Digital Monsters: Back In Action

By Charles Xavier

…

The Crime Scene

…

Eddie couldn't believe how technologically advanced Tokyo was compared to Hollywood, not to mention more populated it was. Crowds of people from every direction walked across the city streets. Cinematic billboards were seen on almost every block, showing strange and unusual looking cartoons. The Lieutenant didn't seem as amazed though, since this wasn't his first time here. Eddie stared wondrously

"Since when did you start to speak English?" The Lieutenant asked Yamaki, who was driving the car.

"It has become a new requirement in Toei Animation. Mr. Yamazaki expects all of us to speak fluent English these days." He replied nicely. "He's been making so many demands for the company for the past few months."

"Stiff competition in Japan, eh?"

"Oh, yes. Mr. Yamazaki has always been rivaling with companies such as Ghibli, Gainax, CLAMP, Bandai, Pioneer, Kitty Film…just to name a few. It hasn't been easy staying on top since us anime have grown so popular here."

While the Lieutenant and Yamaki continued their conversation, Eddie looked ahead of the road and saw that they were heading for the entrances gates of Toei, left wide open to welcome them in. As they drove underneath, Eddie noticed the main sign in front was shaped out a head of a laughing cat; this must have been Toei's main logo. But it looked as if somebody had hit something hard at it, as there was a dent made on it.

Once they passed the gates, Yamaki stopped the car and stepped out.

"Here we are." He assisted Eddie and the Lieutenant by opening the door for them. The two of them stepped out also, observing what was going on around them. "If you come this way, gentlemen, I will escort you to the warehouse where Mr. Yamazaki was…killed." His last word wasn't easy for him to say. He knew that what he was going to show them wasn't going to be pretty.

Japanese policemen were a many here. Some were walking about, chatting to each other, and others were questioning employees who worked at Toei. None of them paid too much attention to the newcomers as they were so busy. As Eddie, the Lieutenant and Yamaki walked their way towards the main building, Eddie couldn't help seeing various anime talking to the police. Among them, there was a shy but sinister looking school girl…

"I'd kill a student in my class, I'll tell you that. But Mr. Yamazaki…? I don't think so." Mitsuko Souma shook her head innocently at the police talking to her and her Digimon: Igamon. "I think you guys are seriously barking up the wrong tree here."

"Yeah, right." Igamon remarked smirking at her. "While you're at it, why don't you tell them that you're the worst Digimon trainer in the world! I don't even know why I ended up with you; you never care about me! In fact, you're the only reason you give Toei a bad name!"

"Baka!" Mitsuko took a stun gun from her pocket and shocked Igamon mercilessly with it. "Take this, you stupid Digimon! And this! And that! And…"

"YAAAAAEEEE!!!!!!!"

A dozen more police rushed towards Mitsuko to stop her sudden act of violence.

Eddie also walked by two giant water tanks, where Whamon and MetalSeadramon were being asked where they were the night before the crime occurred.

"Really, Officers, you're just wasting your time here; I don't see how MetalSeadramon or myself could have possibly committed the murder when it took place on land." Whamon complained. "Use your common sense, how could sea creatures like us just kill this man when his body was found miles away from any water?"

"What are you guys, numb nuts? I'm a vegetarian!" MetalSeadramon growled when he got annoyed with a policeman who asked him if he ever had thought of eating Mr. Yamazaki. "Sure, you might see me eat fish and stuff on the show, but that was just for my role. I've had to spit out fish so many times, that the smell of anchovies has gotten stuck to my tongue for the past three weeks!"

Not far from the aquatic Digimon, stood Jenrya and Ruki with their Digimon: Terriermon and Renamon.

"For the last time, my name is Jenrya! NOT Henry!" Jenrya was getting steamed up when the police, for some unknown reason, constantly referred to him as Henry Wong instead of Jenrya Lee. "Sheesh! Is being half Chinese half Japanese such a big deal with you guys?"

"You ought to calm down." Ruki said calmly. "They're only asking questions, not saying killed anybody…ow! Renamon, be careful with that thing, will you?"

Renamon was kindly beside Ruki, trimming her finger nails. "Sorry Ruki. I'm still a little nervous about this whole murder thing."

"We were all hanging out in Ruki's house the night Mr. Yamazaki was killed." Terriermon told the police. "None of us knew that the poor guy was going to get it. Isn't that right, Henry…?"

"MY NAME IS JENRYA!" Jenrya yelled outrageously.

Just beside the entrance of the warehouse Eddie was about to enter, IceDevimon and Yukidarumon were sitting on a crate, drinking their coffee while policemen asked if they had any grudge against Mr. Yamazaki.

""Well, he was a little edgy sometimes." IceDevimon said as he thought. "Oh, boy. Did I ever tell you the time I had to give him a personal massage? Now THAT was frightening, ugh…" He began to shiver with goose bumps. "But anyway, that's not the point. The thing is that I hadn't a lot against him. So what about you, Yukidarumon? You got anything to say?"

"Nah. I'm just going to stay cool." He answered, sipping his cup. "Ah…that's some damn good coffee Digitamamon makes."

…

"Don't worry, they're with me." Yamaki presented the police inside the warehouse with his identification and told them that Eddie and the Lieutenant were with him. He then guided the detectives through the place, passing by more police, cargo boxes, expensive looking computers, hundreds of different hanging costumes, and generally every piece equipment that Toei used to film their programs. "Here we are. This is where we found Mr. Yamazaki dead."

Yamaki stopped in front of a large grand piano, where beneath it on the cracked ground was a chalk drawing of Mr. Yamazaki's position when he died. With his arms and legs spread out, and his head crushed directly under the piano, Eddie knew that there was no doubt that this murder was accidental. Japanese inspectors were present, looking for fingerprints around the rope tied to the piano. So far they had found nothing.

"Gee, Eddie." The Lieutenant nudged his friend. "Who the hell do you think could have done this?"

"No idea…but I know someone who's done this kind of thing before."

"Sure, pal. But I don't think it's likely to be him this time…you got any eyewitnesses here, Yamaki?"

"We have one." Yamaki took out a small booklet from his breast pocket. "I believe her name is Sora Takenouchi; actress and costume designer of the show 'Digimon Adventure: Zero 01' and 'Zero 02', both run by Toei Animation. She is the one who reported the murder and right now, she is currently being held under police custody for further questioning. Would you like to see her?"

The Lieutenant gave a nod.

…

"Miss Takenouchi?"

"Yes?"

"I'm Lieutenant Nicolas Santino." He presented his badge to her, and so did Eddie. "This here is Detective Eddie Valiant. And we'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind." The two took their seats and placed their badges and hats onto the table.

"I already told the police everything I saw. What else is there that you want to know?" Sora couldn't stand sitting in her lonely and empty room for much longer. For hours she had already spoken to several Japanese officers and detectives. And while she was alone, the only thing she could do was look at herself at the rectangular mirror on the wall behind her.

"Please Miss Takenouchi, if you can take just one more questioning, then you will be allowed to go."

"Are you sure about that, Mr. Santino?"

"Yes, I am. And by the way, you can call me Lieutenant. Now, about us…Eddie and I have been specializing on toon cases like these for a long while, just to tell you. And we have been helping toons in Hollywood for some time. So you need not be alarmed by our appearances, because we are here to help you, and more importantly, help solve this mystery and save your company. We are not here to harm you, we are not making any accusations, and we only want to hear the truth about what you know. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Liuetenant. I understand."

"All right then, Ms. Takenouchi. Could you tell us your story?"

"Certainly…" She cleared her throat and began talking. "It started one night when I left Yamato's apartment. I just had an argument with Yamato at that time, and I was in…well, not in one of my best moods. I decided to walk home since I did not live too far away, though it meant I had to pass by Toei. The area over there is always known to be quiet during night time, because the place closes in the early evening before sundown. But it was when I walked past the gates, and saw that they were left open. It was strange, and I felt that something was wrong. So I stopped, but then I heard a loud crash coming from in there. I quickly rushed in, looked around and finally went into the warehouse where I found…where I found…oh…sumimasen."

Sora bowed as she began to trail off. The Lieutenant could see she couldn't stand talking about this incident over and over again. It was overwhelming for her.

"Miss Takenouchi…would you be able to describe the sound you heard when you were outside?"

"I believe it was the sound of, a falling piano. It must have fallen from a very high point, because when I found him, the piano was partly broken when it hit the ground."

"Did you see or hear anybody else with you?"

"Mr. Valiant, I heard nobody and I saw nobody. All I saw was Mr. Yamazaki, already dead…"

A few minutes passed…

"Thank you, Miss Takenouchi. We appreciate your cooperation…you can go now."

But just as the Lieutenant said that last sentence, Yamaki came knocking at the door.

"Yes, come in. We're done here." The Lieutenant said.

Yamaki came in accompanied by two policemen behind him. He was happening to be holding something suspiciously in his hands; it was a white crumpled hat.

"I believe you will be interested to learn that we had found this inside the piano that killed Mr. Yamazaki."

The Lieutenant got up from his seat and was handed the hat. He checked inside it to find a label attached, and read the name printed: Takeru Takaishi.

…

Author's Note: Thanks for all your suggestions! I'll try to find throw the Digimon you've recommended to me at some point. But in the meantime, my stomach is growling for MORE REVIEWS! So keep them coming please!