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Digi-disappearance (Manami)
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Post by aikoyamamoto on Jul 10, 2022 0:02:03 GMT
At first, the case had been seemingly routine. Missing people were common in Aiko’s line of work yet bills, and her desire to at least make up for all the wrong doing her father had committed, compelled her to take on the case yet…in the very course of investigating the case she had discovered a few oddities. Key oddities that would absolutely lead her to this case’s resolution. Now, as for these oddities. They may have only been a handful but each one led to further information and that was how Aiko always solved her cases. A methodical approach to acquiring information from which to establish the truth.
The first of them was a simple one: none of her father’s underworld contacts (she supposed they were her underworld contacts now) had any information to share about any new kidnappings or any form of uptick in selling organs. That alone all but confirmed an organised group was not responsible for this. The second one was a little more odd but, in hindsight, to be expected: the victim (a girl called Yukiko) had recently changed her habits. She had been spending less and less time with her friends and more time on her computer at home.
Now the third…the third was the real clincher. A chat with Yukiko’s parents had led Aiko to the missing girl’s friends and they had revealed she was in fact, apparently, supposed to have been meeting her boyfriend on the night she disappeared. The truly noteworthy detail? Yukiko’s parents had no idea about a boyfriend, or this meeting. Curious and curiouser… but yes, that was the series of events and investigation that brought Aiko to the Shibuya Terminal. She was here to scrounge up information on the missing girl, for this was where she had last been seen, thanks entirely to a rather angry phone call between Yukiko and her parents
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Post by Manami on Jul 10, 2022 19:49:54 GMT
Today was, admittedly, a lovely day. As a single girl sporting a getup as colorful as her hairdo strolled leisurely, she couldn’t help but smile. Beholding the paradoxical existence that was the human world managed to be mildly entertaining, just as observing everyone going on about their day. The uniform, albeit orderly march across the vast, edified expanse wasn’t unlike watching ants going on and about.
This was with one caveat that served as a key difference between two species, however. Individual humans could be approached and engaged with, and the wealth of their reactions was what kept them entertaining. An ant invariably kept on performing what was perceived as her assigned duty while ignoring most external, non-threatening stimuli, and even if humans were capable of pretty much their own version of their same reaction, they thankfully managed to engage with such a situation in a more interesting manner. Bewilderment, fear, friendliness, and even eagerness were all reactions she had witnessed, all nuanced in various ways. The flavor of each person, to say it in some way.
There was no specific reason why she had decided to traverse through the train station this time around. Maybe it was time to go back home? It certainly didn’t feel like it, even though she pondered how two certain digimons were dealing with the task she had assigned them; they weren’t the type to disappoint, but it was more than likely they would have to deal with one or two unforeseen circumstances.
Not like that mattered a lot right now. Manami had decided to take interest in a tall woman that seemed to be looking for something, in no small part due to her affinity for nosy people.
Not breaking her stride, she approached the woman nonchalantly. “You seem like you’re looking for something specific.” She asked in a matter-of-factly tone, even though it was tinged with excitement. “What is it?”
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Post by aikoyamamoto on Jul 11, 2022 0:37:01 GMT
“Hmmm….” Aiko stopped, standing in the centre of the train terminal, looking at the late night trains coming and going. Now, how to find out about a missing girl? She knew which train the missing girl had intended to take, thanks entirely to her parents, but without a warrant or any real police authority on her side, there was absolutely no chance of her getting the station’s staff to release CCTV footage. However, Aiko was not without options. She could always just ask some staff, earnestly explain the situation and hope that they would play ball. If that failed…well one of her employees was tracking down the boyfriend. That would definitely reveal interesting titbits.
“Ah? Your intuition serves you well young lady.” Aiko’s attention snapped away from the trains, the people and the photo in her hand, focusing instead upon the colourful girl before her. Twin tails, tri colored hair and of course, that straightforward tone tinged with excitement.
“Indeed I am though. I do happen to be looking for someone, rather than something. Tell me…have you seen this girl around here recently?” Aiko lifted the picture up, revealing a dark haired girl with blue eyes, wearing a simple school uniform who sported a simple hime-cut hair style.
“She was last seen around here recently and her parents are incredibly concerned for her safety.” A gentle and soft, if a little reserved, smile decorated Aiko’s features. She brushed a strand of her long hair out of the way of her eyes, their colour and pupils altered to something a little bit more standout due to her contact lenses. She had considered wearing glasses but…well….these contact lenses did give her a far greater sense of standout appeal, no? Vain it may have been but simply blending in was not for Aiko.
She took a seat upon a nearby bench, folding one shapely leg over the other, her suit’s tie coming to rest upon one of her knees. It was rather a grand stretch to hope that this random girl had some information but hey, past cases had been solved with information from the most unlikely of sources.
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Post by Manami on Jul 11, 2022 15:29:11 GMT
A hint of a smile began to curve Manami’s lips upwards. A human searching for another one? That was quite the peculiar quest, especially considering how the species tended to work. A pensive expression took over the girl’s features momentarily as she both pondered the question directed at her and examined the picture that had been so gracefully provided.
Her first answer was, of course, a bit on the obvious side. “Have you tried calling her? I assume you have her phone number if you’re looking for her.” Granted, she expected the response to either state inability or a failed attempt, perhaps. But in case it was neither, the reasons behind that would be interesting to hear.
What about the girl herself? She seemed unassuming enough and easily the kind that could get lost amid a sea of people, at least as far as humans in this city were concerned. “That’s not an uncommon getup. You might be looking for more than a single person.” Uniformity wasn’t great when looking for an individual, and humans were already similar enough that this wasn’t helping in the slightest. The location of these events, on the other hand, was a whole different matter.
She too took a seat on the same bench, albeit in a more casual fashion. It wasn't hard to guess what was happening when an immature human suddenly disappeared near the Train Terminal. “Are these disappearances spotty, and usually at this or near this place?” One time could be a coincidence, for sure, but more than one? Definitely an obvious conclusion to appreciate. “I might know where she is, in case the latter is true.”
That potential conclusion came with its own array of nuances, however. Which included whether the sleuth’s quarry wanted to be found, or if the sleuth herself could bear with what was beyond the veil. Nevertheless, the situation on itself seemed to be mildly exciting, so playing it out wasn’t something that Manami minded doing.
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Post by aikoyamamoto on Jul 11, 2022 19:20:24 GMT
“I have. Unfortunately her phone is rejecting all calls, without ringing.[/color]” That meant the phone was either out of power, in an area without any form of signal, destroyed or simply disabled somehow. Regardless of what the cause was, it made simply calling her as impossible as geolocating her phone, something that Aiko had actually attempted to do to try and find the poor girl.
“I think you are misunderstanding. I am only looking for one person. The girl in the picture. If there is anybody else missing then I have been not requested to find them.” Aiko’s correction was a simple but crucial one, even if it was essentially an entirely separate matter. She was not here to get wrapped up in a tiny squabble over minor misunderstandings. She was here to find a missing person and in that regard, Manami made herself rather suspicious.
“Ho? You do realise you are potentially implicating yourself in this matter with that, correct? But don’t worry young lady. I’m sure you’re simply an associated party. Now, as for your question…the girl did indeed go missing here.” A curious smile had replaced the softer one from before, as Aiko tucked away the photograph inside the depths of her coat, before using a free arm to prop her head up upon one of her knees. She felt an undeniable sense of curiosity as to just what this colourful girl knew, if anything.
“In fact…now that you mention it….hmmm….no…payeth no heed to my musing.'' Thinking back to a few years ago, there had been that other case of someone disappearing near the train terminal hadn’t there? Yeah…there had been. Aiko would very much need to look into that older case’s files when she got back to the office but for now, her professionalism and curiosity compelled her to follow this new strand of evidence to its conclusion.
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Post by Manami on Jul 11, 2022 23:09:18 GMT
Obvious conclusion was obvious. Manami knew where the girl was with near-absolute certainty, at least when the question was the world where she was located. Her precise location was another matter altogether, but not one of great importance. “I see.”
It was a plain answer, yet one that didn’t obstruct from the matter at hand. As things were, this matter was fairly amusing. “I’m afraid that you misunderstood me, Miss. Sometimes, it’s less about the person in particular, and more about what they represent.” The girl replied with an entertained expression. The human couldn’t be blamed, as perspective on the situation was a luxury she didn’t have, but that was fine, as it only made the conversation more interesting.
Briefly, a mischievous smile took over the disguised digimon’s features as an accusation flew her way. She made no attempt to deny it, even if the statement wasn’t quite correct. “That statement seems like the best way to scare off anyone willing to potentially help. I’m interested in your reasoning on why you used it.” Despite that statement being fairly good at deflecting the question, she answered to the next remark anyway. “Not associated with her, though. At least not more than this city’s inhabitants are associated with themselves, if that makes sense. For what’s worth, there’s two possible outcomes; the girl will either go back home shortly and then keep on disappearing sporadically, or she’ll just stop returning altogether at some point. In either case, there’s little you can do to prevent either outcome, even if you end up finding her.”
That could’ve come across as a threat, even if that wasn’t really Manami’s intent. “Do you still want to find her?” Granted, the woman’s search wasn’t fueled by worry or affection. It was purely transactional, but even in that sense, it was a risky proposition. “It’s not unlikely that you might have to risk your life in order to find her and bring her back, mostly depending on her actual location and her mood. She probably doesn’t want to be disturbed, wherever she is.”
She made the motions to stand up. Whether her new acquaintance decided to press on or not, there wasn’t a lot more to talk about. Well, except for one thing. “And if you want to press on, what’s in for me? It’s not like I’m gonna act as a tour guide out of the goodness of my heart, y’know? I’ve already given you enough information for free.”
Yep, that was it.
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Post by aikoyamamoto on Jul 11, 2022 23:51:57 GMT
“Well, I suppose that accusation was rather rude of me but….hmmmm…I suppose I felt that you deserved to be aware of the risk. Call it a mere whim or a dalliance if you will but I very much do not like taking advantage of people’s ignorance when the individual in question is aiding me.” And yet, despite the accusatory warning and the reasoning behind why Aiko had delivered it, this strange girl continued to offer what she undeniably considered aid. It was all very interesting, serving to only further spur Aiko’s curiosity at the puzzle before her. Just who was this young girl? And did she really know as much as she was letting on? Or was this all a child’s prank?
“Hmmm…so she left for an extended period of time of her own volition, with or without the desire to return….you realise I must ask for proof as, and I mean no disrespect with this, but mere hearsay from a random member of the general public rarely holds up in the eyes of the legal system, nor would it be sufficient to convince her parents.” Aiko paused, having swiftly come to the realisation that, when it came to this apparently not so random girl, there was definitely more than meets the eye.
“Of course. Her parents are worried and, even if they had not paid me to find their daughter, I’d still do it. It’s the right thing to do after all and I am nothing if not a bleeding heart for the needy.” Aiko’s smile returned at that, seemingly unbothered and unaffected by the possibility that she would be unable to prevent Yukiko from going missing again. Why would that bother her anyway? Aiko was merely a simple detective after all. Matters such as stopping a child from running away from home…well…that was the domain of the parents, an issue only they could resolve.
“Ah so you are simply only motivated by greed. Hmmm…..well then, I could offer you money…but I have a subtle inkling such a thing is beyond your realm of interest or you would have demanded it before offering information. I will tell you what. How about I hmm….a child your age probably appreciates video games? I may be inclined to purchase you one or two, depending on if you are indeed able to guide me to my destination or perhaps you’d just like money? Name your heart’s desire and I will grant it, if it is of equal value of course.”
“Or perhaps…your desires would be a little bit more interesting than that?” The expression on Aiko’s face was decidedly more serious now. A neutral smile, devoid of any real emotion, was paired with a knowing and insightful glint in Aiko’s eyes. She was no stranger to those whose sole interest was a material or financial reward. It may have been a drab and dull desire but it was rather common among today’s people.
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Post by Manami on Jul 12, 2022 19:35:41 GMT
A shrug was the first response the lady got. Whether due recklessness or due to simply not caring, that didn’t seem like something inconvenient. “You got quite a bit of assumptions going on there, don’t you? I appreciate the honesty, and that attitude is commendable, but unnecessary in this situation. If anything, I’d probably be wary of how convenient this turn of events is for you. But each to their own, right?” That display of confidence wasn’t really necessary, was it? Then again, having some fun in this situation wouldn’t hurt anyone, either.
Proof, huh? It was true that the story she had just spun was a tad on the unbelievable side, however… “I have none.” She answered, unphased. “For what’s worth, I don’t even know that girl personally; I’m just familiar with what happens when humans display that type of behavior, you know? And, if you’re actually willing to listen to what a perfect stranger is saying, that also means that you’re a bit lacking in the leads department. Believing in what I’m saying or not is your prerogative in the end, though.”
Maybe that was a tad dry, but it was also the truth. It would be interesting to see how the woman reacted to those words, and what she’d ultimately resolve to do in the face of those. It was true that facing her employers with random rumors was probably going to be as well as expected, though.
Of course she’d remain steadfast even in the face of warnings like this one; it fitted with her characters thus far. And that made this situation all the more interesting. “I see.” A mischievous grin followed suit after both those statements. “I wouldn’t say I’m motivated by greed, as I could invest my time way better than in this situation, but there’s something inherently entertaining about this, you know? I’m not interested in money or material possessions, though. I’ve more than enough of those for five or so lifetimes already. However…”
The glint in Manami’s eyes was both alluring and a little scary at the same time. “Let’s say you’ll just owe me if you manage to survive this small adventure. Don’t worry; it’s not going to be something the likes of a ‘bleeding heart for the needy’ like you wouldn’t do. Chances are I’ll just make use of your talents in the future.”
With the grin still adorning her face, the disguised digimon extended her hand in the woman’s direction. “Oh, and having your name would be an alright first step, too. How does that sound? Do we have a deal?”
No matter the answer, Manami would then turn around and begin strolling towards the train station. She didn’t believe this was an offer that could be refused, but if humans had the penchant to be predictably unpredictable, so it was hard to know for certain.
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Post by aikoyamamoto on Jul 12, 2022 22:47:12 GMT
“In my line of work, an assumption can be useful…given the right rationale but no matter. I do appreciate the compliment though.” Aiko brought her hands together, a sweet smile persisting on her features as she ever so subtly tilted her head in a respectful gesture of gratitude. Still, Aiko could not deny that this girl who stepped forth to assist her was an interesting individual. Confident, bold, standout and possessing more than her fair share of devious energy. Good good. Those possessed of the wit and intellect to be devious were a vital component of the world. Aiko could only hope this seemingly young girl was possessed of a more…positive sense of morals.
“Hmmm you have hit the nail on the head. This case has proven difficult. Normally, tracking down the person they’re meeting, accessing CCTV footage or just reviewing their personal correspondence would reveal what had happened to them but simply put…a lot of those leads have come up cold.” This would not be the first, nor the last, case that Aiko ran into which simply refused to be solved yet….yet she would absolutely not be happy about that. The burning memory of her father and the truth about him compelled her to try.
“Ah you scratch my back, I scratch your’s? Yes, I think that arrangement is one I’d be very happy with young lady. Nothing like the unknown to spice up life but ah yes, an exchange of names. Mine would be Aiko, of the Yamamoto private eye agency.” The private investigator would walk after Manami, shapely and ladylike legs carrying her after the multicoloured girl.
“Although I must ask…if I am signing this deal with you, would you kindly share the full context of your knowledge?” This young girl’s steps carried her, and by extension Aiko, closer to the train station. Now, just what connection did the train station carry? Of course, it was the last place that the missing girl had been spotted but…did it carry some connection to the case far beyond simply being the scene of the crime?
Yet, curiosity about the case aside Aiko could not deny she felt her own curious nature starting to compel her to investigate her new informant. Their word use was too telling, too suspicious and far too inviting of curiosity for them to be a mere “interested party.” Just who were they? What did they know? Were they in fact the one responsible for the disappearance? Hmmm……many questions, few answers.
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Post by Manami on Jul 13, 2022 0:55:11 GMT
Obviously, it wasn’t surprising the case had gone cold. Not having access to the world where this Yukiko girl was definitely constituted a crippling disadvantage, and that was putting it mildly. Even the most observant sleuth would walk right into a dead end when a piece of the puzzle as critical as that one was missing. Funnily enough, however, even with the missing pieces, her investigative abilities would probably be tested to the limit in this situation.
Well, that was if the girl wasn’t where they arrived, for some reason or another.
After they shook hands, the digimon’s grin became something a lot more good-natured and pleasant. It was hard to not feel good when things were going your way, after all! “Pleased to meetcha, Aiko. My name’s Manami Lucienne Johanna Chardelon El Nyx.” She paused for several seconds, as if to measure her reaction to such a grandiose name, only to giggle and add right afterward. “Just Manami’s fine though!”
By now, she had expected to be asked to let the cat out of the bag. Question was, would Aiko believe it? Probably not, and that made this whole deal all the more entertaining. “We’re going to another world.” She simply said while treading the familiar route. She entered an elevator, and as they descended, she added. “It is a bit of an exclusive club, and it involves a greater degree of both freedom and peril than what this world would ever be able to provide and that proves to be an irresistible call to most humans caught in it. Especially the young ones.”
Was Aiko prepared to embark on such a journey? Chances were that a human without the means to actually survive an encounter with a digimon would perish fairly quickly unless they kept on the cities. But… this would also serve to either prove or disprove a theory she’s been thinking about on and off. That pretty much meant killing two birds with one stone, didn’t it?
Once the elevator stopped and its doors opened, the sight to behold would be quite… interesting, for the lack of a better word. It was a normal train platform, if it weren’t for the fact that the trains looked to be alive, and a lot of not-quite-humans wandered around along with normal humans.
“We’re here.” Manami's tone was nonchalant as she observed the scene. “Hope you’re not getting cold feet. You can take your time to bask into the atmosphere as much as you want, but ideally we should get going relatively quickly. That human has a head-start on you, after all.”
Something easier said than done, for sure.
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Post by aikoyamamoto on Jul 15, 2022 19:23:16 GMT
“My…rather a grand name but I can respect that. It simply doesn’t do to lack uniqueness in one’s name, no? If it is all the same to you young lady, I do believe I will call you Manami. I suppose this makes you my assistant detective for now, hm?” Aiko swiftly caught up to Manami, quirking an eyebrow up in curiosity at this strange girl’s equally strange statement. Visiting another world…? Well, Aiko supposed it was not impossible and had it not been delivered with such a nonchalant and confident delivery on Manami’s part, the detective would have assumed she was simply playing a child’s game.
“Hmmm…a different world….yeah. That would explain the sudden and inexplicable disappearance of my client’s daughter…I am sceptical I will concede but I have already taken the bait.” Scepticism and a level of doubt mostly dominated Aiko’s response to Manami’s frankly out of this world claim. Yet, despite that the detective did still follow them to the elevator, entering it behind Manami before taking up a position to the rear of the shorter girl.
“That is the situation, hm? A world of greater freedom and danger than that of Earth to the extent of pushing people towards recklessness, or simply getting themselves into trouble hm?...That would explain why Yukiko has not returned. According to her parents she is at that age where one wishes to push against the boundaries of their upbringing.” Teenagers could be like that. Rebellious, stubborn, argumentative and just….troublesome for their parents.
Yet, out of everything that Aiko had been expecting, a train station of living trains and monstrous looking creatures was the last thing she expected. Walking cacti creatures, dinosaurs, mechanical men…the variety was as mind boggling as the very nature of the reality before the detective.
“Well, I suppose I must apologise. I am sorry for doubting you. I suppose this is where you believe Yukiko has vanished to…?” As much as Aiko wished to explore and establish the full parameters of this very different environment she was in, she had to admit that Manami had a point. The missing girl did have a huge head start on her, one that needed to be closed swiftly.
“...Hmmm….these trains….they seem to be alive? Hmmm…I would imagine a human is rather stand out in this strange world, no?” And if they truly functioned as trains, an assumption all but proven by Aiko observing some of these other creatures entering into one of the train’s carriages, then…surely they’d be good people to inquire with…yes.
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Post by Manami on Jul 19, 2022 22:26:33 GMT
Assistant? The word jumped to the forefront of Manami’s mind. She guessed that, at least for the time being, that’d be correct. “I just love helping puny humans! I do agree on unique names being usually more recognizable than common ones, but one could argue that’s their point. And of course, every unforgettable name has to come with an unforgettable personality, else there would be no reason for them.”
All in all, she could get a decent grasp on the reason why most humans decided to abandon the chore that their everyday lives represented and immerse herself in a life of constant adventuring, and that was without taking into account how the Digital World tended to be less restrictive as far as freedoms went. Not the same could be seen as far as rights and guarantees were concerned, but that was a small price to pay, the disguised digimon felt. Sometimes, even a benefit, depending on how you saw it.
In any case! With their destination reached, there was no reason to maintain the disguise anymore; out of the blue, the spot where the girl had previously been was occupied by a purple hat of most excellent fancy. Said item fell slowly, attempting to land atop Aiko’s head, or just floating idly nearby if unsuccessful.
“Walking was getting a little boring.” The Trickmon mentioned idly before addressing the woman’s query. “It is more than likely that the person you’re looking for took a train and is somewhere in another world. The exact part is going to be harder to know, but surely, a proficient sleuth such as yourself will be up to the challenge.”
This was her job, after all! From this point onwards, Manami just enjoyed a fairly unusual vantage point. “You’re quite a bit taller than most of the humans I know. This is a refreshing perspective.” Random comment aside, though! “Yes. The trains are very alive, but sentience aside, they do work a lot similarly than the trains you’re acquainted with. Maybe a good first step would be asking them if they had seen your girl? That way, you’d probably know which one to take if you want to go after her.”
The trains themselves being familiar with a single human in this ocean of traffic was unlikely, but the chance of something like that working was probably worth the hassle of asking.
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Post by aikoyamamoto on Jul 22, 2022 22:22:13 GMT
“Puny humans?...Hmm….” And suddenly, a devilish grin of amusement flashed across Aiko’s face. In a sharp movement she cut in front of Manami, slamming her palm against one of the nearby pillars that helped hold up the station’s roof. She had, not really though, trapped Manami between herself and the pillar. Yes, it was the classic kabedon that featured in all the cute romance animes that had swiftly become all the range.
“Because from where I am standing….” Aiko leaned in, closer and closer, softly grasping Manami’s chin with her free hand.
“You’re the puny one…” And she got closer even still, threateningly close to kissing the smaller digimon…only to gently pat her on the head in an almost motherly manner. Aiko would immediately pull away and smile at her temporary assistant, hopefully having made it clear that maybe humans weren’t as puny as she seemed to believe. Yet, that was when Manami suddenly turned into a hat…and rested themselves on Aiko’s head. Alright then~
“You’re lucky I think you’re rather interesting, even if you don’t really suit me.” The detective idly reached upwards, towards Manami’s brim, pulling them tight onto her own head. Aiko had to admit this sentient hat was right in one regard: It would be difficult to find which train the girl took, especially given how it had easily been the better part of a week. Aiko could only imagine how difficult it’d be for a train to remember one face from the hundreds they had undeniably seen.
“I will take that as a compliment, my assistant. It is rather enjoyable to be praised…do dot on me a little more, will you?” The normally mature and adult Aiko decided to indulge herself a little, playing up her normally slumbering ego. Still, she was here for business and so approached the closest of the train digimon.
“Excuse me but Trailmon, I apologise if you prefer a different means of address, but I happen to be looking for this girl.” Aiko, for yet another time today, held up the picture of Yukiko, showing it to the digimon before her and hoping that they had seen some sign of the girl. Ah but of course, if they didn’t? Well, that was a road block but Aiko already had an option: she’d simply look into the possibility of this station having some form of CCTV. Unlikely but not entirely hopeless to be sure.
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Post by Manami on Jul 24, 2022 20:05:57 GMT
This situation wasn’t something Manami had predicted. It was true that this human was on the interesting side as far as the species went, but this degree of recklessness was definitely something else. The disguised digimon looked squarely at Aiko, her grin being repaid in kind; finding herself in this situation didn’t bother Manami in the slightest. Why should it?
Maybe a good reason for that would be having that word being thrown back at her, but curiosity regarding this small act was stronger than any nascent feeling of indignation. She stood in silence, regarding Aiko with big eyes until she pulled away… and then exploded in laughter. A hearty guffaw that didn’t show any signs of stopping poured from her mouth like a torrent. “That was amazing.” She said in between breaths. “I killed for less, but I’m feeling magnanimous today. Are you sure your life’s calling is to be an investigator and not a drama actress? You look better suited for the latter, if you ask me.”
She didn’t look angry in the slightest, even though she gave her companion a sharp look once the atmosphere had died down a bit. “I didn’t mind most of it, but please don’t do it again. The result would most likely be undesirable.” It was probably on the boorish side to say she’d gut the human like a Swimmon, but the threatening undertone in her words was hard to deny.
Given Manami’s place atop Aiko, it was obviously impossible for both beings to establish eye contact, but even then, the human would almost feel as if the Trickmon was smiling as her frame was pulled closer. “I could say the same, you know?” She made a small pause before getting to the truly important matter. “I do think that anyone’s looks are greatly enhanced with proper accessories, however. Who can deny the supremacy of something that sits even atop their own users?”
Even if she was way more than just a garment, it was hard to deny Manami’s quality as one. The design might’ve been a bit over the top, but as far as quality and comfort provided was concerned, she was unmatched. It was a hard sensation to describe, but it was almost as if she felt good to wear.
Aiko’s following words had managed to catch her off guard. “Can’t say I blame you. I don't crave being recognized, but wouldn't you say it just feels good?” The woman would then be on the receiving end of a headpat coming from inside the hat’s crown.
Would Aiko’s questioning be fruitful? The first Trailmon that she addressed seemed to be indifferent to her words, at least until she was done with them. The digimon then huffed and gave an indifferent look towards one of the nearby Trailmons; it was mostly dark-colored, save for three bright red circles decorating its front and sides.
That was the only thing that could be observed at plain sight; it seemed like the train was beginning to move! “We should hurry! Else we might lose the train!”
A fitting beginning for an epic adventure, wasn't it?
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Post by aikoyamamoto on Jul 27, 2022 1:16:00 GMT
“Oh how scary~ Well, if I was to die due to invoking your wrath…well so be it. But do at least let me solve this case first, hmmm? But I will at least take that as the compliment it feels like” Still amusement and jokes aside, Aiko did decide to take the warning to heart. She didn’t really want to die here, not yet anyway, because…well. If she was dead, she couldn’t exactly undo the harm her father had done, right? She may not be able to right the wrongs or undo the damage he had done but she could at least make the world a little bit brighter for some, through her own flexible means.
“Oh? The supremacy of one who sits atop my head, hm? And what if I just carried you under my arm? Well, I’ll at least let you continue to adorn me.” Aiko chuckled, leaving that question hanging, neither appreciating or disliking the hand that patted her on the head. It was a little worrisome though, that the one she carried around on her head could just reach a hand down like that. It did very much make Aiko rather vulnerable. She could only hope that her little assistant wouldn’t take advantage of this rather vulnerable position she was in.
The first of the Trains Aiko spoke to seemed disinterested and had absolutely no interest in actually helping the detective find the missing girl. That was unfortunate but, and much to the human detective’s surprise, the Trailmon did have the decency to at least direct her towards a different train; hopefully one that would be far more helpful. Yet, there was a problem. The Trailmon was starting to leave.
“You don’t need to tell me!” Aiko broke out into a sprint, pushing herself to run at her absolute maximum speed, shouting at the Trailmon to juuuuust wait a few moments. She ran and she ran and she ran. She got closer and closer to the train before leaping just as it began to pull out of the platform. It was a close thing but Aiko found herself landing upon the very rear carriage of the Trailmon, catching one of the railings and using it to pull herself up into the train proper. She exhaled a sigh of relief before reaching up to check if her hat friend was still present.
“Well then, let’s go see if this Trailmon knows where our missing girl is….do you happen to have a clue where exactly this train is going…?” Aiko had no idea where exactly this trailmon was going but given by how it looked rather dark and foreboding, she had a sneaky suspicion it was not heading to a lovely tourist destination.
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