The Case of the Manila Envelope-Chapter 18
by HA
"We must apologize for coming in at such a late hour," Rika told Gran after taking a good sip of cocoa.
Gran gently waved away the apology. "Oh, don't worry about it. I think it's nice to meet some of Shirley's other friends."
As Bo sat next to Shirley at the kitchen table, he glared at Rika, Sara, and Yume while drinking a mug of the hot cocoa Gran had made and holding a homemade sugar cookie. The night's events haven't exactly left him with a glowing impression of them, especially considering the facts that Yume/Tomie had tried to strangle him and had forced Shirley to play a game in which losing would result in insanity or even death.
"Still, I'm rather curious on why all of you were out at this time," Gran said as she finished washing her mug. "Come to think of it, I never saw you on my way here."
"Oh, we were just...hanging out," Shirley said quickly, "and we took an alternative route here."
Her statement wasn't exactly a lie. Yume had teleported the teens and their bikes just where Shirley had wanted, and a minute or two later, Gran had shown up in her sweats. Instead of asking questions, however, Shirley's grandmother invited everyone in for a snack and something warm to drink. In fact, Yume was enjoying the sugar cookies a little too much; Shirley couldn't help but stare as the Japanese girl wolfed down cookie after cookie between sips of cocoa.
Gran let out a small yawn. "Well, I'll leave you kids here. That walk was very rejuvenating, but it's time for me to go to bed. Shirley, make sure you clean up, okay?"
"Okay, Gran," Shirley answered. "Night."
After Gran had left the kitchen and a few minutes of chewing cookies and sipping cocoa, Bo addressed Shirley. "All right, explain."
"Yes, Shirley," Rika said after taking a long sip of cocoa. "How did you figure everything out?"
Shirley drank from her mug before explaining everything to her friends. "For one thing, the behavior of you two."
"Our behavior?" Sara asked, accidentally spraying crumbs out of her mouth. Realizing what she had done, she grinned sheepishly and resumed chewing without saying a word.
"When you two were at the hotel, you talked to the desk clerk only," Shirley recalled. "You didn't even bother checking out the room, and that's essential for an investigator to do. Also, Rika definitely knew who she was dealing with."
"True," Rika acknowledged with a nod.
"Then there were the blatant attempts at reverse psychology," Shirley stated. "You knew I'd keep investigating no matter what, and you've studied me for a while so that you were sure of it."
"How true," Sara said, laughing nervously.
"There was one more thing that gave everything away," Shirley said.
"What would that be?" Sara asked.
"Tomie's challenge," Shirley said, glancing at Yume. "Her accusations struck me as rather extreme, not to mention inconsistent with those of her previous victims. From what I gathered, you targeted people who violated others physically and mentally."
Yume nodded. "This is true."
"Now, your attempt to get me to play a game with you also showed me that you were told about me." Shirley put her mug down and looked at the two Strangers. "After all, it's not like I'm well-known. I noted that all the people you've targeted were usually involved in some big crime story like the man in New York." She took a cookie and bit into it. "I presume you noticed the pickpocket at the airport?" she inquired after swallowing.
"Yes," Yume acknowledged. "I couldn't help but do something about it."
"I see." Shirley bit into her cookie again. "I must say that this night was rather...interesting."
"Interesting?" Bo almost leapt out of his chair, and he didn't care if the Strangers were of the fairer sex. His grip tightened around the handle of his mug as he glared at Yume, who was about to bite into another cookie. "These guys just decided to put you through hell-not to mention nearly choke me to death-and all you can say about the whole thing is 'interesting'?"
"It was not our intention to harm Shirley," Rika said.
Bo stood in front of Rika and glared at her. "So what exactly was your intention?"
"We had to test her," Sara said.
"Test her?" Now Bo glared at Sara. "Test her for what?"
Sara fidgeted under Bo's hard gaze. "Um...well...Arthur said..."
"Arthur?" Bo looked at his mug and pondered hitting someone with it. "I should've known he'd be behind this."
"Well, Bo, considering that he's the president of the Strangers' Club, that was a given," Shirley said.
Bo stared at his best friend incredulously. "Shirl, these guys put you in danger, and you're not even mad?"
"I was never really in danger, Bo," Shirley told her friend. "I didn't really fit the profile of Tomie's usual targets."
"So?" Bo frowned, but as he stared into her blue eyes, he started to calm down, and eventually he sat down.
"You always target people you define as those who violate others," Shirley said to Yume. "Could this have to do with you being almost raped a few years back?"
Silence filled the room as Yume dropped her cookie to the floor. Everyone stared at Shirley, then at Yume, whose lips were trembling. "H-h-h-h-how...?"
"It came up during my research on the Gamer of the Dark," Shirley said. "According to what I read, the Gamer showed up first in Japan around the time after a young girl was almost raped by a gang of high school boys after a Monster Battler tournament in Tokyo. The victim's identity wasn't disclosed, but I did follow up on a description of a girl who was last seen with the alleged attackers. It matched one of a girl photgraphed at the tournament, and the photo's caption identified her as Yume Miraino, who was helping judge the event." She paused and looked at Yume.
Yume's hands were clasped in her lap, and they fidgeted rapidly. "They...they were going to do bad things to me," she said, her head bowed.
"I know," Shirley said gently, and her eyes fell on the spiral medallion around Yume's neck. "Interesting."
Yume looked up, and then looked at her medallion. "Yes," she said, taking the spiral into her hands. "A gift from my father."
"I assume that's what transforms in you into your alter ego as well as gives you your other abilities," Shirley said.
"You are correct," Yume said, letting the medallion hang around her neck. "My father said it would make me stronger."
"Did he say you'd turn into a psychotic person who uses games to punish people?" Bo quipped, earning him a glare with a raised eyebrow from Shirley.
"I read about what happened to the boys who tried to rape you," Shirley said. "According to the newspaper, it took them two days before they recovered from..." She searched her mind for the right words. "...being killed repeatedly by Monsters from the game?"
Yume nodded, and her eyes seemed to flash an eerie yellow. "They got what they deserved."
"I see," Shirley said without even flinching. "So, what made you become the Gamer of the Dark?"
Yume lifted the medallion to her face. "There is an inscription on this written in kanji." She translated the characters in a clear voice. "'Whoever wears this medallion will wield dark powers and pass judgment in the name of justice, and woe to those who are guilty.'"
"So, basically, you're a supernatural vigilante," Bo remarked.
"That is a very accurate label," Yume said. "I go wherever the innocent suffer, and I make the guilty pay."
"She's done a lot of good in her own way, really," Sara said. "Just like you, Shirley."
"Yes," Shirley said, her eyes still focused on Yume. "I assume Arthur wanted to test me for any future dangers?"
"That was his intention," Yume answered. "Arthur-kun is an honorable person."
"I'll bet," Bo grumbled, his arms folded tightly over his chest.
Yume looked at Shirley as she reached for her mug. "If you're still wondering, no matter which deck you chose, you still would've won," she said.
"Ah," Shirley said.
"Only the guilty have lost a game to me." After taking a sip from her mug, Yume spoke again. "Shirley, although our methods differ greatly, you and I both try to help people as best as we can." She took a bite from another sugar cookie. "I must also assume that we both have the same regret."
"Oh?" Shirley looked at Yume curiously. "What regret would that be?"
Yume finished her cookie in a few bites. "That we can't do more."
Shirley nodded solemnly while wondering about the things Yume had done in the name of justice, and silence filled the room momentarily. "Wait a minute," Bo said, causing everyone to stare at him. "Aren't you two"-he pointed at Yume and Rika-"bitter enemies or something?"
Yume and Rika looked at each other, grinned, and then broke out into laughter. Remembering that Gran was probably trying to get some sleep, they stopped themselves and wiped the tears away from their eyes.
"We've known each other since we were little," Rika revealed.
"The Tamura and Miraino families have always been close in friendship and business," Yume added.
"Although we tend to compete with each other now and then," Rika added with a smile.
Yume sighed and grinned, and not in a way associated with someone who enjoyed driving people insane. "When Rika was still living in Japan, we competed on all fronts..."
"...and made a few laughs afterwards," Rika said. "I kept beating her in athletics..."
"...while I triumphed in academics," Yume said right before finishing a cookie in two big bites.
Bo stared along as everyone else as Yume helped herself to more cookies and downed them quickly. It was only broken when after Yume swallowed her latest one, she said cheerfully with a smile, "I can tell these are homemade. May I have the recipe?"
* * * * *
"Well, that was..." Alicia began as she and Stink chained their bikes to the rack next to the dorm building.
"What?" Stink said as he followed her to the dorm entrance.
"Weird," Alicia completed as she took out her key for the front door. "I mean, in all the craziness about your obsession with Molly, we forgot to put our bikes in a safe place."
"Yeah, and we just find them secured to the rack outside the restaurant," Stink said. "Weird."
"That's not the only thing weird about tonight," Alicia said as she unlocked the door.
Stink followed her inside and watched as she relocked the door. "What do you mean by that?"
"Um, well..." Alicia faced Stink, and oddly enough, she did her best to keep looking at him. "For one thing, we didn't try to kill each other tonight."
"Yeah," Stink said with a little laugh. "Miracles do happen." He bowed his head. "Well, not all the time," he added sadly.
"Still wish you were with Molly tonight?" Alicia asked.
"Yeah," Stink said with a smile as he looked upward.
Alicia sighed and shook her head. "You just won't give up on her, will you?"
Still wearing a smile, Stink looked down at Alicia. "Even if I have to fight Blake Hewitt for her hand."
"Not exactly a good idea, if you ask me," Alicia said.
"Um, good point," Stink said, recalling vaguely having seen Blake in action once.
As they made their way up the stairs, Alicia couldn't help but ask one more question. "Say, Stink, you keep saying that Molly's the one for you, right?"
"Yep," he replied.
"So, why are you so persistent on finding the right one for you?"
"Well..." Stink stopped at the top of the staircase. "I really don't want to end up like my parents."
Alicia said nothing, and for a moment, she looked at Stink with pity. After a moment, the two teens continued on their way to their rooms.
* * * * *
Inside her dorm room, Molly sat at her computer. Her scanner laid open, ready for use, and in her hands, she held the manila envelope. Ever since she received it from her confederate, she had kept it sealed. Now, she was determined to open it, scan its contents, and post them on her Y website. After all, she had to make Blake pay for what happened that night. Noting the slight thickness of the object inside, she reached for the flap.
*How dare he...!* she thought, ready to rip the envelope open, open what was inside, and begin scanning it. *Making me spill my guts, making me sing that horrible song! Oh, when I get those pictures from my pawn, I'll post them and...*
She recalled how she quickly ran up the stairs once Blake was gone. She had unlocked her door and changed into her bedclothes immediately. While looking in her mirror, she had yanked out the hairpins holding up her bun, and as her blond locks tumbled down, she was reminded of Blake's comment about her looking better with her hair down. She felt like her face was burning as she dashed to the bathroom, and she took more than a few minutes to brush her teeth since she kept thinking of that kiss. Whenever that would happen, she would squirt more toothpaste onto her brush and keep brushing as hard as she could.
Once she got back, she got out the manila envelope and booted up her computer. However, even after everything was ready, Molly just stared at the envelope in her hands, and even at that moment, she couldn't bring herself to even tear it open. As she stared at the envelope, her mind drifted back to Blake despite her best efforts to stop herself. Despite the situation she had forced upon him, he had taken everything well, and she had to admit she did have a little fun on their date. She clearly saw his eyes, his hair, his mouth...oh, she definitely remembered his mouth, especially how it pressed against hers. It had felt nice, and it made her warm all over...
"Aaargh!" Molly tossed the envelope against the wall, and it made a loud smack before falling to the floor. That didn't stop her thoughts, though. Over and over, the kiss was replayed in her mind as she stared at her computer screen. Nausea once again afflicted her stomach along with her heart rapidly beating, and she felt her face burn up. She clutched her chest and took a deep breath, but she could still picture Blake mentally. Shaking her head, she got out of her chair and walked towards the fallen envelope. Glaring at the paper container, she reached for it, but she then froze and looked at her hand. It was the same one that had started to move towards the back of Blake's head, and she started seeing what would've happened if she had successfully moved him closer to her lips.
Gasping, she yanked her hand back and her eyes went back and forth between her hand and the envelope. "What's wrong with me?" she whispered, her heart still beating like a jackhammer while her face got even hotter.
END OF CHAPTER 18