Monday, March 9th, 2015 – 17:41
Hashimoto Residence
She was glad to be home.
From double maths with the vile Ms Clapton to double drama with the soulless Miss Richardson, Yuuki's day at school had felt never ending. It wasn't as if anything bad had happened to her, she just wasn't in the mood. The wait for the last central shadow to appear, her relationship with Iain and the knowledge that Richard 'get out of my way or else' Lucas was romantically interested in her each prevented Yuuki from concentrating on studying, although she admitted to herself that these could simply be excuses.
"Maybe it's apathy syndrome."
Right now she was staring at her ceiling, wondering what she should do. It was sunny outside but she didn't feel like leaving. There were cartoons on the television but she wasn't interested and reading sounded a chore. Her lack of knowledge about Iain still disturbed her, and she knew she wouldn't feel better until she changed that fact. An idea began forming in her head.
Yuuki heard a chap at her door. She called whoever it was to come in. It turned out to be her father.
"Hello sweetie," said Katsuo in his cheerful way.
"Hi dad, do you want something?"
"If you're not too busy I'd like to talk to you."
"Erm, sure, what about?"
Yuuki felt nervous as she watched her father close her door, shuffle across her room and rest on her chair. He scanned her room without focusing on anything specific.
"It's been over six months since we moved here, I was wondering how you felt about it."
"Erm, fine I guess."
"Are you homesick?"
"Sometimes," admitted Yuuki, "but I'm usually too busy to think about Japan, and I still keep in touch with an old classmate of mine."
"That's good. To tell the truth I was worried about moving here. I wasn't sure how it would work out."
Hearing her father speak like this made Yuuki curious. "Why did we move?"
"T-There were lots of reasons," stuttered Katsuo nervously, "but they aren't important, and a change of scenery is a good thing."
Sensing that he didn't want to talk about it Yuuki decided not to ask further. Last year she had overheard vague mutterings of 'fraud' at her father's company that coincided with their sudden departure and assumed that he was somehow implicated, although she would never repeat such rumours to him. If it was a lie it would seem as though she had no faith in him, but if it was true…
"How is school? Are you studying hard?"
"It's okay. My scores are about average but I'm hoping they'll improve."
"Don't try to do too much," her father said with a smile. "Is Iain well?"
"H-He is," whispered Yuuki.
She really didn't want to talk about her boyfriend. Perhaps Katsuo picked up on this as he returned to his feet and walked to the door. Before leaving he opened his mouth as though to say something but changed his mind. He simply stated that 'supper will be ready soon' and left.
Yuuki returned to her staring contest against her ceiling. It was rare for either of her parents to talk to her privately making her wonder if there had been an ulterior motive behind her father's visit. She dismissed such a thought almost instantly. Her dad just wanted to talk to her. But something was nagging at the back of her mind, something vague and ill-defined.
"Thou hast established a new bond. From hence forth the Tower Arcana shall bless thee."
The social link voice came as a surprise. Yuuki had heard it many times before however it was almost always unexpected. Perhaps she was right when she guessed that something was bothering her father, although she had no idea what it could be. Yuuki left her room and washed up for dinner.
aaa
Tuesday, March 10th, 2015 – 00:00
Dream Lane
When the other world arrived Yuuki left her home and made her way to Iain's apartment.
The journey didn't take long as she was used to cycling through the deserted, darkened streets of Bishopmill. Down various lanes and between vacant stationary cars she travelled until she reached the Haugh. Yuuki placed her bike against the outer wall of Iain's apartment block and moved round to his window. She saw him, dressed in a shirt and tie, surrounded by artificial lights that had been arranged in an intricate fashion, writing into a notepad whilst reading from a textbook.
Yuuki chapped against the glass that separated them. Iain's startled response made her giggle. He moved to open the window which she climbed through.
"There are easier methods of entering a building," stated Iain flatly.
"But this is more interesting," replied Yuuki as she straightened her skirt.
Iain looked at her. His face held a placid, impossible to interpret expression. It was his natural look which made it difficult for anyone to tell exactly what he was thinking. Yuuki had hoped he would react in some way to her arrival; annoyed, happy, intrigued, even yelling at her would be fine. But still he continued to look at her, waiting for her to speak first.
"Aren't you even curious why I came here?"
"I am," answered Iain, "however since I have not detected any shadows, and you have not stated your purpose immediately, I can eliminate a pressing outside concern from the list of possibilities. My best guess is that this is a social visit aimed at discussing a matter that you have already given some consideration to."
Her eyebrow twitched violently. She hated how he did that.
"We've been dating for a while and we don't know very much about each other so I thought it would be a good idea to spend more time talking about ourselves."
"I was under the impression we had a well formed understanding of one another," said Iain sincerely.
"I didn't even know your birthday!" retorted Yuuki. "That was so embarrassing. Becky and Bonnie came up with this questionnaire a few nights ago."
She showed Iain the piece of paper entitled 'Your special someone'. He started reading through the questions.
"Neither of us would score very well," insisted Yuuki. "I think we should begin with this."
"I see. That may be prudent. My score would be nine and a half, depending on interpretation."
Yuuki looked at her boyfriend. She didn't believe he could score that many and asked him to give his answers. Iain did so without hesitation.
"I believe your favourite movie to be 'Mayonaka TV' starring Rise Kujikawa, which you described in very positive terms. Your favourite meal is toast which is lightly buttered, which you prepare most mornings. Your hobbies include fighting shadows, although that could be considered as a responsibility, cycling and other forms of exercise, and reading, specifically adventure novels. Your favourite location is unknown to me however you did profess a fondness for the rooftop of this building. Favourite animal is also unknown unless you consider your persona Jack Frost, whom you consider highly, in such terms. Your favourite subject at school is history, primarily due to your teacher Mr Niven but also in part to the presence of Rebecca and Agnes. Your favourite colour is yellow which features on many of the clothes you wear. Although not an irrational fear, your greatest concern is the wellbeing of your friends and brother. More specifically you are worried about shadows which use mind control or hallucinations. Your date of birth is the 19th of September 1997. Your favourite song is 'Heroine' by Gas Chamber, which you use as a ringtone for your mobile phone. In relation to your most viewed television show I must confess to being ignorant."
"How did you know all of that?" demanded Yuuki.
"Was I not supposed to?"
"That's, erm," she looked down at her feet, "I don't know that much about you."
"You needn't be concerned," replied Iain dismissively, "I would suggest this type of information is trivia, and that you know 'me' well."
Although she could tell he was trying to comfort her, Yuuki didn't feel better. If he had struggled then she would have been upset, but the fact that he paid more attention to her than she did to him was worse. Yuuki couldn't admit to being the nicest or most considerate person in the world; however this made her realise how selfish she really was.
"I don't have a favourite film." She looked up at Iain who had spoken randomly, "I prefer simple foods to complex meals. Reading is my main hobby, specifically technical books regarding physics and chemistry, although I did enjoy karaoke with you. My favourite location is anywhere peaceful, or at my desk. I faintly remember my parents owning various species of marine life, which I would consider to be my favourite animals. Chemistry would be my favourite school subject and grey is my preferred colour. I wouldn't consider myself to have any irrational fears although…My date of birth is the 28th of February 1998. Music is of little interest to me however I tend to notice 'special to me' more often than other songs. Finally I do not own a television, and thus have no favourite 'show'."
Yuuki closed her eyes and allowed a smile to creep onto her face. She kissed Iain on the cheek and climbed back through his window. 'That really was trivia', she thought as she pedalled home through the darkness, 'but I'm glad he told me'.
aaa
Wednesday, March 11th, 2015 – 00:00
Blair residence
Gordon Hill
The last time the members of the Afterschool Shadow Hunters required help from Mr Blair they needed to visit his constituency office. It was an experience which Yuuki hadn't enjoyed, partly thanks to his unfriendly secretary 'Carol', but also because she had run into DI Rose Cameron. She didn't want to repeat either of those experiences.
Fortunately there was an alternative. As a result of being saved from a central shadow Fraser Blair was now fully aware of the other world. He, like all the other persona users, could wander through that time between one day and the next that was unknown to most people. Taking advantage of this fact Yuuki decided to pay him a visit. She knocked at the door to his luxurious mansion, but stepped inside when she heard no response.
"Mr Blair," she called into the dark, "are you here?"
There was light coming from the kitchen. As she moved around she eventually spotted candles resting on a table. Sitting next to them, wrapped in a red dressing gown and listening to music through headphones, was Fraser.
"Mr Blair?"
Yuuki touched his shoulder, causing him to panic. After examining her for a moment he seemed to calm down again. The reassuring smile he wore on TV returned as he moved across to gather a wine glass. He picked up a bottle of Merlot red.
"You call at the most unsociable hours Miss Hashimoto."
He poured two glasses and handed one of her. Yuuki sniffed what he had offered her and detected a mixture of smells. There was a hint of mint which surprised her, although she didn't know anything about wine. Unfortunately she was too young to drink, causing her to return his gift.
"I'm under 18."
"Then perhaps next year," crooned Fraser, "what can I do for you?"
Yuuki nodded her head as she recalled the purpose of her visit. "I explained to you once before that the only electrical or mechanical devices that work during the other world are those we are touching at midnight."
"Go on."
"But there aren't many things we own that are useful to us. I was hoping that you would keep an eye out for anything that could be helpful. I understand that you're very busy and we'd appreciate any help you can give."
"I'll do that. Take a look at this," Mr Blair moved across the room and reached into a cupboard. He pulled out a plastic device slightly larger than a cell phone that had a yellow and black plastic casing. It had grooves to fit over a man's knuckles and a blue LED at the front, which was currently inactive.
"What is this?" asked Yuuki.
"A taser gun, it's the latest police model. It's got quite a kick."
"I thought these were illegal."
"They are that's why you didn't receive this from me," insisted Mr Blair, "don't get caught with it, a few of these went missing last month and they've never been found."
"I didn't hear about that."
"Of course not it would have cost me the election. A few good contacts of mine managed to keep it low key for me. What people don't know doesn't hurt them."
'What else don't we know?' wondered Yuuki silently. Still she was grateful to Mr Blair for giving her this piece of equipment. She didn't know if they could use it during a fight but it was better than nothing, especially if they were against an enemy that was vulnerable to electricity.
"Thou hast enhanced a bond. From hence forth the Devil Arcana shall bless thee."
"Things will return to normal soon," stated Fraser, "I suggest you leave before my wife wakes up. She might not believe me if I said 'this pretty young schoolgirl wanted my help fighting supernatural monsters'. Her and Carol have so much in common, it must be something about violent jealous women that I like."
Although she didn't want to comprehend the commentary, Yuuki understood his point. She bowed politely and left the house. It was a long cycle home down the side of Gordon Hill, during which the other world came to an end.
aaa
Wednesday, March 11th, 2015 – 17:32
Bridge Street
Gym'll fix it
According to Iain, the stun gun she had received from Fraser Blair would be useless against the shadows.
He explained that the output would be between 100 and 500 kV, compared to a lightning bolt which could produce 120 million volts. The scale of difference was obvious. Yuuki felt a little disappointed by this however Iain didn't dismiss her idea of carrying and using such weapons entirely. He stated there was a possibility that they could fashion a more powerful taser, although he admitted there probably wasn't enough time to produce something workable.
When school finished Yuuki decided to go to the health club 'Gym'll fix it' for some exercise. If what they knew about the shadows was correct then the next sequence of murders would begin any day now, and she wanted to be ready. In addition she knew that Priscilla came here every Wednesday, meaning that she wouldn't be alone. Priss was already in the middle of her extensive training regime when Yuuki arrived.
The two girls trained side by side until around 5:30. After having a shower and changing into fresh clothes the pair were about to leave when they noticed a group of people congregated around a television.
"The official reason for her retirement from the sport was due to illness, however a book due to be published regarding drugs abuse in athletics claimed the 400 meter specialist was regularly taking various banned narcotics."
Yuuki heard the people around her whispering and glancing around. She looked towards Priss and noticed she was walking away, her head drooped low. The news report continued.
"There have been no official statements from Priscilla Schilling or any of the other athletes in response to these accusations. In other news-"
'Priscilla Schilling'. Yuuki chased after her friend and eventually caught her marching quickly towards her apartment in the Haugh. Her face was downcast.
"Are you okay?" asked Yuuki.
"…"
"I'm sure it's some kind of misunderstanding. Please don't let it upset you."
Priss didn't respond. The two continued to travel westwards at a rapid pace, overtaking slower walking pedestrians. They only stopped at traffic lights, but even then Priscilla refused to speak. Yuuki wasn't sure if she should leave her alone or continue to follow. She decided upon the latter.
They soon arrived outside her home on Liberty Street. Priss used her key to open the door to block 8 and stepped inside. Yuuki decided to challenge her.
"Please tell me what's wrong."
Her older colleague hesitated for a moment, her arms and legs visibly shaking. She nodded and continued walking to her apartment. Yuuki interpreted this as an invitation.
The decoration inside Priscilla's home was barren. It was worse than Iain's flat. The wallpaper was old and had hints of dampness, the carpet was stained beyond recovery and the furniture was mismatched and in some instances heavily damaged. It looked as though it had been vandalised although the lackadaisical way her host tossed her keys into a cheap plastic bowl suggested there was nothing untoward. There were only three rooms; a kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom come living area. A worn mattress was leaning against a wall and was covered by a thin blanket and the only items of any value Yuuki could see were the old fashioned box shaped television, the raggedy couch and the two acoustic guitars that were piled next to a box of cleaning accessories.
"Sorry, I don't usually have guests."
Priss made her way to the tiny kitchen and opened her fridge. The light wasn't working, but Yuuki could still make out what was inside; five bottles containing a clear liquid, a packet of cold meat, camembert, and a copious collection of eggs. Priscilla took two bottles out and gave one to Yuuki. She had a sip and instantly realised it was tap water. Priss meanwhile sat on her seat and reached for a guitar, which she proceeded to tune one string at a time.
"It's true."
Yuuki blinked to make sure her host had actually spoken, "what's true?"
"The news story, what they said is true."
The confession surprised her. Yuuki sat down and attempted to gather her thoughts. She said nothing and waited for Priss to continue with her story.
"I was fifteen. I didn't want to do anything. Running and winning trophies didn't matter to me anymore. I wanted to curl up in a ball and be forgotten."
"What happened?"
"My…my dad died."
Yuuki noticed her friend's usually steady voice break a little. There were tears welling up in her eyes but she continued talking.
"I didn't want to do anything anymore. I wanted to be left alone. My next race I came last. I couldn't concentrate on anything. Weeks went by and I kept becoming slower and slower. One of the coaches wanted to kick me out of the athletics club I was in, but another said he'd help me. He pulled me to one side and asked what was wrong. I told him. He said he could give me something that would ease the pain."
"Drugs."
"A type of monoamine oxidase inhibitor," elaborated Priscilla, "he had been storing them under a fake prescription. I was taking 60 mg a day. I would take extra whenever I was in a competition, or if I had to meet people."
Priss went on to explain her daily routine. She stated all the foods she couldn't eat, like cheese and liver, and how her blood pressure steadily became worse. Taking the drugs through customs was the biggest problem but her coach usually did that for her.
"But last year, before I was about to take part in the commonwealth games I tried to stop taking them. I couldn't stop shaking. I felt dizzy at the slightest movement and couldn't sleep for days at a time. And whenever I closed my eyes I imagined myself falling or having nightmares. It was a month before I was back to 'normal', but by that time it was too late to take part. That's when I decided to quit athletics. I didn't want to through that again. That's all there is. Sorry, I didn't mean to talk for so long."
Yuuki sat in silence. She didn't know Priss had gone through so much. To become so depressed that she needed to take anti-depressants for six years seemed hard to believe. She wasn't the most outgoing person, but to Yuuki she had been nothing more than eccentric.
"I don't know what to say."
"I'm alright now. I'm sorry but-"
Priscilla's eyes were welling up again. Yuuki guessed her friend wanted to be alone for a while. She stood up, tried her best to reassure her, and then left. When she closed the door she could hear Priss weeping freely. Yuuki too shed a tear, for there was nothing she could do for her.
"Thou hast enhanced a bond. From hence forth the Chariot Arcana shall bless thee."
The trek home was a long and silent one.
aaa
Thursday, March 12th, 2015 – 15:30
Bishopmill Academy
What she had been told yesterday continued to nag at her. Yuuki couldn't help but be pestered by worry. She knew something about Priss that few others could even suspect, a terrible secret that persisted to torment her silently.
Yuuki didn't notice the final bell ring or Miss Richardson dismissing them, she was too lost in thought. She only woke from her daze when she felt someone shaking her shoulders with considerable force.
"What's wrong Terrance?"
"Class is over, although you do look fine when you're staring off into space like that."
"Huh? Oh."
Terry had a concerned expression on his face, which was unusual for him. Yuuki smiled and waved casually. He appeared to relax and offered to walk her to the main gate. She agreed. The two talked in an informal way, joking, sharing stories, but Yuuki was still thinking about Priss. There had to be something she could do for her.
"So I said, 'if it had grown up it would have made a dreadfully ugly child, but it makes rather a handsome pig'."
"Sorry Terrance," said Yuuki apologetically, "I wasn't listening."
"(Sigh) even pretty and brave have their limits."
Before he could explain what he meant the pair was stopped by two burly policemen. The fat one, who had a pudgy countenance hidden beneath his flat black cap, stood directly in front of her and gazed intently at her face with his unsympathetic eyes.
"Are you Yuuki Hashimoto? Come with us."
"See you later," said Terry who proceeded to abandon her.
She growled at her retreating friend. Yuuki had experienced this before. She knew where they would be taking her, or more accurately, to whom. Without offering any resistance she followed the two officers to their marked car and settled in the back seat for the drive to the police station. They sped off quickly.
The police station was a flurry of noise and activity when they arrived, but she had seen this during her previous visits, and thus remained unconcerned. She was taken to the same plain interview room as last time, the one with the no smoking sign on the door and the messy desk in the middle of the room, and was left alone to wait. There were masses of pages and scribbles littering every available surface, lying in plain sight. One in particular caught her eye. Yuuki snatched a quick peek.
Yuuki Hashimoto too young/stupid? no history, certainly involved
Charlie Phillips solid alibi for 1st and 5th sequences
Anne Fletcher fled abroad, no good
Andrew Keir possible but unlikely, history (family)
Harvey Jackson possible, history
Graham Gordon likely, although previously ruled out, history
Richard Jolly idiot
Roger Canning MAD employee, close to Milan, no history (save employer)
Glen Kean double idiot, no, no, no
Ruth Saxon not impossible, loose connections
George Potter unlikely, alibi for 2nd sequence
Stuart McDonald abroad, no good
Jeanette McCallum abroad, no good
Matt Dillon solid alibi for 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th murders
Seeing her name at the top of the list had attracted her attention, but Yuuki was more interested in the accompanying notes. It didn't look like an official record, rather a personal one that had been completed in a hurry. She wondered what 'history' meant. The most annoying thing was the comment 'too young/stupid?' It seemed a little unnecessary.
The subtle noise of the door handle being turned was picked up by Yuuki's keen ears, and she returned the note to its original position. She turned to face the person who had come through the door; DI Rose Cameron. The first thing the woman did was open the drawer to her desk, pull out the ashtray that had been concealed within, and light a cigarette. Her face immediately appeared to relax.
"Erm, detective inspector," whispered Yuuki nervously, "did you want to speak to me?"
Rose ignored her. She continued to smoke freely, leaning back in her chair which caused some of the dying embers of her fag to fall onto her cheap suit. Yuuki couldn't help but consider the potential fire risk.
"The investigations team is being disbanded," stated Rose between deep inhales, "everyone is being sent home."
"Did they solve the case?" asked Yuuki, already knowing the answer.
"Funny enough no. Instead they're bringing in a new team of investigators. These people don't fu…mess around. They have an advantage over regular Joes like me. Everything they do is kept hush-hush. They can keep anyone they want for as long as they want. If the press even consider talking about them they're hauled in front of a judge and given so many court restrictions that their great-grandkids will need lawyers. You'd be surprised how many careers that ends."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I thought I would give you one last chance. You see I lied when I said everyone is being sent home, just one lucky lady is staying around to join the new team, me. So, if you know something, tell me now. If you are the killer, then you may as well confess because soon, very soon, you'll be rotting in a police cell anyway, and no-one will be able to help you."
Yuuki grasped the edge of her black school uniform tightly. How could she say 'there are these things called shadows and they kill people'? But if Rose was being serious then there was no telling what the police would do. Yuuki took a deep breath and told herself to calm down.
"Am I free to go?" she enquired with false confidence.
"Bold…stupid but bold. Get out."
The harshness of DI Cameron's voice startled Yuuki, but she did her best to conceal it. She stood up, walked towards the door and stepped into a busy corridor. The people that passed paid her no attention, but she was shaking. There was something about Rose that scared her. Perhaps it was her keen intuition that she was involved, perhaps it was the threats that she was making, but whatever it was it made Yuuki nervous.
One question remained; was DI Rose Cameron bluffing, or telling the truth. Only time would tell.
End of Chapter 13
