expert marksman, becoming the Gun Warrior (銃戦士, Jū Senshi?). When used, half of W becomes the blue Sniping Left Half (狙撃手の左半身, Sogekishu no Hidari Hanshin?). When the Trigger Memory is placed in the Maximum Slot on the Trigger Magnum, it allows W to fire an elemental-powered Maximum Drive attack.

After the lecture, they discussed about what to do next, and Kyuu suggested that while he continue to "ride along" with the drama club, Fujimaru will hide within the school and will try to hack the school records of the students involved in the drama play so he could pinpoint which one of them is the culprit.

-x-

The next day, Kyuu attended class and is doing his usual chores as an undercover detective pretending to be a boy, amid the other classmates' rumor-spreading news about an explosion last night and the killings while the others, who are members of the drama club, are trying not to let themselves get affected as the president of the drama club told its members that an emergency meeting will be held after classes, and Kyuu was all attention since he too is a member of the drama club and play (also undercover).

By then the principal of the school came and following him is Kindaichi himself, and the principal made the announcement as he introduced the newcomer.

"Everyone…I'd like you to meet your new guidance counselor…Kajime Hindaichi…who will also be your teacher in Psychology."

"Please to meet you…I'm Kajime Hindaichi. I hope we'll get along well…"

As this is going on, a pair of silhouette eyes is aimed at Kyuu, and the culprit is among the ones within the class and is determined to get Kyuu out of the picture, unmindful of what's happening, though the culprit appeared to be overconfident.

"This time…I won't let you out of my sight…and I'll see to it that you'll die here and the best part of the play will go to me!"

Elsewhere within Hiroshima High, Fujimaru was able toi hide himself and was able to hack his way through the school's computer and downloaded the names of the students involved in the school play. He glances at the list of names and began to work on his hacking abilities as well as using his mental abilities to "search" for probabilities.

- Makoto Itou (dead)

- Kotonoha Katsura (dead)

- Setsuna Kiyoura

- Taisuke Sawanaga

- Minami Obuchi

- Otome Katou

- Natsumi Koizumi

- Kumi Mori

- Yuuki Ashikaga (dead)

- Roka Kitsuregawa

- Kyouichi Kasannoin

- Nanami Kanroji

"Hmm…now all I have to do is mentally scan the names and then…one by one I'll talk to the students who are close to the names in the drama club…then I'll see if I can establish a lead to this caper…"


To Be Continued…

Everyone survives for the night and now the scene shifts back to Hiroshima High…and this time the detective elements are coming into play…

Kyuu and Fujimaru tells their friends what their weapons, the "Gaia Memory" disks can do and how they function and what capabilities they lend in a situation…

Kindaichi steps in and does his own way of going undercover…and even mixed his names so no one would suspect him of being a detective…and posing as a guidance counselor and Psychology teacher…

Nogami likes to poke fun at Yako…giving her a sandwich with two live cockroaches…gross…


Preview:

Kindaichi gets to work and started to get along with the drama club while the culprit continues to stalk Kyuu, while Fujimaru starts to interview the students close to the drama club members and slowly gets some shocking revelations…