This is the chapter I've looked forward to writing the most. If you couldn't already tell, this is the longest installment of this series thus far. Over 6500 words. That isn't something I normally do, but there was a lot of content that me and thelovelydissidacharacters wanted to fit into this piece. It has been a wild ride and the train is almost at its final destination. Please review if you get the chance, every single one counts.
The Amagi Obsession
Chapter 12: Compulsion
There were many words that could be used to describe how Yukiko Amagi felt at the moment.
In a constant state of pressure.
Enduring a copious amount of pain.
Riding the endless waves of a downward spiral.
Even still, if there was one word that sums up the culmination of her emotions it would be dread.
Absolute, utter dread.
Yukiko was experiencing levels of anxiety she had never felt before. Just minutes prior she had almost been caught committing her most heinous crime yet. The attempted murder of one Kanji Tatsumi. And she would have completed the dirty deed, had it not been for the timely arrival of the famous detective prince, Naoto Shirogane.
The Amagi heiress drove her red scooter through the small country town of Inaba. Recklessly ignoring every traffic light and sign in her path. It was noon on a Sunday, so the town was relatively quiet. The lack of townsfolk was a testament to how eerie the weather had gotten. Inaba had once again been covered in an ungodly amount of fog. Coupled with the snow, the streets were hardly visible and only the fearless were brave enough to go out.
This boded well for Yukiko. She couldn't afford to be seen riding around town now.
She had to get home fast, there wasn't much time left to plan out her next move. The fight she had just experienced with Naoto was fresh in her mind. Needless to say, Yukiko was reeling from it. Her shoulder ached and she barely managed to escape.
During the bout, Naoto had managed to land a good shot at her. Even though the bullet had been rubber, it could still inflict terrible amounts of damage on its target. Usually its targets were shadows, rather than people. This time Yukiko had the unfortunate circumstance of being on the opposite side of her barrel.
Yukiko could feel the wound beginning to swell. The bruise needed to be put on ice quickly, or it would become too unbearable to handle. With every second spent on the vehicle, her pain grew worse. Soon that pain became too much to handle. Luckily, Yukiko spotted a nearby alleyway and drove herself in.
She cut off the scooter and clumsily let it fall to the concrete.
"Shit!" She cursed, almost falling along with it. Yukiko slumped against the wall defeated. Her shoulder was pulsing harder with each moment and tears began to swell. Thoughts of regret and doubt began to fill her mind.
"I'm so stupid."
"How could I do that to Kanji?"
"What was I thinking!?"
"It's my fault, I shouldn't have been so reckless."
"No… no… this is her fault."
"Chie's… no, Naoto's fault…"
The conflicting thoughts made her head hurt. Yukiko gently massaged her swelling shoulder and shook her head. She had to get in the right frame of mind. "What's done is done." she muttered bitterly. The important thing was to figure out what to do next and fast. Time wasn't on her side. And there was no doubt in her mind that Naoto wouldn't stop gunning for her. That girl was relentless in her pursuit of the truth.
"How on earth did she know we were there?" She pondered aloud. Yukiko listlessly cast a glance down at her scooter and then she saw it. Right beneath the scooter's storage trunk was a square device. One she had never seen before.
Yukiko crawled over and gripped it with her good arm. The device was stuck to the metal frame with a strong magnet. However, that didn't stop it from popping off without much resistance.
"What is this?" Yukiko examined it and upon closer inspection saw a red light blinking from it. The red scooter had been in possession for nearly half a year now and she'd never seen this before. "Naoto suddenly turns up out of thin air…" she mumbled lost in thought.
Then it clicked!
Yukiko thought back to Chie's cellphone and how she impersonated her by sending Yu texts. The Inaba police got crafty and were able to ping it back to the Amagi Inn. Something she had never anticipated before. "It's a tracker." She surmised in a flat tone.
In a fit of rage, Yukiko slammed the device on the concrete.
"That dirty little rat…"
Rage bubbled inside her. She was livid. At every turn Naoto was always there. Either sniffing at her heels or devising ways to sabotage her plans. "Not this time." Yukiko muttered. In one swift motion she slammed her foot onto the tracker, shattering it into chunks of plastic and metal.
She kicked it into the road and grabbed her scooter. "I won't let you get in my way!" Yukiko roared. She whipped the scooter back onto the road and zoomed out at breakneck speed. The next destination? The very same spot where she had met Kanji only an hour prior.
Yukiko blasted recklessly down the hill with no regard, tearing up the grassy turf in the process. The scooter sent dirt flying in its path, daring to clip anyone who stood in its way. Yukiko drove to the edge of the river; she jumped onto the hard stones that covered the shore to avoid the crashing.
"Ahgh!" She wailed as her side slammed roughly against the hard ground. Her shoulder throbbed in pain, but she couldn't allow herself to be caught. She had to do whatever it took, endure whatever pain necessary, even if it meant doing some damage to herself. The severity of her crimes was too great to apologize for. Let alone be forgiven.
This was the path she walked.
A large spray of water was sent flying as the scooter hit the surface with a hard splash . The red vehicle sunk unceremoniously down into the watery depths. If Naoto had seen anything, it was surely her means of transportation. Yukiko felt sad seeing it being swallowed whole. Despite the vehicle's demise she had fond memories of it. The carefree days of summer vacation were gone.
Visiting Okina City with the rest of the team had never felt so far away.
Regardless, the evidence couldn't be found by anyone.
Yukiko was stressed beyond comprehension, but she could foresee Naoto's next move. The detective prince would come at her with everything she had. Yukiko had to appear as innocent as possible or risk her plan failing horribly. Naoto hadn't seen her face. She was sure of it now. The fight did take place, but Yukiko made sure to hide her face. Plus, the poor lighting of the rice mill assisted too.
When she hid in the foremen's closet there had been a plethora of clothes left behind. Helping herself to a good disguise was the most logical course of action. And now that Yukiko stood at the edge of the river, she needed to ditch everything that implicated her.
This time with no distractions.
Yukiko took the baseball cap off her head as well as the scarf that hid her face. She even took off a favorite red sweater she had worn to accompany Kanji. She stuffed each one full of round stones from the shore and chucked the attire into the river. Each one sunk, right alongside where the scooter had vanished.
Yukiko looked towards the end of the river.
The Amagi Inn was just up the hill and a few blocks away. Sneaking in the back would be the best way to avoid the maids or Mrs. Amagi asking any needless questions. As Yukiko began her trek back home, she felt a clump press against her leg.
"That's right." She murmured, digging inside the pocket. From its depths emerged a green and yellow flip phone. "Chie's phone."
This little device had been the cause of much strife in the Amagi heiress's life these past few days. "If I never sent Narukami-kun that stupid text I wouldn't be in the position I'm in now." Yukiko thought back to everything that had transpired over the last few weeks. To say she felt no regret, would be lying to herself. "There really is no going back. I'm sorry Chie…"
Without further hesitance Yukiko took a step back and in one swift motion tossed the phone into the rushing waters.
…
It didn't take Yukiko long to return to the Amagi Inn. The building was only a few blocks away, so her walk home had been a short one. On her way home, she had made sure to avoid the police. Their presence hadn't yet diminished. And they were still knocking on doors to question residents. Getting stopped by them was out of the question.
Yukiko found herself near the back of the Inn. Wood fencing surrounded the nearby hot springs. She slid in through the side door, making as little noise as possible. Luckily neither the staff nor guests were bathing. She looked longingly at its hot waters. Heat radiated against her skin almost calling her to enter. Yukiko was sure a nice bath would help the swelling on her arm go down or at minimum assist with the discomfort she felt.
Silently she crept through the area and entered the inn.
From there she made her way to her room unnoticed. The lack of people walking around came as a surprise. Yukiko was grateful that the big party was checked out this morning. She figured most of the staff were busy preparing lunch.
The heiress slipped into her room and wasted no time removing her clothing. She trashed everything she wore today, noting to take it out to the bin later. Finally, she settled in front of the mirror naked and stared at her damaged skin. The right shoulder blade creeping to her collar bone was badly bruised.
Yukiko prodded the spot most impacted, wincing at the slightest touch. Her skin had already turned a deep mix of red and purple. "Oh, look at my skin." Yukiko whined. "I need to ice this quickly. That should help with the swelling."
She changed into a long sleeved white and red smock dress. The usual Amagi Inn attire was a working kimono or yukata, depending on the worker's role in the inn. Often, she wore a kimono when performing service work, but that was the last thing she wanted to wear. Tight clothing in her condition was a no go. A pair of sweats would have been the preferred attire, but she still had to maintain a good appearance for the guests.
They were a business establishment first and foremost.
Her desires were secondary.
Yukiko briskly made her way to the kitchen. There her intuition paid off as most of the staff were preparing lunch, her mother included. They greeted her as if it were any other day.
Mrs. Amagi was the last to speak. "How was your walk dear?" she asked.
"It was fine. Just a bit chilly outside is all." She responded in a despondent tone. She turned her attention to the freezer. Cold cuts of wagyu beef, frozen fish, and pork were abundant. An assortment of food for their very popular menu. On the side sat an isolated pit of cut ice used for the beverages.
She grabbed a nearby bucket that was normally used to supply ice to patrons and shoveled herself a few scoops inside. Silently she prayed that none of the staff would question what she was doing. Thankfully they were too engrossed in their own tasks to notice.
Unfortunately, she had to scoop using her dominant arm. At times like this she was envious of the ambidextrous. Her right arm ached with each scoop. The very same one Naoto had injured with zero hesitance. Yukiko's pain didn't let her forget the damage wrought, but she did her best to endure it.
Shifting her attention to the fridge, Yukiko grabbed a full liter of her favorite melon soda. No one would question her now. She remembered how fast she and Chie could down a bottle during their sleepovers. Yukiko tried to take her leave of the kitchen, but before she could depart a sharp sensation of pain jolted from her arm.
"Ow, ow!" She squealed, turning around furiously.
Behind, her mother stared with a startled expression. "I'm sorry dear, did I hear you say ow?"
Yukiko did her best to suppress her pain. "No- I mean yes." She stuttered. "I just slipped by the river is all. Jerked my shoulder on the way down."
"Is that why you're taking all that ice?" Her mother voiced her concern. "Stay right here. I'll get my keys and we can head to the clinic-"
"No mother, its fine." Yukiko stopped her. "I'm okay, I just need to lie down for a bit, okay?"
Mrs. Amagi gave her a concerned look. Still, she didn't press the issue further.
Behind the two, the staff from the kitchen stole glances with curious eyes. All it took was one hard glance from Mrs. Amagi to get them to return to their tasks.
Yukiko wondered if anyone on the staff had heard their argument from the previous night. Rumors were probably swirling all evening about how she had become the rebel daughter who dared to challenge the prestigious inn keeper.
"Well alright." Her mother didn't press the issue further and returned to the kitchen. "Lunch is almost ready. I'll bring some by shortly."
Yukiko silently expressed her thanks, bowing to her mother before heading in the opposite direction. She was grateful Mrs. Amagi had given her so much leeway today. There was no way she could handle work or any further questioning now. The only things Yukiko needed now was to ice her wounds and relax in the hot springs.
Nothing better than to soak away her anxiousness.
At least some of her worries had already been dealt with. All the incrementing evidence on her person had been destroyed. There was nothing she could do about either Kanji or Teddie at the moment. Even still, there was one thing she could do…
Take care of her Naoto problem.
Yukiko thought back to what occurred before their scuffle. Yu had reached out to check in on her. Just to see how things were going. Yukiko's heart fluttered at the thought of him worrying about her. It was true that Yu trusted her wholeheartedly. Just about as much as he trusted any member of the Investigation Team.
Trust was something she could use to her advantage.
Yukiko pulled her phone out.
"If I can get Narukami-kun on my side then maybe I won't have to worry so much about Naoto."
The thought of using Yu as a buffer did bother her, but if she got caught then they would never truly be together.
Naoto was after her and Yukiko couldn't shake the detective's suspicions on her own. This whole time she had been fighting the circumstances of her own making, but who was to say she had to fight them alone? If she could turn Yu on Naoto… then just maybe she had a chance.
She flipped the phone open and without hesitation dialed the leader of the Investigation Team. He answered almost immediately. Yukiko brisked down the hall to her room talking along the way.
"Hello Narukami-kun?"
"Yes, I'm sorry we got cut off earlier. My mom just needed help with some stuff around the inn was all.
"That loud bang? Oh, it was nothing, just some of the staff in the kitchen dropping some pots."
"Yeah, things have been very busy around here lately."
"The thing is… I was wondering if you might be able to come over and talk today."
"It's about what I mentioned earlier…"
"Yes... it's about Naoto-kun."
…
Inside the Inaba Municipal Hospital sat Naoto Shirogane.
The detective prince anxiously tapped her foot on the tile floor, glancing at the two doors that separated her from the emergency room. She always hated hospitals. The staff always appeared stressed, the bright lights hurt her eyes, and a dreary feeling overwhelmed its halls. She would not be here if not for the events that had transpired only a few hours prior.
After the rice mill fight had come to pass, she immediately turned her attention to Kanji.
There was little time to waste. He had been losing blood at a steady rate and had been lying unconscious on the floor for some time. Naoto got in touch with emergency services and thankfully they arrived shortly thereafter.
Inaba was a small town, so it wasn't often an ambulance was dispatched.
Now, she waited impatiently for news from the medical staff while they saw to his needs. Inside, Naoto felt a boiling rage that was ready to burst. The short engagement within the rice mill was seared into her memory. She hadn't seen the criminal's face who had committed the crime, but she was positive it had to be Yukiko.
"Her scooter was there, who else could it have been? They have the same body type and the boots she was wearing. I'm sure I've seen senpai in them before. That disguise isn't enough to fool me." she muttered. "Kanji was with her, I asked him to keep an eye on her, but I didn't anticipate that she'd…"
"Naoto?" A familiar voice came from behind.
The detective prince turned around to find Rise waiting with knitted eyebrows.
"Rise, you're here." Naoto said standing up. To her surprise Rise greeted her with a hug.
"Oh my gosh. First Chie and now Kanji!" Rise bemoaned while fighting back tears. "Naoto what is happening? Is someone coming after us? Do you think- could it be Adachi?"
Naoto rubbed Rise's back to comfort her. "No, it's not. I've already confirmed that Adachi is still in Tokyo's jail. He can't be the one who did this. I'm… still putting it all together. I have a theory, but it's just that, a theory." she said pulling back.
The detective was sure that if revealed her suspicions about Yukiko now the idol would have none of it.
At present, turning the team against one another wasn't the smart thing to do. Rise, like herself, was in a place of heightened distress. The last thing she wanted to do was to smack her in the face with more bad news. Besides, Naoto had her own reasons for informing Rise before anyone else.
Before the teens could continue their conversation the closed double doors of the emergency room opened. Out walked the short haired nurse, Sayoko Uehara. The young woman looked at the two of them and asked. "Are you two with Tatsumi-san? Has his guardian not arrived yet?"
Rise was the first to answer. "Yes, yes, we are. His mom's on the way too."
"Please tell us. How is he?" Naoto asked, her voice unsteady. "Is… he going to make it?"
The nurse looked at both girls with a puzzling glance before a wry smile formed on her face. "I wasn't aware that Tatsumi-san was so popular with the ladies!"
Naoto and Rise both chose to ignore the inappropriate comment.
Uehara looked awkwardly before continuing. "Still, you won't have anything to worry about. Tatsumi-san will be okay. We've stopped the blood loss, stitched his cuts, and have him on an IV. Though he suffered some blunt force trauma to head… there might be some symptoms regarding that."
"Might?" Rise asked looking concerned once more.
"Any number of things." Uehara answered. "Migraines, fatigue, and memory loss are common symptoms. We'll keep a constant monitor on his condition I assure you. In the meantime, the only guests allowed to see Tatsumi-san would be his immediate family. You are welcome to continue waiting until she arrives."
With that, Uehara departed back behind the double doors, leaving the pair alone.
"Aww." Rise pouted. Despite her unease the idol began to lighten up a bit. "Well, at least he'll be okay."
Naoto let out a sigh of relief. This had possibly been the most eventful morning of her young life. She didn't want to think of how the rest of the team would have reacted if Kanji hadn't made it. Chie missing was enough stress for the lot of them.
"Kanji-kun is a lot of things, but one can't deny that h-"
"His skull is thicker than a box of rocks?" Rise chimed in.
"I-" Naoto spoke with a wry smile. "I can't deny that."
Naoto was grateful Rise was here. Despite the uncomfortable circumstances they found themselves in, she could always brighten the mood. And with her looking after Kanji, Naoto knew what her next course of action would be.
"Rise." Naoto grabbed her attention in a calm tone. "I called you here because I need you to look after Kanji-kun."
"What?" Rise said almost taken aback. "Of course, I will. You don't even have to ask."
"That's not all." Naoto continued. "I'm going to go after the person I suspect is the culprit of these crimes."
There was a short pause before Rise responded. "Naoto…" Rise spoke. She looked worried.
"What is it?"
"Who is the person doing all of this? First Chie-senpai, now Kanji. Honestly, I'm wondering if Teddie could be…"
"Teddie?" Naoto cut her off. She understood Rise's concern about the safety of their friends, but she hadn't heard anything regarding the loveable bear. "What's this about Teddie?"
"It's just that Hanamura-senpai messaged me this morning and asked if I had seen him. Apparently, he hasn't been home in two days. I- I'm sure it's nothing but… with everything going on. You don't think that…" Rise's voice trailed off, her face glancing at the double doors concealing the emergency room.
Naoto stood stunned in silence.
The detective prince felt that silent rage returning. She wasn't one to make rash assumptions, but something about Teddie missing just didn't add up. He wasn't one to just run away without reason. What was the point of all the discourse these past few weeks? Just when the investigation team had fought so hard to seek out the truth. Several thoughts ran through her mind in quick succession.
"First Kanji-kun and now Teddie!?"
"What is she trying to accomplish?"
"I don't understand. Why target Teddie?"
"Yukiko Amagi… what are you planning?"
"…Naoto?" Rise repeated. "Naoto?"
Naoto snapped out of her thoughts. She realized she had been standing in silence, biting her nail in frustration. Simply lost in her thoughts while Rise stared in confusion.
"Sorry." she apologized. "Teddie may or may not be connected to this case. When we have the culprit in custody, I will be sure to bring it up during questioning. You don't have to worry. I won't be going alone. I intend to take Dojima-san with me. Once all of this is over, I plan to explain everything including who the culprit is, but for now we need to act quickly."
Naoto's mind was made up.
She would go to the Amagi Inn and confront who she believed was the culprit of these crimes.
The plan was bold, but with Yukiko acting in such an erratic manner this was her best option. She couldn't be certain that Yukiko wouldn't target anyone else on the Investigation Team.
The one piece of evidence she had was the tracker she had placed on the scooter. If they managed to locate it in the inn and ran recent prints on the vehicle, then it would be over for the Amagi heiress.
The evidence would be irrefutable.
Getting Yukiko into police custody and having the chance to interrogate her thoroughly would be ideal. Naoto was sure the teen would crack under the pressure.
"All right then." Rise conceded to Naoto, her voice uncertain. "Just promise me that you'll be careful."
Naoto looked at Rise and responded with her voice firm. "I swear."
…
At the Amagi Inn all was quiet. Yukiko soaked in the hot springs, her mind finally at peace. If there was one thing she could appreciate about growing up in a rich family, it had to be all the amenities that came with it. Taking a bath in such a comforting place wasn't something the common folk got to experience often, if not every day.
Despite the minor hiccup that morning, everything was progressing well.
There were some things that she couldn't fix on her own, namely her Naoto problem. Thankfully Yukiko finally decided to get some help. Her conversation with Yu had been surprisingly productive. Yukiko had told him about the gargantuan amounts of pressure that Naoto had been putting on her recently.
Yu agreed to talk to the detective prince and that was magic to her ears.
It wouldn't be long now. Chie would be gone, and Yukiko would be free. Of course, Kanji and Teddie were another issue, but she would deal with those as they came along.
Yukiko glanced down at her shoulder. Thankfully, the swelling had finally begun to subside. The skin surrounding the bruise was still tender, but nowhere as bad as it had previously been. Ice and warm water seemed to do the trick.
Nearby sat a clock mounted against the inn's wooden walls. Yukiko glanced at the time, 5:00 PM. She had been soaking for a while, it was time to leave before her skin pruned. She dried herself off and moved to a nearby dressing room. Days like this were peaceful. Very few guests roaming around the inn made life so much easier.
Yukiko spent some time drying her hair off. There was a small TV that sat on the bathroom countertop. She found the remote nearby and turned it on while continuing to dry her hair. Having something to watch would make the tedious task of drying her locks go a bit faster.
A news reporter popped on the screen.
"In more recent news, more talk surrounding the disappearance of Chie Satonaka…"
Yukiko quickly switched the channel. She was in no mood to hear anything related to Chie. She flipped the channels before landing on a J-drama. She had no idea what was going on but picked up on the fact it was a messy romance. She loved those and all the spices that came with it. It almost felt ironic.
Yukiko continued watching until her hair was fully dry.
The girl changed back into the smock she was wearing earlier and headed back to her room. She was sore, but nowhere near as bad as it had been earlier. "This bruise should heal in a few days." She muttered moving her rotator cuff. Yukiko hurried on, she wanted to lie down for a bit before dinner. The day had gone by quickly since she got home. A bit of relaxation before school tomorrow was what she needed.
Before she could open the door to her room. she heard a call come from around the corner. "Yukiko-san!" it was one of the maids. "Yukiko-san, please come quick!"
Yukiko stared at the maid in annoyance. Just when she thought she had a day of peace, of course one of the maids would ask her for help. She sighed and tartly asked. "What do you need help with? Can't it wait until tomorrow?"
"I don't need help, the inn keeper does!" she snapped at her tone. "The police are back, and they are trying to enter the inn, but your mother- Amagi-san won't let them in. They are looking for you!"
"Me?" Yukiko was puzzled.
Then it set in. Her eyes widened with worry.
Naoto had come for her.
Yukiko's mind raced to Yu who said that he'd speak with her. She guessed that Naoto must have not received his call or likely ignored it. And then she thought of her mother being at the forefront of the defense at the inn's entrance. Yukiko couldn't stand the thought of Mrs. Amagi being arrested simply for defending her daughter.
With a heavy sigh she met the maid's eyes. "I'll be right there."
…
Yukiko followed the maid to the entrance of the inn and surely enough stood Mrs. Amagi blocking the entry of Naoto and Dojima. The older detective was arguing with her mother and looked like he was losing his patience with each passing second. "I told you we just want to talk with your daughter. All we have is a couple of questions." he said in an irritated voice.
"And I'm telling you that my daughter has nothing to do with this!" Mrs. Amagi raised her voice. "How many times do you have to come interrogate us to understand?"
Next to Dojima stood Naoto waiting, cool headed like always.
However, that changed once Yukiko entered the picture. The heiress locked eyes with the detective prince for the first time since this morning. Naoto's gaze fixed squarely on her. Her expression was fierce. It felt as though daggers were piercing Yukiko's sore wound.
Yukiko made her way to the front of the entrance. She put her hand on Mrs. Amagi's shoulder. "Mother its fine, I'll answer whatever questions they have."
"Yukiko?" Her mother looked surprised before noticing the maid who brought her scurrying away. She let out an exasperated sigh. "No, it isn't fine. This is the third time they've come. I've seen what this situation is doing to you. You don't have to answer them today."
"On the contrary ma'am, senpai will be required to answer whenever the law demands it." Naoto chimed in. There was no humor or calm in her voice. She was straight to the point and spent on patience.
Dojima concurred with his junior. "I'm afraid Shirogane is right. We just need to ask your daughter some more questions and we'll be out of your hair. It's primarily concerning Tatsumi."
"Tatsumi? The textile shop boy? What does he have to do with anything? We've already answered questions about Chie, and I've already shown you the garage, what more do you want?" Mrs. Amagi was getting fed up with their demands.
"Garage?" Yukiko asked.
"Yes, senpai. The garage." Naoto interjected. She took a step further in the door.
Mrs. Amagi shielded Yukiko behind her arm looking fearful of the teen less than half her age.
"Easy Shirogane." Dojima grumbled.
"We came to investigate the red scooter you own senpai. One said scooter that I had a tracker affixed to. The very same scooter that was pinged at the Amagi Inn just this morning!" Naoto shouted. "Please tell me why I found the scooter at an abandoned rice mill. And inside was a bloodied and near-death Kanji Tatsumi!"
Mrs. Amagi gasped at Naoto's revelation.
Yukiko did her best to put on a look on utter shock and concern. "K- Kanji-kun is hurt?"
"Don't play innocent." Naoto spat with vitriol. "You know he was there because you're the one who attacked him. I found the perpetrator in the building, and we came to blows. You were lucky enough to get away then, but you won't now."
Mrs. Amagi was taken aback. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. That's absolutely ridiculous!"
"N- Naoto-kun you've got to believe me. I have no idea what you're talking about. Scooter, rice mill? I haven't been in the garage all day. If what you're saying is true. I don't have any idea how the scooter got over there! M- maybe it was stolen. I know the staff will sometimes leave the garage unattended." Yukiko stammered on her words.
"Fat chance senpai!" Naoto snapped back. "After I found Kanji-kun, the tracker's signal went dark near the Amagi-Inn. Hmph, rather conveniently might I add. I surmise that you found the tracker, broke it in a panic, and then ditched the scooter?"
Yukiko shook her head. "Naoto-kun, I really have no idea what you're talking about, or where you're getting these crazy ideas about me from. Hurt Kanji-kun? I would never! He's our friend!"
"Oh, would you just stop with this farce!" Naoto was getting fed up. "I sent Kanji-kun to help you and this is how you repay him! By almost killing him?"
"What's going on?" A voice came from behind the detectives. Suddenly Yu Narukami appeared on the sidewalk leading in. The usually calm and collected teen looked at the entire ordeal before him with curious eyes. He looked to his uncle who looked just as shocked to see him. "I heard shouting, is everything alright?"
"Far from all right." Mrs. Amagi commented bitterly looking in Naoto's direction.
"Yu what're you doing here?" Dojima asked with intrigue. "Didn't I tell you to stay at home with Nanako?"
"She's fine. Yosuke's looking after her." Yu replied dismissively. He turned his attention to Naoto who looked shocked that he was here. "Naoto what are you doing?"
"Senpai I was merely-" Before Naoto could finish her sentence Yukiko threw her arms around Yu.
"Narukami… Narukami-kun, Dojima-san you have to believe me!" Yukiko cried out, tears beginning to well in her eyes. "N- Naoto-kun, I don't know why she has this obsession with me! Chie… Chie is my best friend. Ever since she vanished, she's been coming at me nonstop. Her disappearance hurt me just as much as anybody else!"
Yu was speechless. He didn't know how to react to what he was walking in on.
Naoto scoffed. "Typical Amagi-san always able to turn on the water works whenever trouble gets going, but this time you won't be able to cry your way out of this. You're coming to the station whether you like it or not!" Naoto reaches out and grabs Yukiko's arm tightly, attempting to pull her off of Yu and put her in cuffs. "I'm placing you under arrest."
"You can't do that!" Mrs. Amagi objected.
Yukiko struggled wailing as her shoulder pain pulsed with each pull. "Ahhhhh! He- help me, Yu." She pleaded.
"Naoto! Just wait, we should hear her out. " Yu struggled to separate the two girls.
"SHIROGANE THAT'S ENOUGH!" Dojima shouted sending each person still. He shot a sharp glance at Naoto, who begrudgingly released Yukiko's arm. He went between both girls and Yu, putting distance between them. "Shirogane, I understand your frustration, but Amagi is still a citizen. She has rights. There is a process to this."
Yukiko stood back near Mrs. Amagi who wiped the tears from her daughter's face. Her freshly straightened hair was messy from the struggle that ensued. Yukiko looked up to both Yu and his uncle. "Dojima-san, Narukami-kun, th- thank you." She sputtered.
Naoto looked at her with a venomous gaze. Eyes never wavering.
"Dojima-san, Narukami-senpai, listen to me." Naoto appealed to both of them. "Please I implore you to hear me out. Have I ever been wrong when it comes to intuition? Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me during our investigations? Yukiko Amagi is lying! She's responsible for the disappearance of Chie Satonaka and the attack on Kanji Tatsumi. Please allow me to question her, we have the evidence we need. Please don't let her walk away again."
Yu looked at Naoto with a shocked expression, then stared at Yukiko with uncertainty.
Dojima stared at Naoto hard then turned to Yukiko. "Look Amagi, we're going to need you to come down to the station. We have some questions for you."
Mrs. Amagi tried to step in. "That isn't fair."
"That's the last I will hear of it!" He shouted, looking at the girl's mother. "Or we'll have to take you with us to."
This appeared to make the older Amagi back down. Her eyes darted to her daughter with worry. "Yukiko, just go with them. You've done nothing wrong dear, so you should be home in no time." She reassured her daughter. "And when you return, I can promise you that these two will never be allowed to step foot on our grounds again. I will see to that."
Yukiko's eye twitched in annoyance, but she did her best to hide it. This corner she had been backed into was beginning to close in. Dark and bleak. There was no escape. Her heart pounded hard. Like a drum beating in her chest. She shot a glance at Yu who looked uncertain of both her and Naoto. She couldn't beg for his help anymore, not with his uncle standing there.
"Is this it?" She thought…
"After everything I've been through…"
"Everything that I've done…"
"Just to get caught by this stupid bitch…"
"No… it can't be… I refuse…."
"Yukiko." Dojima repeated firmly, awaiting her response.
Yukiko slapped her hands together catching everyone off guard and replied. "I understand Dojima-san. You just want to ask a few questions, right? I can do that. It's fine. If it alleviates whatever suspicions, you all have about me, I'll go." She glanced at her mom reassuringly.
Naoto stared at the girl unconvinced. She had something up her sleeve.
For once Dojima looked relieved. "Well, that's good. Thank you for cooperating. Our car's just across the street so if you could follow us." He began to leave the inn's entrance with Naoto doubling back to Yukiko's side.
"Actually." The girl suddenly stopped. "Before we go, could I go and get my shoes? I don't want to use the inn's slides; they are for work usage only you see."
"You can't be serious." Naoto blurted out.
Dojima sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Fine then. Just make it quick."
"I'll go get them right now." Yukiko announced, quick to turn back into the inn.
"I'm coming with you." Naoto added flanking Yukiko's side. She caught a glance of the Amagi heiress's look of utter contempt for her.
"Me too." Yu finally got the courage to cut in and glanced at Dojima who nodded.
The three walked silently through the hall.
Never once had the Investigation Team had nothing to talk about. There was an air of tension that couldn't be dispelled. Naoto was on high alert. While Yukiko stared coldly, eyes fixed on the hall before her. Yu was conflicted on what to believe. Both girls that stood at his side, were people he trusted more than anything.
It didn't take long for them to arrive at her room.
"Hurry up." Naoto ordered coldly. "You've wasted enough of our time."
"Naoto." Yu interjected himself. "That was a bit much."
"It wasn't enough." she replied dismissively.
"You've been hard on her already. Just give her a break." He pressed.
"Senpai, you don't understand, she-"
Yukiko entered the room while the two argued and tried to slide the door closed, only for Naoto's shoe to get caught in the frame. "What do you need this closed for?" She questioned with a suspicious gaze. "Get your shoes and let's go."
Yukiko shot a glance at Yu. "I was just hoping I could change as well. Before you arrived, I had just gotten out of the bath. I rushed back into these clothes to meet you; I didn't have the time to grab a fresh pair."
Naoto opened her mouth to object, but Yu stepped in. "Naoto, let's just give her the benefit of the doubt. Everyone's been through enough already." He turned to Yukiko with a sympathetic glance. "We'll be right outside the door. Take all the time you need."
Naoto sighed in annoyance and let her foot off the door.
Yukiko's eyes beamed brightly at Yu. "Thank you Narukami-kun." She mouthed before closing the door. Inside the room Yukiko headed over to her nightstand and grabbed a long pair of tights from the drawer. She put them over her fair skin slowly. Then shifted under her bed. There sat a pair of red sneakers that she normally used for gym class. Yukiko placed a shoe on each foot, tying the laces tightly.
She headed over to the mirror and looked at her face with a melancholy expression.
Her hair was a mess, skin pale, and shoulder wrecked. "What a day." Yukiko huffed and did her best to straighten her locks with a hairbrush. The Amagi heiress had to look dignified at all times and her presentation was unbecoming of the woman set to take over this dynasty.
After all was said and done, she looked almost as close to courtly as possible.
The young woman turned around and headed towards her dresser. On the very top sat her widescreen television.
A familiar television.
The very one she had shoved Chie inside so long ago.
Yukiko hit the power button, the screen morphed into a spread of static, stretching across its elongated glass. The girl shot one last glance at her room door. Outside stood Yu and Naoto awaiting her return. There they would remain waiting.
Without further hesitation Yukiko put her arms into the screen and descended into the TV world.
…
A/N: 7/5/2023, revisions made to some dialogue. I've also fixed some typos.