Recap from Miyuki!

Damnit! Looks like someone stole Nephilim while I was helping Shion recovering from the arrest of her brother Jin, the one I sentenced, to jail. Of course, I didn’t tell her or else she’d probably kill me and then go to hell to kill my spirit completely. Anyways, these kidnappers have no clue who they’re dealing with!

Third Case: Riddle Me This

“The first clue…this riddle shouldn’t be hard to do. If you want the next clue, then all you have to do is see my face nearby.”

What do they think I am a no brains detective? I looked around for my target and easily found it. I saw a note embedded in the hands. Luckily, it was just as tall as me. I went over and grabbed it out of its hands. It suddenly chimed loudly, almost causing me to fall over.

I kicked the pole in annoyance. “Stupid clock,” I muttered. I quickly opened the envelope and read the next clue. “Fires burn and smoke erupts but the smell that ensues is most delightful.”

Hm…fire…smoke…good smell. I thought about it for a second and then it clicked. A bit strange for the next place, but time to head to there! If it was this easy, I’ll get Nephilim back in no time! I quickly got into a hover taxi and headed to Moby Dick’s. Would the clue be in the kitchen? I don’t know if I would actually be able to get access by just barging in…I’ll think of something when I get there.

I arrived and paid the driver as I got off. He muttered something about me being pretty cute but I ignored it. People like him are nothing but scum! They just want perfect ladies like us for our wonderful bodies; do you know what I mean ladies?

Anyways, I walked inside the restaurant and was greeted by the entrance person. I quickly looked around for a fire extinguisher but I couldn’t find one. That’s probably where the kidnapper would put it since he most likely didn’t work here.

“Pardon the strange question, but where’s your fire extinguisher?”

“We don’t have a fire extinguisher.” The person replied. “We have an automated water system on the ceiling.” He pointed up and sure enough, there were the sprinklers. Was I wrong about the clue? I racked my brain trying to think of what else the clue could mean.

“So Miss…will you be taking a table?”

“Ah, sorry,” I said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “I wasn’t planning to eat here.”

“Well, have a good day then. Please come back to see us.”

I nodded and then left the restaurant. I felt kind of bad not eating a place I visited but this was an exception. I had to find Nephilim or else she would most likely die like Abel. Could there be more people out to get her like the priest?

I looked around for any sort of stimulus that would help me out. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. I sat down on a bench nearby and looked at the sky. I suddenly caught a whiff of something that smelled extremely pleasant. I turned to see where the smell came from but the wind had carried it over here to me. Could it be that place?

I quickly ran down the street and found the store at the corner. Fires, smokes, and delightful smells…not of food…but of candles. I found the clue hanging from a thread above a candle that was about to burn off. From a distance, it looked like a decoration but luckily I caught it before it would burn.

I opened the envelope and read the next clue. “Close one, huh? Let’s see if your lucky streak will continue. Papers fly as I look at them…so might want to hurry with this clue else it’ll blow away!”

Papers that fly as you look at them…I ran a list of things through my mind and quickly discarded each and every idea that came to mind. Either this guy had a lot of time on his hands, or else I was dealing with someone just as smart as I am. That’s a really scary thought.

After thinking about it for awhile, I headed to the next target locating. This guy must be pretty genius if he has the potential to create such complex puzzles that even I, the great Miyuki, can’t solve in a couple of seconds.

I arrived outside my target location and entered the abandoned building. Supposedly, this abandoned building was where Shion’s older brother Jin used to live. She had told me of it earlier before he was arrested. Luckily, it wasn’t booked for police. Booked…I crack myself up.

There were a lot of books here and the only library…or somewhat of a library…that I could think of. Now if I were a clue, where would I be hiding…?

I looked thoroughly through the library and found nothing. I figured the kidnapper wouldn’t put it inside a book; it would take forever to go through each one and find the clue. I noticed a paper crane on the table and then a gust of wind blew. It flew a short distance and it suddenly came to me.

I opened the paper crane and read, “If you’ve come this far, then you must be smart so let’s take this back all to the start. If you really want your friend back, watch out because there I’m going to attack.”

That bastard! He’s made me go all throughout town just to end this where it all started? Man, that guy’s going to get a good taste of my M.W.S. shocking abilities! I’ll fry his brains out for making me do all this work!

I caught a taxi down to the playground where I saw Nephilim sitting on a swing. As I approached her, a red-haired boy walked out with a hand on his hip.

“Are you the one who kidnapped Nephilim?”

He put his hand on his hip and shrugged. “Maybe I am. Maybe I’m not.”

“Just what the hell is your problem?” I asked. “Why did you have me run all over town just to end up back here?”

“I was testing you.” The red-haired boy replied. “I had to see if you were a Disciple or not.”

“A what?”

“Just know that they are our enemies.” The boy clenched his fists. “I had to know if you were protecting Nephilim out of concern or if you were going to betray her.”

I stomped my foot. “I’d never do that!”

“Well, then. I guess I’ll be staying with ya from now on.” The boy held out his hand to me. “Name’s Rubedo. But I go by Jr.”

I slapped it away. “You can’t just decide to live with me!”

The boy folded his arms across his chest. “I’m like Nephilim…a Vessel of Anima.”

This kid was definitely something else…I could tell that he was a lot more mature than he looks just by his actions. He wasn’t shaking from fear if someone was trying to kill him. Everything about him was controlled.

“Just what is a Vessel of Anima? Why are people trying to kill you?”

“We shouldn’t talk here. They could be anyone,” Jr. said as he looked around.

“Alright, alright.” I admitted defeat and held out my hand. “You can stay with me as long as you tell me just what is going on with the Vessels of Anima.”

His eyes shone brightly as he shook my hand. “Deal.”

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