Folder 2 : Bust Out the B / Monster Amongst Men
It hurts, it really hurts
Teo could do nothing against the onslaught of attacks from kamen rider Accel who had just arrived no more than a minute ago. The heavy EngineBlade bit down hard against the diamond armor that encased the dopant, doing more than just scratching the surface. One last strike sent the inexperienced fighter flying into a heap.
"About time I finished this.", the red rider pulled out a gray memory with an E on it.
Engine
The heavy EngineBlade broke open like a shotgun to admit the corresponding memory within it. A flick of the wrist closed the weapon while the pull of the trigger caused it to summon up a huge amount of energy.
Maximum Drive
Teo felt the heat in the air flowing out from the area around the rider. An immense amount of energy was being generated and the fallen dopant could feel every single joule of it taunting his powerless form.
He struggled on unsteady feet, breathing a prayer that this would all end without anyone dying. From the looks of things, he doubted it very much. "I'm… dead.", he spoke out loud.
Accel seemed taken aback from the sudden declaration. He cancelled the maximum drive at the last minute before he could initiate the deadly three strikes to his ultimate move. "You…", the rider called out. "What's your name?", he interrogated the dopant.
It wasn't typical of Terui Ryu, kamen rider Accel, to take interest in the lives of others, especially not dopants. This being before him however was unlike the dopants he had fought before. He realized it since he had begun the fight. "Are you hurt?", he added after careful scrutiny of his hypothesis.
Teo could not answer. His body was sore already from before his fight with the dopant that attacked Fuyumi, the two consecutive battles that followed were now pushing his body to its limits. All he could do to answer the rider was to step back gingerly.
This subtle movement quickly clued the police officer in that this dopant was seriously injured. "Don't worry.", he stabbed the EngineBlade deep into the earth. "I'll wash your guilt and your sin away.", he placed his hand on the maximum clutch on the Acceldriver.
Maximum Drive
It looked like this would be the end. Teo could feel it. Despite the lack of firepower in comparison to the first charge, he knew this attack would still be enough to defeat him. At the very least, he would survive. The fear he had before was erased and replaced with pure calm.
Then what of the girl?
What?
Do you believe he would let this slide so easily?
Him…
Terror
The diamond dopant's unseen eyes snapped forward. Accel was already in mid-jump when the crystalline being had come to his senses. As the Accel's attack, the AccelGlanzer, came right at him from the right temple, the dopant brought up one arm to block against the reverse crescent kick strike. It knocked him flying into the forest edging the sand-covered clearing.
In the undergrowth of the bushes, Teo lay there barely conscious. The diamond memory had already removed itself from his body and was clutched tightly in his hand. Somehow, both had survived the memory break.
That's right. Survive and grow, to surpass the limits of life itself.
Such a thing…I don't need it…
The sound of heavy boots crunched the nearby foliage. "That sound.", Teo breathed apprehensively. A quick peek had proven his theory that Accel had come searching for him.
"I can't be caught.", the injured boy thought with determination. "There's still something I need to do.", with those feelings in his heart he began to move as stealthily as his battered body could go.
Slowly Teo crawled against the tall foliage that covered him, praying against all the laws of physics that whatever movements he made would not transfer to the foliage. That hope was not in vain as through some divine intervention, he had made it about 3 feet without making a ripple in the shrubbery. Despite the successful deception about what was above, he neglected what was below and the loud crunch of dried leaves against his hands could be heard in the greenery.
The telltale clangs of armor sounded with every step that was taken. Teo swore that his heart was growing quieter as each clang grew louder. When the steps stopped and the young man looked up, a scream threatened to rip out his lungs.
Move!
Teo demanded his body for any sort of motion. It did not respond, all that he could do was to stare right at the rider, waiting to be discovered.
It was just when the red warrior was about to take one more step forward that he heard a groan. He looked back and saw the girl lying on the sand, clearly in discomfort and weakened. Another quick glance around the area told him that there was nothing more to be found.
Once the sounds of snapping twigs ceased and the slosh of sand replaced all other, Teo released a great sigh of relief he didn't remember holding. He turned back to check on Fuyumi's state. He saw the rider in red check her pulse, and any injuries that may have been incurred before carrying her off.
"She's safe", Teo gathered before grasping at his wounds. He remembered the rider showing concern over them, switching over to a weaker attack for his sake. "I hope.".
The Asakawa house was silent. All its occupants were out for their day's business. That is all but one.
"Urk!", Teo grimaced as he tightly bandaged his salve slathered wounds with gauze. The young man sighed sitting with at the couch with only his pants on. He had long discarded his top wear in order to treat his own wounds. His legs were battered but not quite as bad as his body. In his state, it could be called a miracle that no one had noticed his half limping, half crawling self traveling the necessary twelve blocks from the park back home.
Slowly, Teo reached out for the polo shirt strewn over the table along with a quarter of the first aid kit's contents. He slowly buttoned up, thinking back to earlier. The fight was tough, but he had survived and kept Fuyumi safe no less.
The fingers that had been busy pushing buttons through their respective holes now lay still on the youth's lap. He had almost killed her. Teo remembered how the thing, the feelings of ecstasy were clouding his mind.
Kill! Destroy! Go wild! We were born to evolve and rule all!
Teo gripped his fists tight. The overwhelming power had gotten the better of him. Whatever it was that woke him up from that poisonous dream, it had his thanks. He might have done something that he would definitely regret for as long as he lived. The problem remained though. He let his eyes roam towards his jacket on the table, more precisely the bulge where one of its inside pockets were. He would have to use that memory again, that was for sure. When that time came, could he control himself?
Teo shook his head free of the thoughts. Right now, he could have no doubts. The dopant from earlier knew Fuyumi-see-san. She would be in danger again because it didn't look the type to give up so easily. Clearly it had wanted her for a reason, but he did not hear what the monster was muttering about exactly.
A knock on the door distracted the injured youth from his thoughts. "Who could that be?", Teo thought apprehensively. No one would be here at this time of day, unless that was nee-san! Teo quickly finished buttoning his shirt before making a mad dash for the door. "Nee-san!", he called out.
It was a good thing that Teo's reflexes were fast enough for him to stop himself from accidentally brushing his lips against the cold steel of a police badge.
"Terui Ryuu.", the familiar man in hot-rod red leathers introduced himself in deadpan. Ryuu stuffed his badge back in his coat pocket before asking a question, "Can I assume that you're looking for your sister?".
"Oh…", Teo fell quiet after recognizing the man. He wasn't sure if he could talk to this person honestly. At first, in the park he thought that he could tell this person everything, come clean even but knowing he was part of the police changed things. It scared him… Gon's father had been a ranked officer amongst the Fuuto Police Department. It was one of the reasons they could beat him half to death in broad daylight and the law did nothing to put a stop to it. Now that Gon was dead, his paranoia that the father would take revenge grew.
Terui lifted an eyebrow. "Is something the matter?", he asked the young man.
"N-no.", Teo shook his head, "It's nothing. I'm just worried about Fuyumi-nee-san.". He spoke with sincerity but he made sure to think as he spoke. The response he received was a rather disbelieving glare. "We both got out for school this morning!", he piped up before the policeman could get anymore suspicious. "We normally walk together but she had archery practice today and she was running late so we took a shortcut through Ayumi Park. I lost sight of her there.".
"I see.", Ryuu mentally noted the fact. "I'd like to ask you a few more questions. Do you mind coming with me down to the precinct?", he asked the young man.
Teo was already tense enough but merely mentioning the police department sent him stock stiff. The officer at the door showed no sign of acknowledging the reaction.
"Is anything the matter?", the police superintendent raised an eyebrow in puzzlement.
"Ah… no…", the jittery youth replied lamely. "I'm just not comfortable with police stations.", he professed. The man at the door gave no response beyond staring coolly, waiting for an elaborate explanation. Teo caught on and gave a short condensed version, "It's not that I've been on the wrong side of the law before, it's just that authority has been a bit unkind to me as of late.". The youth scratched his head awkwardly hoping that the sudden oppressive interrogating stare being aimed at him would go away.
The cold man did something unexpected and tilted his head forward in a slight bow. "I must apologize then for my co-worker's behavior.", Ryuu raised his head and pointed at the bandages stuck to the injured youth's face, "Is that their doing?".
"Oh these?", Teo quickly brought his hands up to the thick patches of cotton and gauze on his face. "These were from yesterday.", he smiled sheepishly, "I usually get caught in all sorts of trouble, you know? Mugging, violent outbursts, stuff like that. It was just one of those days.". The last thing Teo needed was Ryou and the others getting more violent than necessary if they heard about the city's hounds snooping about.
"I'll ask you to ID them later.", Ryuu sighed. "For now I'd like to inform you that your sister is safe. I can take you to her but we need you to answer some questions will that be any problem?", the policeman put on his business front.
"Um… no, no problem at all.", Teo shook his head, desperately trying to hide the trembling nerves in his voice. "Wait here for just a moment.", he told the man and quickly closed the door to gather whatever he would need. His school blazer was on in an instant with the Diamond memory stowed safely in his pocket. His wallet and celphone were already in his pants as well as house keys. One swoop over the living room table was all it took for him to tidy up all the medical supplies he had used in treating himself.
Teo stepped out to the porch where Ryuu was waiting patiently in rigid attention. This further frayed the youth's nerves who fumbled with the keys a bit before finally locking up successfully.
"If you're quite done then we'll be on our way.", the police officer turned curtly, leading the way to his Diablorosso, a sleek red machine of two wheels with unparalleled speed.
"Wait up a bit!", Teo struggled to catch up to the man's steely pace.
Terui handed him a helmet before straddling his bike. He waited for the shift in weight to tell him that the younger boy had already gotten on but it never came. He looked back over his shoulder to check on the hold up.
Teo just stood there dumbly with the helmet in his hands, quite unsure of what to do.
The law enforcer palmed his visor. "Have you never ridden a motorcycle before?", he asked the youth.
The young man vehemently shook his head.
"How about a bicycle?", Terui tried again.
Once more a shake of the head was the reply.
Clearly one thought was in the policeman's mind. 'You've got to be kidding me.'. "Well there's a first time for everything.", he growled. "Just get on and hold tight.".
The young man quickly did as told, under the watchful supervision of Terui of course. He held on tightly for dear life and they hadn't even moved yet.
"Not me dammit!"
Narumi Detective Agency was never a quiet place, even though its occupants had bouts of silent enjoyment for the afternoons, it was mostly boisterous. It was even more so whenever the door opened.
"I'm sorry! I'm really bad with going fast!"
Terui remained silent, trying to see if he broke a few ribs in the last fifteen minutes as he entered the office of his rider-in-arms. The officer just leaned against the arch that separated the reception table from the work desk of the detective.
The sound of another door opening admitted a man who was dressed in a snappy 40's style complete with vest and fedora. "Oi Terui, you look like hell. Someone beat you up?", the sentence starting off concerned but ended in a sarcastic jeer.
The hurt man just glared right back at the half-boiled detective before grinding out, "Shut up Hidari.". With that Ryuu quickly regained his composure and acted as if he had not bruised or broken any bones near his sternum-abdominal areas.
Once again the door that Teo couldn't seem to locate sounded again whilst he was busy gawking around at the shabby office. "She's awake.", a female reported.
"Thank you chief.", Terui nodded in the female's direction.
Teo snapped his attention back at them and watched the police officer enter through a door that had a collection of fedoras hung on it. The injured youth had previously assumed it to just being another wall. "Who's awake?", Teo asked the two remaining occupants.
"Asakawa Fuyumi.", the girl he only knew as "chief" told Teo.
"Nee-san's here?", the youth exclaimed. He stepped forward with surprising speed and grabbed the girl by the arms. "Please tell me, where is she?".
The chief just seemed to be stunned as she couldn't quite speak out of the sudden breach of her personal space, besides maybe a splutter of "ah"'s and "um"'s.
"Settle down kid.", Hidari stepped in to save the girl from Teo's unconsciously strong grip. "Let Akiko go so I can show you where we keep her.".
The youth let Akiko go. He turned to the half-boiled detective before saying, "What do you mean keep?".
Hidari just kept silent as he opened the door that was covered up by the fedora collection. Teo followed right behind him while Akiko took the tail of the troop. "Seems as if she was targeted by a dopant, she woke up only for a few moments. The few words she garbled out were enough for us to gather the situation.".
Teo remained quiet. He was looking around in awe of all the mechanical devices as well as great amount of information written all over the white boards spread along the walls. Once he could tear himself away however his eyes fell upon the still form of his sister bundled up on a couch in the corner of the garage. "Nee-san!", he pushed away the man in front of him, almost sending the detective on a six foot drop to painful cement flooring.
Hidari regained his balance before shouting out, "Oi! That's dangerous!".
The youth ignored the scolding sent his way. Instead he knelt down beside his sister, breathing easier once he realized that Fuyumi was in no way physically harmed. He watched her eyes slowly open until they finally focused on him.
"Teo.", the words left her lips in disbelief. She looked at him as if she was unsure whether he was real or a dream. She reached out and grabbed his sleeve. "Teo…", she repeated, "It's really Teo.". Tears gathered at the corner of her eyes.
Instinctually, the young man covered his adoptive sister in a big hug as he let her cry away from the view of others. "It's alright nee-san, I'm here now.", he tried to calm the distraught girl.
"Teo.", she echoed her earlier call. "Teo, Teo, Teo…", she just kept saying.
The rest of the people in the room decided to give them their time. A few minutes passed before Fuyumi finally stopped her tears enough to be coherent. "I'm glad you're alright.", she sobbed into the young man. "He said he was going to kill you.".
Teo remained silent, feeling Fuyumi's shivering in his arms, it wasn't cause of the cold either. He held her firmly, an instinctive need to hurt the dopant that caused her this distress and protectiveness both mingling together into one confusing impulse.
"Excuse me.", a sheepish sounding intervention cut through all the drama. The girl called chief and named Akiko stepped forward. "My name is Narumi Akiko, chief of Narumi Detective Agency.", she introduced herself. "If you'd please, we would like to help you with this problem.", the female detective-wannabe offered. "For a price of course.", she added in.
A smack to the head with a green slipper and the man called Hidari intervened in a timely fashion before the two teens could peg their newfound acquaintances as seedy. "Akiko!", he shouted at her comically, "don't give them the wrong impression of us for the love of-".
He was interrupted however by the same slipper this time wielded by Akiko. "Don't you hit me again baka-Shotaro!", she shouted back in turn.
"Only idiots call other people idiots.", Shotaro towered over her.
"I said it once and I'll say it again, only elementary school students say that kind of thing.", Akiko shot back.
"Quiet.", the strict and much annoyed voice of Terui cut through all the hullabaloo. He turned his attention to the two teens. "Unlike these two.", he jabbed a thumb in the direction of the oblivious duo who were still throwing silent glares and insults at each other. "Me and Phillip over here.", he introduced himself as well as a feminine looking boy over by the whiteboards, "are very competent. We would like your assistance in the capture of the dopant that you encountered just earlier.".
"What kind of assistance?", Teo questioned, holding his sister close as possible.
"Information.", the young man at the white boards suddenly cut in. He snapped his open book shut as he approached them. "We would appreciate any information you could provide. If possible we'd like to establish the criminal's gaia memory at the very least.".
"Gaia… memory?", Fuyumi paused her tears to ask.
"Ahem", Shotaro stepped in once more. "A-"
"Gaia memories are illegal technology that is being distributed within Fuuto city.", Terui informed, "They turn people into monsters like the one you saw earlier this morning. We call them dopants.".
"Dopant… that was a dopant.", Fuyumi processed this. "So it wasn't really a monster… just a person using a gaia memory.".
"Yes.", Philip confirmed. "Now if you'd please. What could you tell us about this dopant?".
"Wait.", Fuyumi shook her head as she slowly pushed away from Teo. "Let's get something straight. I'll help you but you have to do something for me as well.", she told them.
Terui shook his head as he grumbled, "As long as it's reasonable.".
"Please make sure you catch that person.", Fuyumi said solidly. Her eyes seemed to zone out while conflicting emotions played out on her features. "That monster, truth be told, has been stalking me for months.", she confessed to them.
"What?", Hidari Shotaro stepped towards the girl. "It's been stalking you?".
The frightened girl nodded. "I see it around sometimes, not clearly but its shadow, the sound of the sand that covers it. It's everywhere, it's scary.", she covered her head, trying to keep it from shaking as much as her body did. "Sometimes I get letters by my window sill, filled with a note and sand, other times it's a withered rose that shatters at my touch. I don't like it.".
She's mine!
Teo suddenly remembered the dopant declaring such. He balled up his fists as some sort of conclusion formed in his mind.
"Don't worry my sweet angel.", Shotaro said the last three words in english. "We'll definitely find this creep and put him behind bars.", he reassured Fuyumi, reaching for the girl's smaller hands and giving them a comforting squeeze.
Once again the green slipper struck the detective over his fedora. Akiko held said house item like a weapon as she reprimanded him, "Hitting on minors is a crime!".
Shotaro quickly recovered and shot back, "Then you'll never get a relationship you middle-school impersonator.".
"What did you call me?", Akiko half-screamed.
"Middle. School. Impersonator.", Shotaro jabbed his index finger in her face after every word for emphasis. "I'll say it again if you still can't hear me."
What happened next could only be described as a one-sided cat fight massacre with the half-boiled detective on the worse end.
The leather clad man of the room turned to the teens and said, "Just ignore them.".
Seeing that the only other sane crime buster in the place was heavily stressed, Philip decided to take the helm of this conversation again. "So what can you tell us about the dopant?", he asked the two teens that had made their way to the couch.
"That depends", Teo responded for the both of them. "What is it you want to know?".
"For one thing, can I ask you when this whole stalking business began?", Philip drew up close to the two.
"About a month ago.", Fuyumi answered.
"Interesting.", Philip nodded to himself. "Could you describe the dopant?", he asked them with a sudden in-your-face lunge, one that almost sent Teo crashing to the floor.
"I…", Fuyumi faltered. She held strong as she recounted the frightening being, "He looked like a mummy, wrapped up in a lot of bandages. I remember there being lots of sand, like whatever he touched turned to it. There was also a sandstorm. Sorry I can't really remember with all the dirt in the air.". The frightened girl apologized to the human archive.
"No, that should be enough. You've been through a lot.", Terui told the teens. "I'd think it best for you two to stay here for awhile, that dopant might attack again.", the police officer advised.
Both the feminine looking boy and the police officer began to discuss the data given to them. Philip seemingly going into a sort of trance which left Teo and Fuyumi a certain sense of privacy since the half-boiled detective and his chief were still at each other's throats.
"Stay here nee-san.", Teo started as he threw the blanket on the couch over his sister. "It'll be safer here with those two, they seemed to deal with these things on a regular basis.", the young man told her with a reassuring smile.
Fuyumi was unsettled as she latched onto the young man, "What about you?".
Teo sighed, he knew his sister wasn't dim. She'd caught on that he had something in mind immediately. "School.", he replied as cheerfully as he could.
"But it's dangerous.", she scolded him despite her position as the dopant's target. "And you might be in danger as well.", she added sadly.
"It's alright.", he reassured his sister for the umpteenth time. "I'll be fine. I'm sure he whatever that thing was, it won't attack such a crowded place.".
Fuyumi still had her doubts but resigned in the end, "Fine, but be careful."
Teo smiled, "I'm always careful.".
It felt odd to be out of class for once. That was how Teo felt as he wandered the corridors of Kirikaze high school, a school that was famous for its athletic clubs a focal point of which was the archery club which had been in shambles until Asakawa Fuyumi had breathed life into the place. The school was originally known for its violent students but encouragement of sports gave some delinquents an outlet, though they mostly ended up in the boxing club, karate club or any other club that involved someone getting hurt, preferably the opponent.
"Thank you very much.", Teo bowed to the doctor in the infirmary from the doorway. The teacher had taken one look at him and screamed when he entered the classroom. It was normal for Teo to be beat up as he entered class but from the looks of the young man it was like he had just been the victim of a frustrated homicide. Needless to say he had been automatically sent to the school infirmary.
The youth wandered around the corridors, letting his mind continue where it left off in his house, the dopant from the park. So far, the short morning trip to the detective agency told him that this person was already being pursued by proper authorities. There would be no need for him to look into things anymore.
Do you really think those idiots could beat that thing?
The voice was back, this time its presence seemed stronger, must be because of the use of the memory. The pressure building in the teen's head was so great that it warranted him leaning on a wall just to keep on his feet. "Shut up.", Teo grit his teeth.
It'll beat them and they won't be able to protect her.
"One of them is a kamen rider, and most likely the other rider was amongst them too. There's no such dopant that can beat two riders at once.", Teo reasoned with heavy breaths. The pressure in his head shifted and turned into something he wasn't prepared for, pure euphoria.
I can
The voice chuckled darkly.
In a later state at least, as we are now and your lousy grasp of our true powers we would be overwhelmed.
"Then you expect me to go up against something that can take those two down? Your logic is lousy.", Teo fought to get a good grip of his senses and head on home. It wasn't safe for the school as he felt like he was becoming mentally unstable. The voice's chuckle did not cease.
That dead beat may defeat the riders but it would make the perfect stepping stone for us.
"You're lying, there's no way we can beat that thing if it really does beat two riders. One on his own would be more than enough.", the teen made his way through the corridors, trying to block out all the random emotions that felt unlike his own though at the same time seeping into every crevice of his self like they belonged.
You're disillusioned by their power just because one caught us off guard.
"You're the one disillusioned, you think your power can overcome everything."
Not my power, our power…
The voice trailed off letting the change in pronouns sink in. Teo could only repeat the last phrase to himself.
Yes, our power. You remember don't you? That feeling when we were the diamond dopant?
Teo closed his eyes. Yes, he remembered it clearly, almost too clearly for his taste. How close had he gone? How close was he to killing someone who had always looked out for him? Meant so much to him? The young man could only say two words to the taunts of the dark voice in his head. "Shut up."
Finally the young man burst onto the open campus grounds, his fists shaking in a mix of fury and loss of control. Teo could feel the dark influence trying to warp him. He tried to fight it off, but before he could even cross the school gates, a powerful blast of wind and sand lifted him off his feet. The teen could barely yelp out in surprise before he was cut off by spluttering out sand in his throat.
It was as brief as it was noisy, by the time people had wrenched open their windows to see what had caused the noise, there was nothing left but a slight trail of dust blowing in the air.
What everyone didn't notice was the fact the sand storm had been extracted to the athletic fields, the athletic fields being the grounds where the various sports complexes for the clubs stood. No expense was spared as proven by the grasslands that extended at least 3 hectares. Teo tried hard to remember to thank whoever coughed up the money as he was unceremoniously dumped onto the lush greens.
"How many times have I been thrown to the ground today?", he muttered to himself as he struggled onto a vertical base. When he did however, he imagined that maybe laying down and pretending to be dead would have been better, because he was in no condition to deal with what was in front of him right now.
The dopant from this morning stood in front of him with all the horrific details from the armor down to the bandages to the sand that leaked from said wrappings. Sand still swirled behind it, as it lunged forward and grabbed the injured youth by the collar and throwing said youth against a tree.
Teo took whatever strength was left in his body after being winded twice and grabbed hold of the arm that pinned him down to the tree by the throat just seconds after being slammed into it. It did little more than amuse the dopant whose sewn mouth look like it was curling into a smirk. The one white eye's flaunting glint did not help matters.
A rage that felt as foreign as it was familiar took over Teo. He could only hear the dark voice in his mind rage before his hands moved of their own accord.
"Bastard.", the pinned youth snarled without really meaning to. His hands moved with alacrity too much unlike his own as he grabbed the gaia memory in his pocket and plugged it into his wrist bio-connector.
Diamond
A shimmer of light took over Teo's body as power coursed through his very being. He kicked out and made very solid contact with the sandy dopant's abdomen. It sent the creature tumbling back until it fell ungracefully on its back.
The light soon faded and the familiar crystal belt and antennae signaled the return of the diamond dopant.
"Now.", the diamond dopant spoke up. "Let's clear things up.".
A clear sound reminiscent of a sword being drawn sounded as Teo let his right arm morph into a long and very sharp blade that extended four feet including the six inches that stretched out where his elbow should have been. He charged forward with intent to cut the sandy dopant right in half. He succeeded as the blade completely lopped off the top half from the waist up from pretty much everything else as the sandy dopant was just getting on its feet.
Not yet
Teo pulled up his left arm to block his face as a torrent of sand blasted right where his nose should have been, the force of the attack strong enough to send him flying back just as he did the dopant much earlier in mid-transformation.
The sandy dopant did not look kindly upon being lopped into two pieces, clearly so as it shot another torrent of sand from its other arm. Teo could make out the tan granules forming together what looked to be a fist. His distraction left him open as the sand fist planted itself in his face.
The diamond dopant flinched but countered quickly with a volley of crystal daggers from the left arm. The daggers missed however, stabbing themselves harmlessly into the ground while the sandy dopant dissipated into the wind and reformed mid-air. Two arms of whispering sands gathered before being thrown forward.
The double torrent was exponentially bigger than the single ones. Teo did not bother with dodging the hit, but neither did he fancy taking it. He stabbed both of his arms into the ground, in the blink of en eye they had morphed into thick trunk like roots as the liquid crystal surged into the loose soil. In less than half a second, a wall of diamond separated the transformed teen from the dirt doom that awaited him.
There wasn't long to wait anyway, the barrier which had been erected so quickly and haphazardly couldn't contain the full force of the attack and fell only seconds after it stood. The weakened remains of the attack smashed into Teo, burying him underneath a dune.
The sandy dopant landed softly as its hovering feet could allow. It glided over to the dune, watching for signs of life.
A hand burst out from the top of it all, a human hand at that. The cheerful tone of the school bell that signaled recess felt almost ominous. The dopant smirked, its work was done. It laxly undid its transformation and walked away without a care in the world. On the ground however remained a single black feather.
Some time earlier…
"What a grim breeze.", Shotaro held his fedora down as a chilling gust blew against his face. So far from the keywords that had been gathered, Philip had come up with a couple of names, all of which were high school students. Ofcourse that was as far as Philip could go before he was sidetracked by a hobby of one of them, something about differences in plumage.
Right now, the young detective sat at the quaint riverside café by Fuuto river. Great view, great coffee, and of course he couldn't deny the great service as he just had to respond to one of the waitress's advances. He didn't reply in positive, she was still a minor. This place was the usual meeting spot between the detective and his local high school liaisons.
"Sho-chan!", a comfortably shrill voice called out Shotaro's most popular nickname.
The detective looked towards the source, unable to hide the friendly smile that broke on his face. "Elizabeth!", he got up to meet one of the girl's he had come to meet. "How've you been? Been a while right? About a month.".
Elizabeth is a high school girl attending one of the more prestigious schools within Fuuto. She's quite cute and is no doubt a heartbreaker when it comes to guys, though it has nothing to do with a bad personality besides being a little more flirty than the regular girl.
"I missed you!", Elizabeth ran forward and hugged the breath right out of Shotaro.
An exasperated sigh followed that proclamation, "You miss any guy you can get your mits on.". Another high school girl approached the table.
"That's really mean Queen.", Elizabeth whined. "Just because we're twin sisters doesn't mean you can be so mean!", the flirty girl stuck her tongue out at her sister.
Queen just rolled her eyes and roughly grabbed up a seat. Queen was by no means a tomboy, she was most definitely a girlas a girl could ever be. She's just a little frigid compared to most. Being twins with Elizabeth, one could immediately say she was cute, however her personality keeps her from getting boyfriends even if they do flock to her because of it.
Once everyone was seated, Shotaro didn't waste anytime as he began his line of questioning. "Queen, Elizabeth, Can you guys tell me about the situation of an Asakawa Fuyumi?", he asked them. He pulled out a note pad that contained the list of names Philip gave him. "Also her connection to some other people namely Kuchida Gon, Hatsuma Koga, Kokoryu Shindou, Sakazuki Yamamori.".
Queen and Elizabeth looked at each other and quickly shook their heads.
"I don't think you should get in the middle of all that Sho-chan.", Elizabeth looked a bit disturbed by the information being asked of them.
"That's right.", Queen continued as she received her order of a tropic smoothie from the waitress. "That group right there makes way too much drama, even TV soaps would be put to shame.".
This raised the detectives eyebrow in curiosity. "Drama?", he echoed the lone word.
"Yeah.", Queen nodded.
"Asakawa Fuyumi right? She's a straight up nice girl. Pretty, smart, athletic, something like a perfect girl. Tons of guys like her and lots of girls want to be like her. She's something like a character pulled right out of a manga.", the flirtier of the twins took a depressing sip at her drink.
Queen continued. "Of course with the perfect heroine we get the perfect villain, that's where Kuchida Gon comes in. Kuchida Gon was a no good scumbag as far as everyone in the area was concerned. He had a good boy image all because of his father's prestigious place within the Fuuto Police Department. No one messed with him and got away without a few scars.", the girl finished with an indifferent shrug as she also dug in to her drink. Her twitching fingers on the straw told otherwise of what she thought about the whole thing.
"I see, wait… was?", Shotaro asked them when he noticed the slight grammatical error.
Queen nodded in confirmation, "That's right, was.".
"Kuchida Gon…", Elizabeth trailed off, losing a bit of steam about the fishy affair.
"He was reported in missing two months ago.", Queen finished for her sister. "He's been classified as missing but that's what it says on record, everyone believes he's dead.".
Shotaro grimaced, that was a grim end to that lead. He tipped his hat down in respect, because no matter the villain they still deserved some respect in passing. "What about Hatsuma Koga?", the detective tried again.
Elizabeth curled up her nose in disgust. "A no class tasteless thug.", she immediately declared with a look that made her seem like she wanted to vomit. "Looks at girls like a piece of meat and Gon's former right hand man.".
"Not to mention he's taken over his Gon's gang only a week or two after the official declaration, as well as lusting after Fuyumi.", Queen added in for good measure.
"They 'lusted' after Fuyumi?", Shotaro was taken aback. Kids these days were already like that?
Queen confirmed as she continued, "It's no secret to everyone that Fuyumi is attractive, it's also no secret to the local schools of what kind of nasty things Gon and Koga wished they could do to her, I mean they pretty much declare it front and center everywhere, bragging about how they'd want her being their slave and such. It was sickening.", the more mature twin shuddered.
"You can say that again.", Elizabeth backed her sister's words.
"So Gon and Koga are pretty much similar in relation to Fuyumi, do you know where I can find Koga?", Shotaro asked the girls.
"Umm… about that…", Queen looked a bit squeamish.
"Koga and his gang, they sort of got beat up.", Elizabeth looked equally ill to her sister.
"We were supposed to get here earlier but a friend of ours told us that something happened to Koga's gang. We didn't get to see them but we saw the scene since it wasn't far off from where we were at the time.", Queen explained.
Elizabeth had grown a few shades paler as the next words left her lips, "There was blood, lots and lots of dried blood. I didn't even want to imagine what it looked like any fresher.".
"Thankfully no one died. Though I can't say they don't deserve it, I think no one should be put through so much, not even them.", Queen said solemnly.
"There goes another lead. Two probable suspects down the drain and now I'm only left with another two to investigate.", Shotaro cursed mentally. "No helping it, what about Kokoryu Shindou?", the detective questioned with hopes for good news.
"A straight arrow if I ever saw one.", Queen instantly replied.
A girly coo from Elizabeth made Shotaro wince, calling his attention to her. "Literally too. He's the ace of the male division in the same archery club Fuyumi is in. His shots never miss but I think he shot cupid's arrow too wide and hit my heart!".
Shotaro was now questioning the sanity of his informants, they were usually weird but rarely so weird as this.
The sensible twin just shook her head. "Kokoryu Shindou is a senior, good kid, an A student so to speak. He's applied under working scholarship but he could have gotten either academic or athletic scholarships. He's also got tons of fangirls, like this one over here.", Queen jabbed a thumb in her sister's direction.
"But he's so handsome!", Elizabeth squealed. "Not to mention the way he looks at you. He's so tall that it would seem like he's looking down at you but his eyes don't make you feel that way. He's very helpful around the community as well, just last weekend I saw him guiding an old couple while helping them with their luggage. Then last week he…".
Shotaro rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. He noticed Queen calling for his attention. Taking a peek at Elizabth and finding her enjoying the endless stream of praises that came out of her mouth for the guy, he decided to lean slightly towards Queen's direction and reply, "What?".
The high school girl leaned in as well and hissed, "She'll be like this for another good hour or two so listen good. The last guy, Sakazuki Yamamori is a rich kid, can't miss'em really. Not as famous but he's also a member of the archery club and the third best at that, the first being Fuyumi while second is Shindou. Yamamori and Shindou are actually friends and normally gain advice from each other concerning archery technique. Some might say they're even good friends. You should try looking for them at Kirikaze high, they should still be there at this time.".
A smile broke across Shotaro's face. "Thanks.", he tipped his hat to her. "I'll head on over right now.", he stood up to leave. He took five paces before turning back and putting money on the table. "My treat.", he winked at the only one paying attention amongst the twins.
"Shindou-sempai? Yeah he's a good friend of mine.", a young bespectacled man in a kyuudo practitioner's gi confirmed. He looked quite dignified and bred with the finest pedigree. He was most definitely Sakazuki Yamamori, the one Queen pointed out as a rich boy.
The sound of arrows in the background non-withstanding, it was pretty quiet so it was easy to talk in the Archery clubhouse of Kirikaze high. Shotaro nodded his head, "Great, Yamamori can you tell me how he gets along with Fuyumi Asakawa?".
"Shindou-sempai and Fuyumi-sempai's connection is a bit complicated.", Yamamori scratched his head. His bare feet tapped against the finely polished wooden boards on the floor. "You see the two of them aren't exactly close but they know each other well enough to be friends, though it's actually just acquaintanceship. People mistake this as for them being an item and encourage them to become a couple. Lately it's gotten so bad that the two of them seem to have silently resolved to ignore each other unless it is necessary to interact. The club's atmosphere is really awkward because of it.", the archery club member sighed.
"I see thanks.", Shotaro made some notes of what was said. "So besides the rumors, they're actually on good terms?".
"Hmm? Oh yeah, they are. They're still a little distracted if one is in the room with the other but nothing bad enough to affect their performance.", the high schooler stepped up to the arrow racks and began to sort through them for any damaged pieces.
"What about you?", Shotaro asked.
"Hmm?", the young man looked up, "What about me?". He did not pause in his thorough examination of the equipment, tossing to the side at least three arrows that had missing or badly damaged vanes.
The half-boiled detective scratched the back of his head. He hoped that this wouldn't be all that difficult but high school and the adult world were different. He just sighed, "What's your relation with Asakawa Fuyumi?".
Now this had made him pause. "Relation with Fuyumi-sempai? I have no idea how that came to your mind.", Yamamori laughed before he continued to sort through the arrows. "I'm little more than the regular underclassman to her. A stranger would be more appropriate if we discussed how she would see me.", he shrugged.
"So no connection.", Shotaro asked for affirmation.
"None that are relevant.", the unblinking youth supplied.
So in the end all Shotaro was left with was Shindou. He stared at his notepad, scrounging up for anything that he or his partner might have missed. Sure they still had Shindou on the list of suspicious people but hearing what others had to say about him didn't seem to fit the bill for a gaia memory user. He sounded like some perfect guy that could hold his own in all facets of life.
"Will that be all Mr. Detective?", Yamamori asked Shotaro before pulling out another quiver's worth to evaluate.
"Oh! Uh right, could you err…", Shotaro grasped at straws. There was something in his gut that told him that something was not right with this picture. "Could you tell me about Kuchida Gon and Hatsuma Koga?", he suddenly spluttered out.
The rich boy snorted in an arrogant manner. "Those two?", disgust dripped from his voice. "So your interested in how they're related to Fuyumi-sempai or about the details of their incidents?", Yamamori spoke with an attitude that turned from mild-mannered polite to venomously hostile.
Shotaro felt that new life was being breathed into the case. "Either way I want to know more about them and their gang.", the PI tried.
"Scoundrels, each and every one of them, they like to pick on people mostly by extortion and blackmail. Sometimes they even pick off some unsuspecting kid just to beat them up for kicks. Whoever got to them and the way they did it, I'd have to thank them for doing such a thing.", bitter words escaped Yamamori's lips. It seemed like there was some sort of grudge between them. "Regarding Fuyumi-sempai's situation with them, they wanted her to be with them badly as far as I heard. I and Shindou-sempai have been very worried about her dealings with them. Each one getting more violent than the last.".
"Wait, violent?", Shotaro interrupted. "They attacked her?", he asked incredulously.
The high schooler nodded. "It's true. They would attack her from time to time but she never came out on the worse end, the various club leaders ranging from Karate to Jujitsu can vouch for her skills.", the young man reassured the elder.
"But still, if they attack her often, no matter her skill she'd fall at some point.", Shotaro now completely absorbed in the story.
"Again true.", Yamamori nodded. "We already told her of this but she informed us that attacks on her rarely ever happened anyway so we needn't worry too much for her.".
"So they gave up?"
"No.", a shake of the head emphasized the point. "They tried a new approach. If they couldn't get to her directly then they would try to get to her through someone who already was with her from the start. The target shifted to her adoptive brother, Kagami Teo.".
"Kagami Teo?", Shotaro repeated. He felt like he'd heard the name before. The image of a young man with unkempt black hair with silvery onyx eyes came to mind. The image connected as the face of the young man in his office awhile ago. "Asakawa Teo!?", he suddenly shouted in surprise, causing half the archery club to miss their shots at that moment. The half-boild detective gave a quick stream of apologies to all the glares he received before turning back to the corporate heir before him in a professional manner. "So they began to attack Kagami Teo, which has gone on for a long time I presume?".
"Almost too long.", Yamamori sighed, "He usually shows up with a lot of cuts and bruises to pick up his sister but it would get so bad Fuyumi-sempai had to save him. Some other times, I've even seen Fuyumi-sempai crying about Teo dying or some other. I didn't get to hear very well, she'd been confiding to Shindou-sempai about the happenings at that time I guess.".
"Hmm… This Shindou.", Shotaro rubbed his chin. At first this whole thing didn't sound too serious beyond the dopant, but knowing the extremes of this high school drama, maybe Shindou was a little too righteous. Righteous enough to use gaia memories for his own maverick justice. "Do you know where I can find Shindou?".
Yamamori turned to Shotaro with a shrug, "I could tell you where he lives, though I doubt you'd get much of a different story from him.".
"Oh I have a few questions which I think only he can answer.", the young detective had a confident smile on his face.
"Let me draw you a map, the way is a bit tricky truth be told.", the bespectacled boy handed Shotaro the arrows that were being inspected, while the detective handed him the notebook flipped to a blank page. "Be careful with those, their Shindou-sempai's personal arrows.", he warned Shotaro.
"Personal arrows?", the detective gave the pieces of wood in his hand a good look see. They were very traditional and well made, except for the vanes at the butt. He took one hand and ran a finger over them. He mumbled out two words in confusion, "Black feathers.".
The sun was setting and darkness was making its nest upon the city of Fuuto. Many were scurrying to their homes or off to enjoy the night life that made the arcade districts within the city so popular.
A young man with straight hair that drooped down and around his head in a fashionable fall of black, it reached just above his shoulders in an almost feminine beauty. His face was most definitely male however and gave no quarter for doubt. He was on his way home when someone called him at an intersection.
"Shindou-sempai.", a weak strained voice called from the dark.
The aptly described, beautiful young man turned to the source of the weak voice. "Teo-kun!", Shindou's eyes widened. "What happened to you?", he asked the injured youth who had been leaning on the nearest piece of wall he could find.
"Why'd you do it?", Teo asked the elder youth.
Shindou just stopped in his tracks and questioned back, "What?".
The injured youth grit his teeth to repeat himself more clearly, "Why'd you become a dopant to stalk my sister?".
"I don't know what you're talking abo-"
"Don't lie to me!", Teo shouted. Weariness seemed to take over the injured boy's face. He held up a lone black feather in his fingers as he said, "Just tell me sempai…Why?".
A look of shock mixed with recognition came unto Shindou's face. He bowed his head while his school bag dropped to the pavement with a light clunk. When the kindly face of the so-called perfect sempai looked to face Teo again, there was a sad smile on his face. "You wouldn't understand.".
Thirst