After a quick round to Kobayashi’s clinic, I was able to get a drawing of this Sato Nana. It’s probably not her real name but the picture is helpful. I stopped by the police printing press to make copies of the drawing and update the missing person’s flyer and even though I know Hide’s assailants are no longer in Tokyo, just in case I distributed some to the inspectors mostly as a deterrent for them to come back here. I instruct another set to be distributed to the precincts managing each town that leads up to Kyoto, just in case Kyoto ends up being a red herring.
- Missing Woman
- Yagi Hide 40 years of age
- Kansai accent, short stature, wavy hair that is now roughly cut
- Face wrapped in bandages and may have her head covered
- Last seen boarding the Kansai line with suspects
- Pictured below: (Photo)
- Wanted Persons of Interest
- A thin man, medium stature
- Wearing a cone straw hat, maybe carrying a katana
- Going under the false name Okita or Souji
- An older woman, age 45-50
- Black hair with streaks of grey, but maybe dying her hair black.
- Maybe going by the name Sato Nana and posed as a medical clerk
- Also maybe going by the name Asato; likely a doctor or has medical field experience.
- Pictured below: (Drawn)
I bought several tickets for the East Train going to the Kansai region. Normally I would conduct a sweep at all train stops but aside from Shizuoka, Hide has no connections to the other places, so I leave that to the inspectors I’ve assigned. I must target the most obvious places and today that is Kyoto, besides I don’t have enough information on who these persons are from the past so I must speak to her brothers. They must know something about this “Sato Nana”, but I worry knowing full well that this likely is a fake name. I’ve used fake names all the time in the past.
“Your keys sir. Private first class accommodations!” The conductor hands them to me and leaves. I go inside the small room, just enough for one passenger, a seat, away from the smoke and heat of the engine and most importantly a door I can lock. Normally I wouldn’t take such a room but I needed to rest, so I can be alert when I get to Kyoto. But aside from that, I need a quiet place to think and not waste time.
After placing my few belongings to the side, I finally open another pack of cigarettes. I’ve gone through a pack already?
The train leaves and I can only stare outside the window, while standing up, a cigarette stuck firmly in my mouth.
It takes 4 and half hours to get to Kyoto via the Express. I pull out my watch, 10AM so I’ll be there after 2, closer to 3PM?
Kami… In their world, it only takes an hour and half.
But the telegram should make it first to her brother’s before I do.
The Yagi brothers should know just after lunch what’s happened to their sister. Hopefully they stick around at home by the time I arrive which would be almost 3PM. Or are they idiots who will be going to the Kyoto Police and insisting that action be taken immediately? But with what information? I look at the flyers again, I should get it to Toshio-san first.
I look at my watch -again-. They’d have arrived in Kyoto at 6 o’clock. I’m still here in Tokyo at 10.
Am I too late?
Calm down ahou…
(OOC: to be continued tom)
I spy the small bag I took with me. Her diary is there isn’t it? But that’s not what I go for… I take out something I stole from that world. A small white thing you put in the ears. Maybe it will help me sleep? Even for just an hour.
I used to tell the ahou not to listen to this. It doesn’t help. So why did I steal it? I watch out the window as Tokyo fades away. This place is as real as the other we used to move in. Opening the white case I go ahead and see what it was all about. And close my eyes.
Damn it…
Hide I need you.
Sleep! You fool.
I look to the side and draw the blinds. The sun was blinding my eyes. At least I was able to rest them for a bit.
Looking up at the ceiling I try to think, I have some information but they’re not -solid-. I have descriptions of the assailants but no names. I don’t even know a motive, except the same old ones that center around the Shinsengumi but my instincts and experience tells me this is not. If this was against the Shinsengumi, it would be directed against me instead but clearly whoever wrote that letter…
It’s too personal.
But why her? Could it be that this is indeed Souji, the one I knew who escaped death? Perhaps he found out about us and is now exacting his revenge? She rightfully belonged to him after all had I not pulled the wool over her eyes and trapped her.
I close my eyes again. What are you doing grasping at improbabilities? You’re better than that.
Who else aside from his ghosts? Kano is dead. I killed him myself. Kichisaburo burned in the temple after I killed his benefactor Maro. I even went back, only to find the entire temple burned to the ground. No one could’ve possibly survived that…
Okita had a lot of admirers but his stature is closer to a woman’s that it would be hard to impersonate him, if at all. And Battousai’s description seems to match the Souji we knew, though Battousai thinks it’s definitely not Souji. And I’m listening to the Battousai, why? They only crossed swords once and Souji was -disappointed- I interrupted them.
I look at the note again.
I have come back for my Hide-chan. I forgive her for her years of transgressions, but do not wish to have any reminders of her misdeeds, so I leave the children to you, Fujita-san, I mean Saitou-san, you disloyal “brother”. Do not search for her.
This Okita didn’t seem to want anything. He only wanted Hide but if that’s the case, then he’s either the real Okita and taking back what is his or I’m dealing with a mercenary who is doing this for money, which means there’s a third party.
Hide… What was it about your past have you never told me?
Mostly… Everything…
I gingerly light my cigarette and puff smoke rings. They rise over my head, that I’m holding with one hand. The carriage jolts and my bag is displaced to the floor. Picking it up, it’s open, her diary peeking out at me.
I look at my watch. Still 3 hours left.
Should I? Could I? Can I?
But all this exist because of her. If I can’t bring her back, it wouldn’t matter if I read her diary or not. This place would end anyway.
Taking the diary I stare at it a while, dragging on my cigarette more deeply with each second.
This isn’t what I wanted. Nor what I’d hoped. But what I want doesn’t matter.
Tapping the ashes on the tray, I decide to read. I didn’t want to read about her life with Souji, maybe I can skip around that. No… I must -research-. No stone unturned.
So first I skim and find out it’s not a typical diary written in order. It was a diary written as she said to fill in holes, to solidify her history and so it jumps around. I only have one goal, to get information that would lead me to her. Everything else is secondary. I must read -dispassionately-, I can reserve my opinions and judgments for -later-. And at first as I read her childhood, her grandmother and her family I think to myself it’s possible to do this. I even relish getting to know her child self, Hide-chan. But then the Shinsengumi came and her eyes catch a glimpse of him, as Hidejiro…
Gritting my teeth, I continue on, telling myself it’s okay. It’s the past. It doesn’t matter and won’t matter once this is over. Once I get her back this place will end but it won’t be for nothing. I’ve got a name.
One that stands out, “Asato-san” that Hide said was jealous of her and Souji, when they coupled at her place. I grit my teeth reading those lines, “But you can assure him, I was a legend.”
Damn you… If I find you… I -will- cut you down, even if you are a legend.
You were a -rotten- friend.
I’d close the notebook but there’s a few pages left to read. So I finish and put her diary back, away from my view. The ashtray is overflowing with cigarette butts but who cares? I go ahead and stick another one in my mouth.
Asato… Asato… Can it be, this “Asato” be the same woman who masqueraded as “Sato Nana”?
(OOC: Saitou will be arriving to Kyoto shortly and will post a new thread.)