-~*~-
From the previous journal we read how Luyao had called these three individuals idiot. From there we pick that Luyao draw back the pattern by the sequences on the map. Yanyi lay out the book and said, "How are we supposed to use this to determine where the needle is pointing?"
"Here." the inspector point towards a tiny dot on the map. This is a minor square that had been developed years ago. There aren't a lot of them around yet conveniently or suspiciously, the missing kite line align with the minor square.
Luyao draw a line from the center of the symbol all the way to the minor square and was about to stop before Yanyi hold his hand in place. "Draw the line all the way pass the boarder." He did so for this and the other lines.
When the last line was drawn, their brows starts to twist in disgust and anger. The line all eventually meet up with each other but that wasn't the disgusting part of all. That is reserved to where it points towards. Low and behold, it points towards the mountain range boarder between Volenix and Dunisia.
"Fucking bandits!" Yanyi curse, her fingers are digging into her skin just by the amount of force she gets from pure anger. Everyone in Yucoria knew about the country or rather the illegal state of Dunisia.
Dunisia is located just north-west of Anderil by which it boarders with Kinsel west. It is separated by the high and long chain of mountains from Kinsel all the way to Iholes, the state to the west. Yucoria consist of many kingdoms, empires and countries. However, Dunisia is in a rather difficult position.
Dunisia is a country that is ruled by bandits. There is no permanent ruler and instead the ruler is based off of those who have the highest bounty on their head by the rest of Yucoria's kingdoms. Dunisia is known to be blood-thirsty for not only money but also for pure chaos. It doesn't matter if you have a child or a women, no one is spared. It's basically a battlefield for everyone.
Though all of Yucoria hates them, the reason why they are still able to stand is because of tehir pure ruthlessness. There was a rumor in the olden days that the entire Yucoria had tried to wipe them off the map by going little by little. But those are met with 50 years of never ending bloody war.
In order to wipe Dunisia off of Yucoria, a massive state wipe needs to be made where no one is spared and has to be killed even if they are children and women. The nations of Yucoria did not and will not stoop so low as their enemy in order to achieve something. Thus they made a binding law to not only Dunisian but the whole Yucoria.
If the people of Dunisia are caught to either bypass the boarder of a nations illegally or is found to be involved in a crime, they can take any means necessary to kill these individuals. No mercy given.
In the past, many Dunisian had tried to enter into Volenix boarder. However those attempts are met with either death or fatal injuries. This is because the mountain range is so dangerous to traversed on the side of Dunisia that most people died just from trying. Not only that, those who managed to get pass will be captured immediately by the military station near one of the town.
In short, they are dead either way.
"How come these devil brain is able to by pass the terrain and even getting away from the military?" Irene question, she had learn about Dunisia during her time in Soter Academy. Yanyi is by far the most enrage one. Her special title had place her the responsibility of protecting the peoples' lives. Devian and her had a lot to discuss about.
"Wait! We find something didn't we?" Kazuto turn to Irene and both open back the map they use and circle the location on Irene's notebook. Within that circle stood a gray square that did not match with the rest of the environment.
Kazuto — "We made some research into where the possible hide out could be. We have many circle around the suburb. But in the case of this specific range mountains, there's only one."
Irene — "This facility is used for military purpose back when Dunisia launched their all out attack across Yucoria. That was thousand or years ago and now it was left unattended. Many adventurous souls testify that they felt the presence of something non-human the moment they stepped in."
Kazuto — "These blood thirsty beast didn't care about superficial factors. Thus making it possible that they used this facility to hide the children."
Yanyi — "A question still lingers to me."
Kazuto — "What?"
Yanyi — "The mountain range is hard to traverse in even those who had 500 henchmen at their back has only 50 that survive. How come they are able to enter without one, alerting the boarder and two, with all its member still alive?"
Luyao — "It seems like we have more to discover. It's already nearing dinner time. Let's us stop for now. Continue discussing our plan after dinner."
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After dinner they had a brief talk with the rest of the family on what will be done for the remainder of the case duration. For now, all cities police department no matter big or small shall use its utmost man power to protect the children. The surveillance will be tighten to quadruple the efforts. All of the children will be escorted by undercover officers after leaving the school ground. Those who came out to play will be guided to a specific play area where authorities will be present.
Aside from that, children are forbidden to enter the central square at any given time without direct guardian. "This will be implemented tomorrow, Marquess if you would be as kind to use your direct command. Please send out a command to all the station before midnight about this order."
"Alright. I assume that the west and south central square in the main city will have their commands in the day after tomorrow." They all nodded and is ready to went to his office. The head maid help the marchioness to the bedroom chamber while the young are sent back to their room. They have a lot of things to do tomorrow and it requires their full capacity.
Yanyi had just change into her nightgown and is currently combing through her hair on her bed nonchalantly. She has been gazing into deep nothingness all this time. Previously while everyone were watching the footage she had not only paid attention to the video but also to their reaction.
"Hiss... Am I the only one who noticed it?... That can't be. This can't just be a coincidence... Did someone tried to point in the right direction?" All the more she talks, the more she tried to recall back her memory of the footage. If this is supposed to resemble the kite compass, why is the needle not created? If the needle is created doesn't that mean that it was supposed to be seven days?
That can't be. The location is only in north, south, east and west. There's no center. So... does it mean that originally it was meant to be a normal kite symbol?
The thoughts keeps on dancing in her mind. At last when she try to get some close eye she can vividly see the picture of the footage. On the seventh day of the week, she can somewhat see the appearance of a person that always passing by. On second thought though, they wore different clothes, has different hair color and different ey-!
*Creak!*
Jolting out from her bed, she realized the biggest mystery she had been searching for. The 'reason' they are here in the first place. Though this individuals may have worn and has different appearances, their physique are still the same. Same eyes, nose, height and even hairstyles. "Did they disguise themselves knowing that we will watch it?"
Racking her brain, trying to remember back what else she saw there, more specifically what pattern is this person wearing. She snatch a paper by the lone study table and write down something under the moonlight gaze. Brown, rose, lavender, maroon, black, lime, blonde. These are the things she wrote down.
Not wanting to be expose or lose the opportunity of seeing the footage again, Yanyi slowly open the door to her room and scan the area to see if there's anyone. Seeing no sign of life, she moves swiftly and quietly to Kazuto's study. She opens back the recording and start to search for the same pattern on a person on the seventh day.
All rise from their slumber, Yanyi had discovered that there are many of them. Though they don't necessarily use the same pattern, they still use the same color pallets. When she was about to close her personal investigation the footage repeats itself and her eyes locks onto the left corner of the south and north system.
There are more of them here, and in the next. And in the next! AND THE NEXT ONE!
She hold tightly to the side of the table before having any chance of tumbling down. She couldn't believe what she was seeing or rather what could've happen if they aren't here. "This... This is far worse than a nightmare... This is... This is... Unforgivable!" Yanyi's palm start to hurt from her nails digging into her skin.
She clean out everything that could indicate her being inside and slowly leaves the room. While was exiting the study a hand touch her shoulder and she almost yell. Almost as she's able to hold herself and let out a squeaky 'Yelp!'. Turning around from another possible heart attack, she see her previous heart attack reason behind her.
"What are you doing here, scaring people!" She wanted to yell in anger but caught herself and only whisper yell. Making sure the other person is aware of her dissatisfaction. Crossing his arms and turn the question to her. "I should be asking you, what are you doing in Kazuto's study so late at night when he's already asleep?"
Yanyi — "Nothing. I was just checking something."
Luyao — "Checking what? If it's about the case you know that can be talk for tomorrow."
Yanyi — "No. I was checking whether he has any spare ink so that I can write a letter to my brothers. I always do it every single week this same day. I just need to post it tomorrow."
Luyao — "You can check somewhere else you know. The library have some."
Yanyi — "To the last ring of hell if I ever stepped in that room in the middle of the night."
Luyao — "*sigh* I have some left, I'll lend you some."
"Good! I can-! O-On second thought, I think it's best if I leave now!" Yanyi quickly covered her vision and slowly try to make her way to her room. Seeing his work partner suddenly covering her eyes, he ask for the reason which she didn't answer and continue to walk. But his constant approach leads to her pointing to him, well his torso.
"Oh..." Is the only thing that came out of his mouth. He hadn't realize it but he had accidentally went out of his room without a shirt or a nightgown on. This leaves his chest area expose which someone as weirdly enough, pure as Yanyi didn't like to see. She said a simple goodbye before moving without looking.
*Thump!*
"Ffffffuck!...." She holds onto her stubbed toe and hold in her pain by hissing. Great, now her pure teaching has lead to her stubbing her own toes. "FuCKing Toe! Why must you be in pain now!" Seeing her cursing in pain, Luyao didn't make a double take from carrying her back to her bed where he left immediately.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screams into her pillow. Both in embarrassment and anger to herself. She had been carried around by the same person THREE AURIL FUCKING TIME TODAY!!! Needless to say, she won't speak about this to anyone.
No one.
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~The Next Day~
Yanyi and Luyao walk over to their designated area and stood by the side of the road talking about current issues and what not. The children are yet to come so they ought to find a way to by pass the time. Soon enough the giant clock in the west courtyard rang twelve time before stopping. This is their signal to prepare.
They had previously spoke about the plan prior to coming here. Yanyi will be the only one accompanying them in the courtyard while Luyao will be on the rooftop to get a more clearer birds eye view of the situation. To one point, Yanyi will send off two children to buy flowers for which Luyao will start to follow.
From there, he will closely monitor the children and apprehend their culprit or rather accomplices of culprit. "Make sure one thing is clear. No matter what you do, none of the children should be out of your view. That applies to both of us." Yanyi pat his shoulder before showing herself out of the cafe they had been staying at.
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"When is that sister going to come?" One of the girls ponder in sorrow as she plays with the water fountain. There are a number of them that had been waiting for her either to play with her hair or to hear her stories. The boys had even start to draw some warrior stick figure on the side of the fountain to vanquished their boredom.
"Wah~~~ I want to hear more about the Ocean Ripper!" They whine until it got the attention of a few passerby who just chuckle at the norms of a child. Soon he heard a pair of footsteps coming near from behind and exclaim in excitement. "Big sister is here!!"
All tiny skulls turn to the direction and are filled with smile and star-lit eyes. Yanyi came to a stop, with her left hand on her hips she gives a tiny salute to the children. "Yo! Waiting for me long?" They all exclaim in joy and dragged her to their location and making her sits down on the pavement.
One of the girls take a hold of her hair before turning her lip to a frown, pouting her cheeks in protest and sulking. "Big sis, you break the braid! How are you supposed to look pretty now?" A sheepish smile came across her face and she gives out an apology for ruining their hard work. "I came here to fulfill my promise. Not only that, I figure that it would be boring for you girls to just listen without anything to do. Now that my hair is undone, why don't you try some other tricks?"
Girl 1 — "Really?! Alright then!"
Girl 2 — "Leave the hair to us, big sis!"
Girl 3 — "Your beauty will be unbeatable in any dimension!"
'I've been told that multiple times already'. Her hand then are pulled by a boy and he happily jump in pure euphoria. "Big sis, Come on! Continue your story!"
Boy 1 — "Yeah! We want to know more about how she defended the country."
Boy 2 — "And the journey of her father! The Justice Ripper!"
Boy 3 — "A man who single-handedly deal with the forces of evil!"
'Well father, even your stories is being told at this era.' She tells them to sit still and continue her story telling with some joyous kids starts to act like the character in her story. The girls are as eager as the boys to listen in to the warrior story. They had rarely heard the story of a warrior of their gender so to hearing one is quite appealing.
On the sideline, Luyao is watching her enthusiasm and playful nature with the children from a nearby rooftop. She looks almost like a mother telling a bedtime story to her children. With how gentle her words and gesture are, she can open a kindergarten of her own. Alas, the reputation of a warrior won't permit her.
He watch over them for a while until he heard one of the girls sigh in guilt. "What's the matter dear?" The maiden ask, turning her attention to the group of girls behind her. She explain how she forget to bring her collection of flowers from her mother's flower shop. "There's a flower shop nearby here, isn't it? Why don't you go ahead and buy from there." She takes out a few bronze coin and handed it over to her.
"Can one of you boys accompany her? It's really dangerous walking around on your own. Beside, protecting someone is also an act of a warrior." They all quickly raise their hands and Yanyi turns to pick the most strong looking boy to go with her. This is also part of the strategy. The boy's nature body which is much more sturdy than the other would make it harder for their capture to kidnap them.
Yanyi send them off and look over to the rooftop where Luyao take the signal and follow the kids from above. Upon seeing them entering the flower shop, he starts to look around for any movements especially from her alleyway. He notice two figure in black hovering over the alleyway by the flower shop. 'This must be the culprit.'
The two children came out of the flower shop and immediately two pair of hand tries to bring them into the alleyway. Fortunately for the kids, Luyao intersect them and give a good round house kick to the one that tries to grab the girl. The flower shop owner saw the commotion and grab the girl inside and lock the door.
Internally thanking the shop owner, Luyao shield the other boy while trying to focus on capturing these individuals. Seeing their current situation, the other man gives a head signal to the other one to rush forward. They tried to grab the child for which Luyao intersect before a kick flash before his very eyes.
Thankfully he shield his face quick enough that it only left a scratch to his arms. However, in respond the other man successfully capture the boy and run away. The boy realize that he had been kidnapped use all of his energy to struggle away from his grasp.
The inspector is still in a hand to hand combat and fear that if he didn't finish this quickly, the boy would be swept away with the culprit. *Crack* A broken bone resound in his ears. Thinking that it was his, he was relieve to see that it was his opponent. "Go!" The scream of Yanyi brought him back.
She is now in the process of handcuffing his opponent. "That kid is going to be a victim! GO! CATCH THAT DEGENERATE FUCKER!!!" His feet moves as fast as the sound is and manage to catch up to the culprit and even stand literally in front of him. The man unconsciously throw the boy to his direction and continue running.
Luyao catch the boy and place him down safely before yet again running and sweeps the man's footing off. Latching his feet to his hands and break two bones in the process, one from the man's ankle and the other is from his arm. Yanyi catches up to Luyao with both girl and boy in her hands, cradling them.
Both children were afraid to look elsewhere and continue to cry as their face stuck to her clothes at all time. Seeing that both culprit are able to be secured, Yanyi let out a sigh of relief. "Can you handle them to the station on your own?" She ask, quite worried that they would overpower him on the way.
He nodded without much word and gives the following order. "I'll handle the interrogation process. You focus on getting all the children back home safely. I... There's to much bloodlust on me for them to feel safe." Yanyi didn't say much and ran to the courtyard where she had left the children for a while to help her partner. "Shusssh... Everything is going to be okay soon." Her soothing the children from crying is truly a side that not many can witness.
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~East Courtyard~
While Yanyi and Luyao bussied themselves over in the West, Kazuto and Irene were tasked to survey this area. The children are running around the fountain and playing a make-shift horse race with each other. Instead of going for a caretaker role, Irene decided to use this opportunity to gain more information on anything and the man beside her will act as back-up. Not only that, he is practically the face of the state, thus inserting himself will make the culprit to figure that the nation is after them already.
With her coat adjusted neatly, her hair getting out of the way and her expression turns to be more friendly, she waltz over to the fountain. Looking around the area for any potential news as a guise to gain the children's trust more. She then turn to the fountain and slowly approached the group of kids. "Hello~" She smiles gently with her body leaning a bit to the left, leaving a friendly and honest look to the children.
One of the boys, after finishing his horse race stage-play, greeted her where the rest follows suit. "Can I ask you guys a couple of question? I want to make it to the 'Weekly Trend' page on the news." "What do you want to ask, pretty sister?" With her held up high, she gives a proud grin to the girl and proceed her questionnaire. Well someone is certainly not thankful when being complimented. Just joking.
Irene — "Well... I want to know what you guys find interesting to do. In a way where almost everyone you know is doing the same thing."
Boy 1 — "Ouh! Ouh! We like to go to this one store where they sell many candies there! There's even candy from other state that we had never tried before!"
Irene — "Really? What so special about this candy? And what make the store so special?"
Girl 1 — "Well, the candy taste so different from the one in Kinsel. Like there's this one candy I think came from Ashrin?... The taste is sweet at first but then it turns to sour! Perfect for us who likes sweet and sour candy but can't get both."
'Ah~ That candy. Yanyi's favorite for sure.' "Oh! That store is special because there's this nice grandpa that would sometimes come out and gives out candy to us for free!" Irene tries to sink the information quickly. She had just gotten the intel of a suspicious activity. Though not from a suspicious man, the act would be one if they weren't to know who they are.
She turns slightly in the direction of Kazuto and with his brows furrowed and expression turning grim, she knew he had also heard it. She starts to crouched down to their eye level and starts to ask about the grandpa in "What makes him come to you guys?"
Girl 2 — "He would bring out a new type of candy for some of us! And then he would pick a person to pick more free candy from his store!"
Irene — "Have you seen the person the grandpa gives more candy too?"
Girl 3 — "Nope! But, the grandpa told us that they are just staying at home to enjoy the candy with all of their family! Sharing is caring, after all."
Irene — "Ouh~ That's a really nice grandpa! Did he come here everyday?"
Boy 2 — "Yup! Though sometimes, he said that his store is not open and there's no new candy to be brought over. So he spend the time with us playing!"
Irene write down all of her findings and close her journal, ending the quest for news among the children. "Welp! Thank you to you guys, maybe I'll get a chance to be in the 'Weekly Trend' page. If that happen, I'll come back with more candy for each you, okay?"
Boy 3 — "Okay! Bye sister!"
They all waved her a goodbye and se slowly made her way into the crowd of people before turning back and headed to Kazuto's spot without triggering the children's view. "Your deduction?" She ask while keeping a close eye to the children. "I don't think this person is 'directly' related to the culprit. I suspect that this might be a case of blackmail."
She raise one eyebrow and tilted her head a bit to the side, crossing her arms and asking in a rather suspicious tone. "Why blackmail? Isn't this person someone who illegally using his kind nature to trick the kids?" Kazuto gives her a small glare before sending his sight back to the courtyard. The children continue to play their make shift horse race. Running around in joy and delight.
His face became stoic and from the outside you can see or sense the bit of turmoil inside. He then drop the bombshell that Irene never expected. "That grandpa used to be father's close senior. His family loss their noble title and had to be banish. He was allowed to stay as long as he act as if he knew none of the higher class. Practically a social banishment and self-identity-deletion."
Irene — "Ouh... I didn't know."
Kazuto — "You're not at fault. I used to go to his shop to get some candy with Luyao. Though after my father knew, he punished both of us severely."
Irene — "..."
Kazuto — "Though his family did something unfathomable, none of it is that grandpa's fault. I check that he had indeed comfort in his new life. He even get a family of his own that he loved dearly."
Irene didn't comment on the whole story and continue to write down whatever she pleases while Kazuto keeps a close eye to the surrounding. They decided to stay at a restaurant with and outdoor seating to first not be detected by the kids and to not arouse any suspicion that two people had been standing in one spot for nearly 4 fours.
They don't have to wait longer as sooner than later, an old man came to the spotlight as he approach the courtyard. The children all jump in glee and start to pester the old man for some treats. The old man played their little games and before leaving playfully pointed his to a small girl with pretty hazel locks. He mouth something and take the girl's hand and lead her away from the area.
"Let's follow him." Kazuto stand up immediately leaving Irene behind. The girl quickly pack her stuff while trying to swiftly making her way. They are quite far that anyone would call it following and only going the same way. Also, I forgot to mention, Kazuto is currently wearing a cap to cover his signature red flaming hair. Everyone knows that those who have a flaming red hair is a Ryuichi.
Irene is still trying to catch up to him when she notice that he is getting closer and closer to the man. Before she could warn him, he had touch his shoulder and ask. "Excuse me sir, do you know that directly of the nearest bookstore?" His acting may have fool the old man in addition of hiding his hair. But he hadn't really recount the little girl that is lower than him.
From her perspective, she can see his red bangs sticking out from under the cap. Without hesitation, the girl pointed to Kazuto and shout, "Kazuto nii-san!" Irene slap his face internally. In an instant, the old man tries to bring his wrist forward in hopes of flipping the younger male. Unfortunately for him, Kazuto had seen the intention and with his age advantage, he quickly grab the old man's arm with his other hand and swing him to the left, making him unbalance.
The little girl is shocked with the situation and was about to be hit by the swing from Kazuto before Irene narrowly snatch her away to her side. "You're okay now. Be a good girl, okay?" The young man tries to swing him yet again to the right but the culprit had stomp his foot on an elevated pavement to swing upward with the momentum he gave himself in order to get away from Kazuto's grip. He successfully did so.
He take a handful of something from his pockets before blowing it which turns out it was a handful of cloud smoke. Irene starts to worry with Kazuto slowly vanishing from her view. She shouts to the girl to ran to her friend and make sure that none of them ran away from the courtyard. She then rush to where the young man's receding figure is.
She reaches him as he turns to look around frantically of where the man is. Though being highly trained, he rely more on his vision as he is trained sniper. With the emerging smoke, his vision is of no help. He can't even hear anything because he is heavily breathing and can only listen to it. Thankfully, his partner has a really sensitive hearing that is genetically born with. She close her eyes and focus on her ears.
Hearing a couple of hurried footsteps like someone is running away, she take one of her shoes off and, I'm not joking, chuck it toward the sound. A huge 'Thud!' was produce which means that she had hit something. Whether it is the culprit, you can find out after the smoke clear. It didn't take long and they got the confirmation that she had manage to knock out the old man they had been chasing.
Many officer came to flock around the area. Kazuto ordered them to safely escorted the children at the courtyard safely to their home. As for the old man, both of them will personally handle him back to the station.
Now that both partner are done with their task, all that is left is interrogation.
-~*~-