"Sorry I couldn't bring you guys along for this." David said as he was on the phone with his agency friends back home.
"Hey, don't worry about it. You have your old crew there, don't you?" Asuka asked.
"You'll be fine, Dave. Just be sure to kick some mystery ass in wherever this Kanai ward is!" Paul said.
"Heh. Thanks, Paul." David said.
"Might you know where you're supposed to go to get to your designated location?" Lili asked.
"Yeah. There is a train station that has a train taking us straight there." David said.
"Good luck over there, David. Between you, your old team, and the 40 others from the alliance going with you, I'm sure you'll help the WDO with whatever they need." Xiaoyu said.
"Thanks, Xiao. You and Cooler keep up the good work on your end, too." David said. "Speaking of which, I heard you're getting along quite well with him, Yoshimitsu."
"(Very well indeed. Though our time together did not help against him…)" Yoshimitsu said.
"Yeah… Heihachi, huh?" David asked.
"I couldn't believe it when Yoshimitsu told us." Xiaoyu said. "There was a whole order of Monks who saved Heihachi and tried to put him on the better path with his amnesia in effect, but then…"
"Yeah, I can fill in the blanks. He remembered everything and wiped them out single-handedly, right?" David asked.
"(And Lidia, Eddy and Myself were no match for his ascended power.)" Yoshimitsu said.
"Yikes… We were able to help Jin take down Kazuya, but now that Heihachi is back…" David said.
"(Yeah, he might be back to his old ways again.)" King said.
"When the time comes for him to strike, we must be ready." Leo added.
"We'll nip in the bud. But Heihachi comes later." Leroy said. "You just go do your thing, David. We got things covered while you're out."
"Thanks, guys. Also, keep a very close eye on Kuma." David said. "He's still loyal to Heihachi, and if he finds out he's back…"
"He might betray us, right?" Asuka asked. "We'll keep an eye on him."
"I'll be the first one to knock him down if he tries anything." Paul assured. "Now go be a Master Detective, Dave!"
"Thanks. See you guys." David said as he hung up.
Notice
World Detective Organization: Human Resources
Dear David Ishihara,
You are hereby dispatched to the Special Autonomous Zone of Kanai Ward.
Dispatch Duration: Indefinite
Use the enclosed ticket to board the Amaterasu Express to Kanai Ward. Rendezvous with the Master Detectives onsite.
Upon arrival, proceed to the Nocturnal Detective Agency, World Detective Organization Kanai Ward Branch.
There you will receive further instructions.
Go forth, proud detectives. Eliminate all mysteries in this world!
The train to Kanai Ward, known as the Amaterasu Express, did not operate on a line directly from any known Train Station in Japan, not even Shibuya Station. Instead, the train operates from a line that is undisclosed to the public and only known to strict personnel to avoid any complications.
Thankfully, all five master detectives in the Hero Alliance received directions on how to get to the station, and were given ample time to gather their teams and rendezvous at the station to depart to Kanai Ward together. Together with their assembled assistants, the WDO representation in the Hero Alliance would be a total number of 50.
For his part, David reassembled everyone in his paranormal investigation team as his group. There was a sense of Nostalgia among the ten of them as they walked into the station. As if time didn't change anything between them.
"Just like old times, huh guys?" Kurochi asked. "The 10 of us, solving supernatural mysteries before the world went to hell."
"Yes. It feels nice having the ten of us together again." Leonora said. "So much has happened to us since then."
"It feels… right." Takeshi said. "I don't think we would have done this mission otherwise if not together."
"You got a point there, Takeshi." Ross said. "No other way to do this."
"Say, before we came here… did you have time?" Jesse asked. "Y'know, to talk to Asahi, I mean. Is she still busy being an Emblem Jewel Spokeswoman?"
"Actually, no. She was carted off during that whole scuffle against Dark Garden." Takeshi said. "She even tried to stand up to Flux, from what I heard."
"Have you seen her since the Auction?" Petra asked.
"Thankfully, Flux didnt have her arrested. She was released from her spokes duties and allowed to keep the emblems she bought. But…" Takeshi said. "I haven't had the time to talk to her about any of the stuff I got off my chest during the demon election. But I have had some time to think about all the stuff I said."
"But you said all of that because you were worried about her, weren't you?" David asked.
"Yeah. And I still am. But I'm sure she and I will talk things over, and then figure out our next steps together." Takeshi said. "I don't want anything getting in the way of this important mission."
"I got some Emblems for my dad after that whole demon election. He appreciated the gesture, but… I'm not sure if he'll end up using them." David said.
"He probably wouldn't need to, but… I can understand why you did that for him." Takeshi said.
"Sorry, Takeshi. You expressed how much you hated them, and yet I ended up getting some behind your back." David said.
Takeshi couldn't help but laugh. "David, I never said I hated the Emblems themselves."
"You just hate that it was Flux's idea to make them, right?" Ross asked.
"Yeah. It's no secret that pretty much everyone hates him for one reason or another. Just the thought that he is profiting off some of the things he's doing makes me sick to my stomach." Takeshi said.
"Doesn't anything Flux do make any of us sick to our stomachs?" Kokoro joked.
"Heh. Yeah, I suppose." Takeshi said. "So, David. You still thinking about getting more for someone else?"
"Well… Yeah. For this guy, Kai from the tennis team. Tatsuya and I are gonna be graduating in March, so we were thinking about getting him one once he becomes the new captain. But… I don't know which ones to get him." David said.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." Kokoro said.
"So, is everyone ready to board the train to our biggest caper yet?" Ross said.
"We sure are. Though I dunno if the train's gonna be big enough to fit you in the cars, Ross." Kurochi teased.
Meanwhile, in another part of the station, Shuichi was on his way to meet David with his own crew. He had chosen his closest confidants from his time on the 53rd season of Danganronpa. Of course, Kaede and Kaito were undisputed no-brainers. Along with them came fellow survivors Maki and Himiko, along with Himiko's companions Tenko and Angie. The last three spots were ultimately filled by Gonta, Kirumi and Rantaro.
"Alright! Today marks the first official mission of the Ultimate Detective Agency!" Kaito said as he pumped his fist.
"Since when did we become a detective agency when Shuichi only just put this team together yesterday?" Maki asked. "And when did we decide that should be the name?"
"C'mon, Maki, it's to set the mood! Shuichi's leadin' us on a trip into the unknown to solve mysteries in a mysterious city." Kaito said. "You can't tell me that gets you fired up."
"Not really." Maki monotonely said.
"Personally, this trip is a bit concerning. For one thing, this station is undisclosed to the public, and any other stations across the world do not have access to the city we are going to." Kirumi said.
"Indeed. Not even Atua can perceive the exact location of this Kanai Ward." Angie added.
"An undisclosed train station that goes to our destination, and no one knows where this city actually is? That would bring up major warning signs." Kaede said.
"Gonta not worried, though. Friends with us on case, right?" Gonta asked.
"Yeah. We've been through worse spots with everyone else. This should be no different." Rantaro said.
"I trust everyone in the alliance to some degree, but as long as none of the other master detectives are Degenerate Males, I should get along with them fine." Tenko said. "And don't worry Himiko, if anything scary happens on this excursion, I'll protect you!"
"Thanks, Tenko…" Himiko smiled.
Kaede then looked to Shuichi. "How are you feeling about all this, Shuichi? I'm sorry if we're making you nervous with all this talk. And… I know compared to the other ultimates, our talents were fabricated, but…"
"None of that matters, Kaede. I was still able to become a Master Detective, wasn't I?" Shuichi assured. "Even if James tampered with our talents, the time we spent together was real. Nothing can change that."
"That's right, Shuichi. Our bonds will pull us through this mission. That's what'll make us a great team!" Kaito said. "Whatever challenges await us in Kanai ward, we can handle it, and you'll lead the way."
"Quite the reversal of fortune, isn't it, Kaito?" Tenko asked.
"Yep. In Danganronpa, Shuichi was my sidekick. And now, here I am as one of his assistants." Kaito said. "Feels like it's all coming full circle."
"It sorta feels a bit more fitting with Shuichi as the leader and you as his assistant." Himiko pointed out.
"Huh?! Himiko, what are you…?!" Kaito asked.
"I agree. After all he has been through, Shuichi is more suited to the role of leader than Kaito ever was." Kirumi said.
"No question about that." Maki agreed.
"Why does it seem like now you guys are making fun of me…?" Kaito groaned.
Amaterasu Express Departing Station, Direct Line Platform
(Cue BGM: Entrance- Mario Golf: Advance Tour)
David's Team and Shuichi's Team soon rendezvoused with each other near the platform.
"Hey, guys." David said.
"Go figure we showed up around the same time." Kaito said.
"Well, we are on the same team after all, despite being in separate units for this." Maki said.
"So, this is the crew you have assembled, Shuichi? Looks like you've got quite a good one here." David said.
"Same to you David. You stuck with your roots." Shuichi said.
"Yeah. It had to be these guys. I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else." David said.
"So it is just us here for now?" Tenko asked.
"Yeah. Double D, 9S, and Vector's teams haven't shown up yet." Kurochi said.
"Think they'll get here before the train leaves?" Himiko asked.
"They have plenty of time. The Train is scheduled to depart in 45 minutes." Kirumi estimated.
"This marks the first time we're tackling a caper on the same team, but not at the same time." Shuichi said. "If that's the case, I really hope this doesn't make us rivals, David."
"We'll see where the winds of fate take us with that, Shuichi." David said.
"Yeah, this guy is used to having rivals pop up out of nowhere." Jesse said.
"Oh, I think I see some of the others arriving now!" Tenko said as a group walked up to the station. "It's 9S' group!"
Tenko was right, as 9S arrived with his team. It was composed of himself, 2B, and A2. Also from Darksquad came Jin, Tsubaki, and Peacock. Rounding out the field as the final four were Jiro, Hermit, Blake, and Yang.
"Mostly girls, 9S? Quite the interesting choice." Mayumi said.
"Yeah, you and Jin are the only two guys in the group." Kaito said.
"042 selected the rest of my team." 9S said.
"Affirmative. Remaining 7 members were selected based on their talents." 042 said.
"That makes sense, but why is Hermit on your team? You're a hacker already 9S, why do you need another?" Kaede asked.
"Hermit's on the roster as a backup, in the event 9S is indisposed." Jin said. "There also might be more complex machines that he can't get into by himself."
"As for Jin and myself, since we are members of the World Void Information Control Center on our world, we are similar to the police and military." Tsubaki said.
"And I'm here because y'can't have good cops without bad cops!" Peacock said as she drew her revolver.
"Should we be worried…?" Jiro asked Blake and Yang.
"Nah. I'll teach them a lesson if they get outta line." Yang said.
"Yeah. It…it'll be fun." Blake said as she stuck close to Yang.
"Double D and Vector aren't here yet." Hermit observed.
"They should be on their way." Kirumi said. "They have time."
"Hahahaha! The best detective team has arrived!" a voice called out as Vector, Charmy, and Espio came riding up on a homemade float as their theme song played out throughout the entire train station.
"Well…not exactly the most tasteful of entrances." David said.
"Coming through!" a voice called out as Double D and his team came running in from behind. "Apologies for the delay, this huge float was taking up the whole hall."
"Hey. Not my fault we we're being the best at…" Vector said as the float broke down. "Damn it…guess this is what I get for skimping out on float repair." he said.
"So where is your team?" 9S asked.
"I got the best of the best. First…" Vector said snapping his fingers as appearing behind them was a silver hedgehog and a purple cat. "Some of you might remember Silver and Blaze."
"Hey…it's been awhile." Silver said.
"We are glad to be here." Blaze said.
"It's great to see you two again." Princess Twilight said.
"You as well, Princess Twilight." Blaze said.
"Are they part of your alleged "Team dynamic" Vector?" 2B asked.
"Oh no. These two are official members of Team Chaotix…mainly from when we used to race as a team. No…the dynamic comes next. First…introducing…the mascot!" Vector said as Chopper came out.
"I really don't wanna do this." Chopper said.
"Go on, say your catchphrase." Vector whispered.
"But it sounds so stupid." Chopper said.
"Say it." Vector said.
"Uh….Choppy Choppy Cho…" Chopper said in some defeat.
"(oof, poor guy… that's gotta be embarrassing.)" Kaede thought.
"Next up, we have our nature-loving hippy girl who is also hot!" Vector said as Perfuma walked out.
"When you say it like that Vector, it feels like my talents aren't truly appreciated." Perfuma sighed.
"And next…we got our second hot girl who may be a damsel in distress at times!" Vector said.
"Damsel? Okay, I have serious questions about your choices later." Yaoyorozu said as she walked out.
"Momo?" Jiro asked.
"Oh, Jiro! You were selected as well?" Yaoyorozu said.
"Yeah, I'm with 9S. And probably for a more sensible reason." Jiro said.
"We can agree on that." Yaororyozu said. "He just picked a bunch of us at random and didn't tell us what he had planned."
"And now…we got the hot jock who may or may not be getting lucky with some of these girls." Vector said as Gohan came out.
"Vector, please… I'm already married." Gohan said in annoyance.
"Gohan?!" Double D asked. "How on earth did you get caught up in Vector's team?"
"Ugh…he just blindsided me out of nowhere. Literally waited in my room till I came back to pull me into all this." Gohan said.
"He got you like that?" Eddy asked.
"Yeah…I really should up my training." the half-Saiyan sighed.
"And he said he took months to put his team together. I've half a mind to think Vector slapped together his team last minute." Penny said.
"Sorry kids, but if you got complaints, you'll have to complaint to my intern/assistant." Vector said.
"You have an intern?" David asked.
"Yeah, that's why I was so late. I was picking her up from a completely different station." Vector said. "Speaking of which, where is she?"
"Oh…sorry, sorry." a voice said as a young girl was coming in with some luggage and a clipboard. "I made sure…to get all your luggage, Mr. Vector."
"Ahaha! Love ya already, kid." Vector said.
"Hey…it's…it's you!" Jiro said.
"You guys know her?" Gohan asked.
"Yeah. She was one of the people Theodore kidnapped when he was selling his weapons in the Hero Universe and put together the Tumultuous 20." Jiro said.
"Hi. I'm Marcy and I am glad to be here with all of you. Especially the best team ever." she said pointing to the Dimensional Heroes members.
"Aw, stop it kid." Vector chuckled.
"Best team, huh…?" Peacock asked.
"Well, they did rescue her from Theodore. Only natural she'd admire Jexi's team for that." Kaede said.
"Also…you know how his confession that was broadcasted across multiple worlds…I hacked the satellite system that did that." Marcy said.
"You did that? That's pretty impressive." Penny said.
"Yeah well, he sorta kidnapped me and my friends so he kinda had it coming." Marcy said. "Now I'm here, working for Mr. Vector and these guys. And I will be making them the best team ever!" she said in triumph before her clipboard caught on fire. "Ah! Oh come on!" she said slamming it down to put it out.
"Well, this should be quite interesting…" 2B said.
"Your group looks pretty good too, Double D." Kaede said.
"Why thank you, Kaede. I opted for a simpler team, one focused on experience and specialized skills, so to speak." Double D stated. "Besides my fellows, Connie was quite helpful during the trial of Mr. Starbuck."
"Ehehe, thanks, Double D, but I only helped knock Blackquill and Cosmos off balance a couple times, Shuichi was the one who closed the case with Mr. Wright." Connie said.
"You don't need to downplay it, Connie, you were great!" Steven said, earning a smile from the girl.
"Okay, Connie and Steven I understand, they're a dynamic duo. Princess Twilight too. But why Pinkie Pie-2?" Kaito asked.
"Excellent question! Despite how she usually is, she has actually solved a mystery before. On a train such as this one, no less!" Double D explained.
"Yep! Granted, it wasn't perfect. I jumped to conclusions a LOT and practically accused everybody without any evidence." Pinkie-2 admitted. "Twilight helped me out in the end, though."
"I was just helping you get the facts together Pinkie. You were on the right track, but you singled out the other bakers too quickly." Twilight said, addressing the others. "She did manage to put the finishing touches on herself."
"I'm here for Tech support, obviously. Mark thinks it'd be good experience. Kiba's here as our muscle in case things go awry." Penny continued for Double D.
"And Chrysalis?" Kaito asked.
"She's our infiltration specialist!" Steven answered.
"You need an infiltration specialist?" Vector asked.
"Of course we do!" Ed said. "Sometimes, you must go into enemy territory to uncover the truth! And who better for the task than a shapeshifter?"
"...In all honesty, Mark noticed I was being sidelined quite a bit, so he suggested I come along." Chrysalis clarified
"Fair enough. It looks like we got ourselves an all-star cast here, if you don't mind me saying that." Jesse said.
"Yeah, go team!" Charmy said. "We're gonna be awesome, I can feel it-!"
"Attention passengers departing this station direct to Kanai Ward on the Amaterasu express…" a PA system announced. "Please board immediately. The train will depart soon."
"Uh oh…" Charmy said.
"Move, move, move!" Vector ordered as the group hurried down the platform.
Luckily for the group of 50, they were at the platform already. They rushed to where the Amaterasu Express was stationed and scrambled inside the closest car to where they were.
"And now we're here." Penny said as she looked around the interior of the car. "Huh, pretty fancy."
"The Amaterasu express will now depart!" a conductor said. Right then and there, another face slipped in behind the group just as the doors closed and the train took off, as he ran into the middle of the group.
"By the way, you haven't seen the….fish hag, have ya?" Vector whispered to David and Shuichi.
"No. We haven't seen Mermista once." David said.
"Huh…that's weird. I would have suspected her to try and muscle her way into our investigation even though she flunked out." Vector said.
"She said she got over it. So I would not worry." Perfuma said.
"Yeah, Mermista is a lot of things, but she's not…" Eddy started before he stopped himself. "...actually, sneakin' on board this train does sound like her." he caught himself.
"She couldn't have jumped on at the last second, could she?" Double D said.
"If she's behind us, I swear…" Vector said as they turned around…
And saw someone completely different, catching their breath.
"Phew…made it in time." a slim looking young man said, almost looking like a young boy. He was around the height of Eddy, having a shorter stature compared to most others around him. He has mauve hair styled in a bowl cut, the bangs of which go down far enough to cover the eyebrows; and purple eyes. His irises are in the shape of keyholes. The top of his hair also had a cowlick in the shape of a question mark. He wore a dark blue uniform with shorts and black tights and black boots with neon blue soles.
After getting his bearings, he at last noticed the large group in front of him.
"Wh-Whoa!" the young man stammered in surprise.
"Oh…phew…it's just some kid. Thought for sure it was gonna be the fish out of water." Vector said.
"Wh-who are all of you? Are you Master Detectives too?" the young man asked.
"Huh?" some of them said as the boy showed them the letter.
"Hmm…Yuma Kokohead, huh? So you're a detective too huh? Pleasure to meet you." David said.
"It's nice to meet you too. And as for being a detective…I think I am one, at least." Yuma said.
"You think you are? You sure you're not confused or somethin'?" Eddy asked.
"Hmm…perhaps it's a spell of Amnesia?" Double D wondered.
"Ah, poor kid. He was probably so excited, he went and forgot it all. Luckily, I got the cure. Tapes!" Vector said with a hand on his suitcase. "I packed a bunch of tapes, from music to self help to books on tape. I like to listen to them while I travel and…" he said, opening the back as tumbling right out of it was the mermaid princess herself, Mermista. "What the deep briny hell?!"
"Mermista?!" Perfuma said.
"There was someone in there?!" Yuma asked in shock.
"I was wondering why your bag felt so heavy." Marcy said.
"How did she even fit in there?" Twilight wondered.
"It's a pretty big bag. More importantly, why are you here?!" Vector said.
"Duh, I'm gonna solve the mystery." Mermista said.
"No you aren't! You are not a real detective. Wait…if you were in there then…." Vector said, looking at the bag to see it mostly empty. "My tapes!"
"Uh, yeah, I kinda had to make a little room to fit in there, so…" Mermista said.
"You…." Vector said as he grabbed her. "Okay, I'm done being the nice croc. I'm throwing you off this train. You can walk back to the Galaxy King from there."
"Yeah…you're not gonna be able to do that." Marcy said.
"Huh? Why not?" Vector asked.
"This is the Amaterasu Express. It's completely automated. Plus all the doors and windows lock automatically until it reaches the station." Marcy said.
"So basically, we're stuck with her." Himiko said.
"Uh…lucky me." Mermista said.
"Don't get too comfortable. The moment we stop at the station, we're buying you a one-way ticket and sending you back home." Vector said.
"Mermista, why did you stow away in the first place? You said you got over failing the Exam before the Multiversal Auction." Perfuma said.
Mermista groaned. "I did… for about 10 minutes."
"You really expected someone like her to actually get over an obsession that easily?" Yaoyorozu said.
"So you just couldn't help it and stuffed yourself inside one of Vectors bags." Maki said.
"Out of all of 'em to hide away in, why my tapes?! And please tell me you didn't do anything to them." Vector said.
"Relax, I stashed them in those metal holder things you see people put paper in. You know, the ones that kinda smell." Mermista said.
"You mean a trash can? You threw…my tapes…into the trash?!" Vector said.
"Now now…I did leave one in there." Mermista said, handing it to him.
"Guess I can still listen to the…." Vector said looking at the title. "Necronomicon: Book of the Dead: Book on Tape? Eh…whatever." he said as he put the tape into the player. "I'm gonna try and get a little nap in my room. Why don't you all mingle with all the other detectives on board?"
"Well… it wouldn't hurt to be friendly with our fellow detectives." Double D said.
"Let's get going." 9S said as they split apart from Vector to head to Car 2.
"For the record, I called you sneakin' on board first." Eddy said.
"Congrats, would you like a medal?" Mermista sarcastically replied.
"So…. you're with them?" Yuma asked.
"Technically I stowed away. You kinda came at the last minute yourself." Mermista said.
"If you were really summoned to Kanai ward like the rest of us, what made you so late?" 9S asked.
"Well… I woke up inside a storage closet. I didn't know why I was there, not even who I was." Yuma said.
"So it truly is amnesia you're stricken with." Ross said.
"I guess so. I found that letter on me and remembered my name. Then I ran to the train." Yuma explained.
"And thus, here you are." Double D stated. "Well, not to worry, Mr. Kokohead. If there's any group that can help you pierce things together, it's the Master Detectives present onboard this train."
"I hope so." Yuma nodded.
Yuma and the group soon entered the dining area in Car 2. Running first, they all soon saw five other faces inside the car. Three men, and two females.
The first man close to the group was a man who looked to be in his mid- 40s . He had styled white hair and wore some sort of beige military trench coat and boots, supporting himself with a cane. His left eye was adorned with some kind of eye patch, gazing at them intensely.
Sitting behind him was a man younger than who was in front of him, wearing the same color uniform as Yuma with brown hair. He was wearing red glasses and had a beret on that showed some kind of animal ears. He looked towards the group and seemed to be judging their character, pushing his glasses up.
Near the bar was a tall woman who had long blond hair styled in a sidecut, with the shaved portion being dyed purple. She has purple eyes, with irises resembling a shock wave, with highlighted eyelashes; yellow highlights on the left, and pink highlights on the right. On her right cheek are pink markings, reminiscent of ink blotches. She had 6 piercings on her right ear (one in the lobe), and wore faintly purple lipstick, also wearing a similar uniform as she looked at the group with curiosity.
In front of her was the last man of the quintet, who looked to be a young man of average height. At first glance, he appeared to be rude, moody, and violent looking. He has grey eyes and his irises resembled cat eyes. He has long and spindly tendril-like beige hair which juts out from beneath his mask. The mask is similar to a balaclava, though his had lots of holes which his eyes and mouth are visible from. He has two snake bite piercings below either side of his lips, and a marking that goes up the left side of his face. He took one look at the group while cracking his knuckles.
The final member of the group was a girl who was the same height as Yuma, having pale skin like his, while looking rather childlike. She has grey eyes, with irises resembling a flat symbol, and short, strangely layered blond hair, the back and sides of which curl upwards. She wears a bunny pin on the left side of her hair, as well as a pink bow on the back. A pair of red headphones are situated at her neck. She was sitting at the far back of the car, seemingly staring off into space.
"Well… this is… something…" Perfuma said, a little put off by the five appearances.
"Er…excuse me." Double D said, trying to break the awkwardness. "Are you all with the World Detective Organization? And if so, might you five be Master Detectives?"
"We are… but who might all of you be?" the man in the glasses asked.
"The four of us happen to be master detectives as well. The ones behind us are our assisting members." 9S said. "There is another one of us, but he's resting in the carriage cars."
"And I'm also a Master Detective, or at least I think." Yuma said.
"Boys like you? Master Detectives of the WDO?" the tall woman asked.
"It… seems like it." Yuma nervously replied..
"Seems like it?" the spectacled man repeated.
"Like hell, dumbass!" the masked man said angrily as he walked towards them.
"Huh?!" Yuma asked.
"Runts like you, master detectives? You're just shooting your mouth off! Four of you look like shriveled anteaters!" the masked man continued.
"A-Anteater?" Yuma asked.
"What's the meaning of this?" the girl in the back asked.
"You guys got a lot of nerve, posing as Master Detectives! You wanna die right here, right now?!" the masked man asked.
"Whoa, dial back the aggression, buddy!" Eddy said. "They're all legit, I swear! Got the license and everything!"
"Yeah, we all passed the exam not too long ago. This is our very first assignment." David said.
"Is that so? Words alone won't suede us. If the four of you are truly Master Detectives, show us your licenses and Detective deeds." the man in the beret said. "All of you should have acquired them after completing the Exam, did you not?"
"Right here." David said as he showed his license and deed.
"Ive got mine." Shuichi said following suit.
"As do I." Double D said as well.
"And here's mine." 9S said, being last up.
"Yeah, those are legit alright." the masked man said. "Can't say I was expecting guys as outlandish as you to be for real."
"You think they're weird? Our last Master Detective is a walking crocodile!" Kaito said.
"Hm. And what of you?" the spectacled man asked of Yuma.
"Well… I have a letter of confirmation but other than that…" Yuma asid as he checked his pockets. "I…don't have one."
"If you dont have a detective deed, you aint one of us." the masked man said. "Even if you got one, I suspect it's fake anyway."
"H-hold on! I'm not trying to trick anyone!" Yuma said.
"Um, excuse me." the girl in the back spoke up. "He seems to be the only one accused of being an impostor, but how about the rest of you? Those four confirmed they were Master Detectives, but if you require he has some sort of proof, then the same would apply to everyone here."
"What do you mean?" Tenko asked.
"Everyone here has just met for the first time. Naturally, we would doubt one another." the glasses man said.
"Wait, so, you guys don't know each other?" Jiro asked.
"Master Detectives rarely meet together. We each travel the world on our own, solving cases. I've never seen so many gathered together for a case like this." the glasses man continued. "We thought all of the summoned members had shown up and were about to start introductions. Then you all walked in."
"I see…" Yuma said.
"Well, lets start the introductions. We'll include the tardy ones as well." the spectacled man said.
"What?! You still wanna do introductions?! With the impostor too?!" the masked man asked.
"It's vital to ascertain each of our identities moving forward. All the more reason due to this… perplexing circumstance." the spectacled man said. "Now, let's begin. Why don't we begin with the four of you?" he asked of David, Shuichi, 9S and Double D.
"Right… Ahem. I'm David Ishihara, pleasure to meet you all." David said. "These people are my assistants for this assignment: Mayumi, Leonora, Jesse, Takeshi, Rachel, Ross, Petra, Kurochi, and Kokoro."
"I'm Shuichi Saihara. I'm known to some as the Ultimate Detective." Shuichi said. "These are my friends. Kaede Akamatsu, Kaito Momota, Maki Harukawa, Himiko Yumeno, Tenko Chabashira, Angie Yonaga, Gonta Gokuhara, Kirumi Tojo, and Rantaro Amami."
"I'm designated as YoRHa No. 9 Type S. But everyone calls me 9S for short. I'm primarily a Military Android specializing in hacking intelligence gathering." 9S said.
"Did the WDO actually let a Tin Can like you become a Master Detective?" the masked man asked in disbelief.
"Don't get any ideas about robots taking your jobs." Yang joked.
"Rest assured, I earned my Master Detective License fairly. I may be an android, but that doesn't mean I'm not without emotions." 9S said. "Allow me to introduce my assisting team. These are my fellow YoRHa androids, 2B, and A2, along with my teammates on Darksquad, Jin Kisaragi, Tsubaki Yayoi, and Peacock. From Spirit Force, there's Hermit Mio, the Mind of the Edens Zero. And of the Dimensional Heroes, meet Kyoka Jiro, codename: Earphone Jack, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long."
"My name is Espio the Chameleon. I will speak on behalf of our Master Detective leading us, the head of the Chaotix Detective Agency, Vector the Crocodile." Espio said. "This is my fellow detective in the agency, Charmy Bee, and our assisting friends. Silver The Hedgehog, Blaze the Cat, Tony Tony Chopper, Perfuma, Momo Yaoyorozu, Son Gohan, and our intern Marcy Wu." Espio introduced.
"My name is Eddward Smith, but I prefer to be called Double D." The sock-headed boy rounded out the group introductions. "These are my friends and teammates: Eddy McGee, Ed Williams, Steven Universe, Connie Maheswaran, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Penny, Yuuto Kiba, and Queen Chrysalis. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I do hope we can work well together."
"And what of her?" the glasses man asked, referring to Mermista.
"Uh… she just hitched a ride." Kaito admitted. "She's not even supposed to be here. But, her name's Mermista. And you could say she's a sort of…detective fanatic."
"At least make me sound cooler…" Mermista said under her breath.
"Well, now that our introductions are out of the way, might we hear your names?" Double D said.
"Let's go from front to back." Marcy recommended, pointing to the middle-aged man. "Uh… guy with the cane and cool looking eye patch, let's start with you."
"I am Zange Eraser. I come from a Detective agency on the front lines, far from here." the middle-aged man finally spoke up. "Perhaps you expect an introduction, but I have nothing to say. Let the past melt like ice in an evening's drink. That's how l live my life. My Forensic Forte is Thoughtography. I can transcribe images from my memory onto electronics. That's all from me. There's no need for any further explanations."
"Oh so he uses spirit photography like Joseph does." Charmy said.
"Speaking of spirits, I'm Melami Goldmine. My Forensic Forte is well…I'm a spirit medium." the gorgeous woman said.
"A spirit medium? You mean you can talk to spirits?" Leonora asked.
"Sort of. It's actually called Spiritism. I can summon a spirit but I have to wear the clothes they wore in life and it doesn't work if they're a mismatch." Melami said.
"Well…that's….kinda lame." Mermista said.
The man in the mask went next. "I'm Aphex Logan. I'm from the detective branch in the eastern slums. They call me a Master Detective now, but I'm originally a broke, illegal immigrant."
"For real? What the heck happened to you?" Peacock asked.
"When I was a kid, I was in an upstanding home living an upstanding life. My parents were lawyers who never tolerated injustice. They shoulda left well enough alone with that local mafioso. Because they went after him, they were murdered. Their necks were cut open…right in front of me." Aphex said.
"Brutal!" Steven said
"I ran away to protect myself and jumped on a ship at the port. I didn't know where the ship was going, but that was the moment I threw away my past and my home. I drifted to the slums and did everything I could to survive. I managed to survive until now…thanks to luck. With my natural talents, I was able to become a detective…. But I also wanted revenge. I can't stand evil, but even if you ain't evil, I'll show no mercy to those who stand in my way." Aphex said.
"So, you don't have any moral sense of good or evil?" Double D asked.
"Nope. If I can't figure out the difference between the good guys and the baddies, then I just beat up both of 'em. Kill or be killed is my motto." Aphex said.
"Sheesh, and we dumped on Mermista for not becomin' a Detective." Peacock said. "What wise guy thought this whack job would fit the bill?"
"Indeed Peacock, I do have to question his moral code." Double D said. "Though I can see how such an outlook would be developed, I can't help but question its effectiveness in this line of work."
"I can't help but feel a deep sadness within him though…" Yuma said.
"Yeah, I mean… Having your parents killed in front of you at a very young age tends to mess a lot of people up." Takeshi said.
"Yeah, there are a lot of people with backstories like his. Like Spider-Man, but he's a better example." Jiro said.
"Anyways…we should continue with the introductions." Princess Twilight said, not wanting to delve too far off-topic.
"An introduction… introduce…. myself…" the girl in the back pondered out loud. "A subjective of one's own self-image explained objectively…"
"Hey, you okay back there?" Connie asked the girl.
"Did I do something that caused you concern?" the girl replied.
"No, it's just…you were kind of taking your time forming your introduction." Connie said.
"I rarely have a need to do so, so I was considering what approach to take. After all, is there such a thing as a "self" in the first place?" the girl questioned. "All I am is a bundle of nervous tissue reacting to external stimuli. If I had to, I guess I'd call myself Pucci Lavmin."
"I-I see…" Double D said, taken aback.
"So we can call you Pucci then?" Steven asked.
"Names are meaningless. A method of arbitrary labeling for self-recognition. Symbols for categorization, nothing more." Pucci said. "To that end, it serves the same purpose as a detective deed. Or so I, Pucci, believe."
"What's with her, she's like one of those AI robots who don't even know what feelings are." Charmy said.
"Melancholy at its maximum…" Double D remarked.
"So uh… what do you do for the WDO?" Connie asked Pucci, still trying to make conversation with her.
"Most of the World Detective Organization's work is investigating unsolved mysteries. I was trusted with many bureaucratic investigations. My clients are mainly enterprises and politicians. Depending on the client, I use my forte to see if the translation party is trustworthy." Pucci explained. "My Forte is known as Audial Aptitude. When I concentrate, I can hear anything from distant whispers, footsteps, and even heartbeats. No one is safe to speak of their secrets when I, Pucci, am around."
"Oooh, just like Jiro!" Perfuma realized.
"So, if you're able to hear things like that, do you think maybe you have a clue about what happened to Yuma?" Kaede asked.
"Unfortunately, unless I focus my listening, I'm unable to hear things far away." Pucci answered.
"Oh, I see…" Yuma said, dejected a little.
"Constantly listening in on all sounds leads to a sensation of my physical boundaries within reality dissolving away. My already tenuous sense of self starts to vanish, which is why I tend to close my ears when I'm using my powers." Pucci explained.
"I suppose that explains why she's so out of it right now." Hermit said.
"You're lucky to not have side effects like that, Jiro." Penny said as she felt a stab from one of Jiro's earphone jacks. "Ow."
"Well, I guess that just leaves you." Marcy said to the man in the glasses.
"I am Zilch Alexander. I'm from the Southern Forest Preserve District's detective agency. They call me Nature's Mediator. I love people, nature, and the harmony between them. However, there are times when some would attempt to ruin that harmony. My specialty is in handling those people." Zilch said.
"Oh joy, a nature lover. Like we haven't seen a lotta them already." Peacock said. "So what makes ya so special?"
"Have any of you heard of the chain of mysterious murders surrounding the dam construction at Sol's Lake?" Zilch inquired.
"Can't say we have." A2 said.
"Rumor has it that one by one, everyone involved with the dam's construction died, all cursed by a sunken ritual site. It was a once in a century difficult case. The one who solved it was one other than myself." Zilch said. "There wasn't much to it. The culprits were locals who wanted the dam's rights to themselves. The strange part is that all 52 villagers were in on it. They all kept their lips sewn shut to protect the secret. I'll let all of you figure out what that means. When harmony between man and nature is disrupted, disaster strikes. That is the one thing I have learned as a detective."
"So then, judging by your Nickname and love for all things nature. I think we can guess your Forensic Forte has something to do with animals." Petra said.
"Very perceptive. My forte is Animal Investigation. I can control animals as I wish and recruit them for my inquiries. Quite fitting for the Philanthropist that I am." Zilch said.
"Figured as much, we've got people on our team who have the same power you do." Kaito said.
"And now we go back to Yuma. We still need to figure out if you missed anything. You said you have amnesia, but you don't know anything else. Are you sure you don't remember anything?" Yaororozu asked.
"I still can't remember anything…" Yuma answered.
"Well, you at least gotta have some sort of Forte like the rest of these guys do." Peacock said.
"She is correct. If you really are a Master Detective, then you must have some sort of Forte." Zilch said.
"I have no idea…" Yuma replied.
"Oh, young man, are you sure you don't remember? How about the kind of clothes you usually wear? Or brands you like?" Melami asked.
"You only inquired about clothing." Pucci pointed out.
"I only wear the one vest and helmet!" Charmy said.
"She wasn't asking you." Espio said.
"Well I wanted to be included." Charmy said.
"Maybe you oughta remember after a few punches to the head!" Aphex said, opting for the physical approach.
"You'd just knock him out!" Chopper said. "Besides, memory recall via physical trauma only works in cartoons."
"Don't knock it till ya try it." Peacock said.
"Besisds, the perplexing circumstance we face may have something to do with Yuma's memories." Zilch said.
"What do you mean by that?" Shuichi said.
"Well…something unexpected has occurred on our trip." Zilch said. "The number of people is off."
"What do you mean? We showed you all our…" 9S said.
"Only 5 detectives and 5 detective teams were invited onto this train. We have five teams, and six solo detectives." Zilch explained.
"6 Master Detectives, and Teams led by five master detectives…?" Yuma asked before realizing. "There's 11 of us!"
"Well, 12, if you count the stowaway." Aphex said motioning to Mermista. "But that don't change the fact that Zilch is onto…we have a spy in our midst."
"I-it's not me! I think…" Yuma said.
"Update: no cellular signals detected. Option to contact the WDO has been denied." 042 said.
"Heh…who could the uninvited sixth guest be?" Zange asked.
"Well, don't look at me." Mermista said.
"You were already uninvited." Takeshi said.
"Alright! I got it!" Aphex said. "Hey, since you're all clueless, Imma tell you my extra-sharp deduction."
"You may speak. I'll allow it." Zilch said.
"Why would I need your permission?!" Aphex snapped. "Whatever. Way I see it, The runt and the sardine ain't the imposter."
"Huh?!" Yuma asked.
"But, Mermista and Yuma are the most suspicious ones here!" Pinkie-2 pointed out.
"It'd be boring if the most suspicious one is the culprit." Aphex said. "Besides, Fish Stick here has a solid alibi. She was only discovered after the train departed, cuz she stowed away."
"Yeah, she was stuffed in one of Mr. Vector's bags." Marcy said.
"And like Aphex said, we didn't know she was with us until after we had already left." David said.
Solution Key Acquired
Mermista's Account
Mermista was inside Vector's bag after she had thrown out his tapes. No one had noticed she was in there until the Amaterasu Express had already departed.
"So then, whats your theory on Yuma not being the Impostor?" Maki asked Aphex.
"Easy. The runt must've been attacked by the real culprit. The memory loss is a side effect of the attack." Aphex replied.
"Uh…I'll have to debunk that. If Yuma was attacked, he would have had a mark or bruise to the head if he did." Chopper said.
"Yeah, and that's why the attack failed, you stupid racoon!" Aphex said. "The imposter aimed to pretend to be a master detective, and replace the runt on the train. The plan was going smoothly, but the runt suddenly woke up! He got on board right before the train departed, and the results stand before us. Obviously the imposter miscalculated. The runt's gotta be tougher than he looks."
"Wow, that's actually a pretty good-HEY! I'm a reindeer, you brute!" Chopper said.
"Second point… Yuma, where were you before the train departed?" David asked.
"I was at the station's storage room. I… I don't even know what I was doing in there." Yuma said.
"Oh, maybe he was stashed there cause the culprit thought he was dead and wanted to hide the body before boarding the train." Marcy said. "But 'cause Yuma proved to be not dead, he decided to dress up as someone already onboard."
"In other words, the imposter could be someone on this train, right under our noses." Maki pointed out.
"I, Pucci, have another theory." Pucci spoke up. "I suspect that the entire situation is a test designed by the World detective organization. A WDO exam officer has disguised themselves as a member, and is ascertaining our skills here."
"Hah! Bring it on! I don't care if it's the WDO or a Hitman. If you wanna test me, I'll show you what I got!" Aphex said.
"What are you trying to do?" Zilch asked.
"For now, I'll check to see if there are other uninvited guests. I wouldnt want any accomplices lurking about." Aphex said.
"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Double D asked.
"Like this!" Aphex said as he slammed his hand to the floor of the train. "Let's go!"
A green pulse emanated from Aphex's hand as it turned into some sort of radar system on the ground, scanning over everyone present in the dining car and extending out into the other cars.
"No sign of the enemy…" Aphex said after he finished. "Huh, turns out there really are 57 of us on this train right now."
"Was that your Forensic Forte in action just now?" 9S asked.
"That's right. It's called Life Detection. I can detect life in a 50-meter radius and pinpoint its location. The mechanism is a trade secret, but I can say without a doubt we are the only ones on this train." Aphex said.
"Talk all you want, but who can verify that youre not lying?" Zilch asked. "For instance, there are four automatons on board the train. Are you certain you were able to detect them along with the rest of us?"
"We're never gonna get anywhere if you start doubting everything! Use your own damn powers to figure it out then!" Aphex snapped.
"But Zilch does have a point. There's always the possibility that he was unable to detect Hermit, 9S, 2B, and A2. We need another way to confirm he's right." Kirumi said.
"Pucci could do it. She says she can hear anything with those ears of hers!" Charmy pointed out.
"I, Pucci, was contemplating it at this moment." Pucci said. "Even if someone is hiding, my audial aptitude is able to detect their breathing and heartbeats. Shall I try?"
"No one's stopping you." Maki said.
"In that case, would everyone mind quieting down? I need to concentrate." the Master Detective stated before tilting her head down and taking a deep breath.
Yuma was caught off guard as the room seemed to darken around him, with multiple heartbeats being audible to him.
"(Is this Pucci's Forte? Why can I hear it too?)" the boy wondered as the effect ended and Pucci lifted her head up and exhaled.
"So, were you able to confirm Aphex was correct?" Hermit asked.
"Yes. I cannot hear the heartbeats besides the 53 of us living organisms aboard the train." Pucci said. "I also detected you and the 3 androids, by picking up on your inner mechanical workings."
"Wait, so you were even able to detect Vector? But he's in another car, what's the range on your forte?" Princess Twilight asked.
"500 Meters." Pucci answered nonchalantly.
"What?!" Aphex asked in shock.
"Wow, seems like Aphex and Pucci almost have the same ability, down to the range." David said.
"But thanks to them, we know for a fact we're the only ones on this train." Kirumi said.
"In other words, we can rest easy. There are no spies among us." Rantaro said.
"We're not safe yet though. There's still the matter of there being an impostor among us." Maki said.
"Well, it ain't Aphex or Pucci. If they were the impostors, they wouldn't have used those forte things of theirs in the open." Peacock said.
"That leaves three Master Detectives who are under suspicion." Espio said.
At this, Zange couldn't help but start laughing.
"What's wrong with you, old man? You gone senile or somethin'?" Aphex asked.
"Can you all hear that?" Zange replied. "The sounds of a running train…the wheels of fate chugging along. In the same way, our fate continues to turn; This train will press on until we reach our destination. No one can get off midway, including the uninvited sixth. Let's discover which of us is the caged bird in here. Heheh…my fading detective spirit is once again revitalized thanks to this burning mystery. Not bad. Things are getting interesting."
"You're joking. What could the impostor even accomplish? We're all Master Detectives here." Zilch said.
"And yet, we don't know who the fake one is." Melami reminded.
"Well, like the living Looney Tune said, me and the gloomy girl used our powers, so were the real deal." Aphex said. "So, how about the guy blowing smoke, huh? Why dont'cha go ahead and prove yourself with your forte? How about it, your four eyed fox detective?"
"As I have already explained, my power involves animals. Without them, I can't use it." Zilch reminded.
"Are you kidding me? We've got animals in here with us! Use your forte on them!" Aphex said.
"I could…if my Forte would work on them." Zilch said. "However, demihuman species and creatures with high intelligence prove to be a challenge."
"(So Zilch has limits to his Forte…that could be something to keep note of.)" 9S thought.
Solution Key Acquired
Zilch's Limitations
According to Zilch, his Forensic Forte is unable to affect demihumans and species of high intelligence. Thus, Petra, Ross, Kurochi, Kokoro, Espio, Charmy, Silver, Blaze, Chopper, Twilight, Pinkie, Chrysalis, Blake, and Vector are unaffected by it.
"So Zilch cannot use his forte at the moment, even with us present." Blaze surmised. "Melami can't use her forte either."
"Right. Her Forte requires someone to be dead. Plus she needs to wear the deceased's clothes, and they have to match her size and build." Blake said.
"Unlike Leonora, who as a Valkyrie, can only take in zeir souls." Rachel said.
"So we can rule those two out. But what about you, old man?" Peacock asked Zange. "Wanna show us how that trick o' yours works?"
"I don't mind showing off, but it won't clear any suspicions. The sixth uninvited guest could be a traitorous Master detective with their own Forte." Zange proposed.
"This isn't working, we're just going in circles." Silver said.
"Perhaps we should explore the motive for the impostor?" Perfuma proposed. "Pucci declared this was all a test orchestrated by the WDO. But what if the impostor was sent by someone who doesn't want us going to our destination?"
"Flower girl's got a point. Amaterasu Corp may be behind this." Aphex said.
"David, didn't you mention once that Amaterasu has a solid grip on Kanai Ward?" Jesse asked.
"I think so. I don't know much about them, so the info may not be all that credible. Their hold over them was only for three years as of now, after all." David said. "That was also the point where it was closed off from the rest of the world."
"Kinda hard to believe you don't know about 'em. Amaterasu's freakin' huge. You see their products practically everywhere in daily life." Aphex said. "They make everything from Kids toys to fighter jets. Industrial goods, electronics, pharmaceuticals, everything. Believe it or not, they're as big as Flux Industries."
"That's true, but Amaterasu's been around longer. Flux's new company only got into business recently." Takeshi said.
"Yeah, and Big Companies always got dark underbellies. I dunno about Amadeus, but with Amaterasu, where there's smoke, there's a whole building burning down." Aphex said.
"So, Amaterasu basically controls Kanai Ward, right?" Yang asked.
"You could say that. Kanai Ward used to be just another regional city. But as it was being developed by Amaterasu Corp, the city itself transformed. Factories, research labs, and affiliate companies were built. In no time, the whole place belonged to Amaterasu." Zilch said. "As a matter of fact, Kanai Ward is basically ruled by the Amaterasu Corporation. Political power has no influence there. Since it's so isolated, no one has been traveling to or from Kanai Ward."
"So Amaterasu could've planted a spy to keep us from reaching Kanai Ward." Kiba hypothesized.
"It's possible. If they're determined to keep people out of Kanai Ward, it would make a lot of sense for them to do this." Mayumi said.
"So, Yuma… has anything you heard sound familiar?" Zilch asked.
"It feels like my first time hearing about any of this… sorry." Yuma said.
"I see. It's alright. Just tell us if you do remember anything." Zilch assured.
"Thank you." Yuma said, but then suddenly…
"He seems nice and all, but maybe he's the impostor!"
"Huh? Did someone just speak?" Yuma asked.
"Hm… How strange…" Leonora said.
"What's wrong, Nora?" Jesse asked.
"Hm? Oh, sorry! I thought I heard something." Leonora said, hiding from the fact she heard the same voice Yuma did.
"How about you all have something warm to drink and get some rest? Although, we only seem to have coffee here." Melami said.
"Isn't coffee kinda redundant to use as a sleep agent? 'Cause caffeine?" Peacock asked.
"Considering how strong the coffee may be, perhaps we should pass considering some of the younger ones here." Espio said.
"Espio is right. Thanks for the offer, but we must refuse." Kurochi said.
Yuma still drank the coffee himself once Melami served it. After he did, everyone's attention was soon brought to Zange about to showcase his Forensic Forte.
"Although I am reluctant to do so, I will demonstrate my forte. You've forced my hand. Otherwise, suspicions will continue to mount against me." Zange said.
He had brought out his cell phone, and after a few seconds of concentration, an image appeared on the phone, which was of Yuma drinking the coffee he was served.
"Wow! Something really appeared on your phone!" Charmy said. "So cool, and you didn't even need to smash it!"
"Now why would I need to do that?" Zange asked. "All I need do is project my memories onto electronia mediums to generate and record footage. The recorded clip shows what occurred approximately five minutes ago."
"What's the range of the time frame your memories can be recorded?" Ross asked.
"About two to three seconds. Back in my prime, I was able to do ten." Zange explained. "Also, as memories fade, the recorded footage will also fade. The rule of thumb is that it lasts around 48 hours. But by copying it to another device before it fades, footage can be used as evidence during investigations and in court."
"Wow….that is amazing." Chopper said.
"That will certainly prove useful in Kanai Ward. All of your Fortes will." Double D remarked.
"What about yours?" Zilch asked.
Double D stopped at that. "Ah. Yes. Well…I must admit, besides David, Shuichi, and Vector, the rest of us…haven't really developed Fortes. We rely solely on deductive reasoning and present evidence."
"Seriously? Talk about old school. I thought some of these guys could do cool stuff."
Yuma and Leonora heard a girl's voice again.
"Seriously, you guys joined without Forensic Fortes? That'll make your jobs harder but okay." Aphex said.
"We may not have forensic fortes but we have other abilities that make up for it." Espio said as he quickly turned invisible.
"Yeah! We don't need no fortes to catch the bad guys and solve the mystery!" Charmy cheered.
"Now we're talking! I guess we're in the right place after all!"
"Well, at least you won't feel out of place, right Yu-?" Eddy turned to the amnesiac, only to see him looking unsteady on his feet. "Hey buddy, you alright?"
"I-I'm fine, just a bit dizzy…" Yuma said.
"You should probably lie down somewhere, maybe in one of the residential cars or the infirmary."
"The residential cars are full, so you should go to the infirmary at car 1. It will be easier to monitor you from there." Zilch said.
"Thanks…" Yuma said as he walked off in a daze.
"I think we should all get some rest too. Who knows how long we'll be on this train until we get to Kanai Ward." Princess Twilight said.
"Good idea. That being said, we should form groups with each other." Gohan said, addressing both the group members and the Master Detectives. "With an imposter running around, it'll be safer if we stick together."
"I think all the teams should separate into different cars in the residential areas." Kaede said. "That way, we'll be grouped up so we won't get attacked."
"An excellent idea, Kaede." Double D said. "Everyone, please let the rest of us know if anything happens before we arrive."
And so, the group headed to the residential cars to get some rest, as Yuma passed out in one of the bathrooms. At the time, none of them were aware that their trip to Kanai ward was about to take a very serious turn…
Two hours later….
Bunking with Vector's team, the first to notice a disturbance in the air was Mermista, as something tingled her nose as it twitched. "...I smell something burning." she announced.
Getting up off her bed, she went to investigate, and found the source of the smoke billowing out from Car 1. "Oh boy, that's never a good sign." the princess remarked as she threw the door open, seeing the whole room on fire. Quickly thinking, she used her Water Magic to splash some water on the scene, and as the fire was put out and the smoke cleared….
…there was the body of Zilch Alexander, burnt to a crisp.
"Oh, crap…." Mermista realized in worry as she ran back and started waking everybody up. "Everybody, get off your butts! We got an emergency here, c'mon, let's go!"
"Ugh…" Vector groaned as he awoke, none too happy. "Somebody better have been murdered, Mermista, or else you'll be the victim!"
"Zilch is dead." Mermista stated bluntly, causing the croc to fully wake up.
"All I need to know. Where was he?" Vector asked.
"In Car 1. He was burned to a crisp in the infirmary." Mermista said.
"Uh… Mermista? It's about to get worse." David said from further back in the train.
"...All of them?" Mermista asked, expecting the worst.
"All of them. Zange, Aphex, Pucci, Melami… All of them are dead." David said.
"It's mass train murder!" Charmy cried.
"Tell everybody to gather up. We gotta find out what's goin' on." Vector said. "And somebody track down Yuma. Let's hope he's still okay."
"He's…in the bathroom. He passed out in there when he left after drinking that coffee." Leonora said.
"Should we go and see if he's okay?" Perfuma asked.
"I'll go get him. We might need his account if we are to solve this case." Leonora said. "Because as far as anyone is concerned… We are all suspects."
"Suspects?!" Mermista asked in shock.
"Five Master Detectives are dead, Mermista. And we're the only ones left on this train. When this train reaches its destination, people will definitely believe it was one of us." David said. "At least one of us."
"I'll go and get Yuma. Everyone else, make sure the train is thoroughly searched. We might be able to gather evidence to argue our case." Leonora said.
"Got it. Leonora, be careful. Don't trust anyone. Not until we are all cleared." David said.
With that, Leonora left to go find Yuma. The real challenge of being a master detective has just begun, with a mass murder and a case to be solved even before the group arrived at their destination.