Figure Maker (2)

Figure Maker (2)

~~~~

"So, the copycat's in Kanagawa…"

"...Are they in the Western section?"

"No"

"...The North?"

"No"

"East?"

"Yes"

Huu…

"Are they currently on the move?"

"No, they're holed up at a specific location."

"Is it a spacious location?"

"No, I wouldn't describe it as a spacious location."

What could it be…

"Could it be… something like an abandoned warehouse?"

"No, although it is rather gloomy."

Gloomy? What kind of location…

"A detached house?"

"No"

"An apartment?"

"No"

Damn it! I can't hit the mark!

"Say, Otohito-kun… If you keep asking questions this fruitlessly, I wonder if your little sister will be alright."

"Gu…!"

I went on my knees to think more deeply. Sweat so much sweat was on my face. I held my head trying to think of more questions.

GOD DAMN IT!!

Bam! Bam! Bam!

What could it be!? One of my hands started to bang on the floor.

As long as I keep asking questions I'll eventually get the answer… But I was so stupid. All I've been doing is accumulating useless information… I haven't actually gotten closer to the 'location'!

"Come on now~, focus, focus."

"Ugh!"

Kazami Tazuru sat on my back. Does she get satisfaction from making someone miserable?

"Hasn't your line of questioning grown too narrow?"

Don't listen to her! Remember what Asagao-san said.

"I wonder if making the theme of the game would have been easier…"

Wait…

…That's right. She has all kinds of information on this copycat… Yet why did she choose to focus solely on 'location'?

Narrow thinking… Choosing only the location…

Wait…

"About the copycat…"

"Are they nearby? As in, here in the detention house?" What an evil smirk…

"Yes."

!!!

"Then if they're in the detention house… They must be in solitary confinement!

"No."

I started following the trail of breadcrumbs she layed out for me…

They're not here as a criminal…!

"They're on the top floor of the detention house!"

"Nope, not on the top floor."

"The third floor!!"

"No~"

"Second floor!!"

"Nope~"

"First floor!!"

"You miss again~!"

I'm getting close…

Then…

"Then…"

…The copycat's location must be…!

"They're underground!!!"

"Yes they are~"

.

.

.

Huh?

Wait a minute…

'Aside from Otohito-kun and the guard no one is allowed in here…'

There's no way…

.

.

.

"Is the copycat…"

"...inside this room?"

"Spot on!"

I heard a small swooshing sound…

Slam!!!

I turned around to see Asaga-san slamming the prison guard from before onto the ground…

"YOU ARE…!"

"...THE PERSON WHO SAVED ME WITH YOUR ART!!!"

"I DISCOVERED THE MEANING OF MY LIFE! CREATING WORKS LIKE YOURS BECAME MY PURPOSE!!!"

"EVERYONE LOOK AT ME!!!"

"REACT TO ME!!!!"

"ACKNOWLEDGE ME!!!!"

"ADMIRE ME LIKE YOU ADMIRE HER!!!"

"FOREVER!!!! FOREVER!!!! FOREVER!!!! FOREVER!!!! FOREVER!!!! FOREVER!!!! FOREVER!!!!"

"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!!!!"

Asagao-san and other police officers came in and dragged him out…

"AAAAAAAAA-!!!!!!"

I don't think I've ever seen someone so horrendous…

"Fumi…!"

"I need to find where-!"

As I was about to rush out Kazami Tazuru said.

"It's alright."

"His only goal was to meet with me and talk to me. As long as that happened he didn't care about the other details."

"...Fumi is safe. He hasn't hurt her."

…!

T-Thank god…

I was so worried if anything happened to her…

"Thank… Thank goodness…" Tears poured out again…

.

.

.

…no it's not over…

The game hasn't ended yet…

Huu…

"Next…"

"I'm going to need you to answer a question for me…"

"Sure, just for you, I'll answer a single question."

"But first let me ask you this: What do you think causes the appearance of copycat killers?"

"Huh?" What kind of question is that?

"As I'm sure you know… Humans are the most socially obsessed animals on this planet…"

"People decide the value of themselves and their actions based on the judgments of others."

"While it is generally agreed that there are three basic desires that comprise human survival being lust, hunger, and sleep… Those don't amount to anything more than basic biological necessity."

"For humanity specifically, the single most fundamental desire…"

"...Is the need for social approval."

I see…

"The need for social approval, huh? What was it that the copycat killer was screaming at the end?"

'Everyone look at me, react to me, and acknowledge me…'

Being seen…

Being reacted to…

Being recognised. Those desires are why he continued.

They became his life's ONLY purpose.

"So then… was it the same need for approval…"

"...That led you to kill your first victim?"

"...Adolescents struggling over the validity of their own existence." What does that mean?

"I wanted to use a fifteen year old girl as the very first… in order to represent the 'desire for social acceptance'."

"...Or something like that anyway~!"

"Does that seem like a reasonable theory to you?"

Hah.

"So there wasn't any reason behind it at all…"

"If that's how you want to interpret it, that's perfectly fine."

"Though, understand that I'd never just flaunt my own works for no reason. Since showing off like that isn't' 'beautiful'."

"...After all, the act of bragging about your art…"

"...Is basically the same thing as masturbating…"

"Although… If I had to boast about something it'd be that…"

"...'I' AM EVERYWHERE"

No… She was right…

I understand…

Although Kazami Tazuru was captured-... her influence in society remains…

Her followers…

Her copycats…

They all continue to lurk around…

"All of them have the potential to become 'me'."

.

.

.

"...ther!"

"Big brother!"

"You're spacing out on me, you okay?"

"Ah… Uh…"

"Forget me, you seem more like the injured one here."

Fumi said it in a cheerful voice.

After a brief search, Fumi was found in a nearby warehouse. Although she suffered some minor injuries, no lasting damage was inflicted.

"...It must have been so scary. I'm sorry, even though I was right there, I couldn't…"

"Don't worry about it! Getting to be a part of an investigation was a valuable experience!"

"...I'm sorry I made you worry… I'm alright now."

Why are you sorry? I should be the one sorry…

"I promise I won't disappear like Koto-nee did…"

Fumi hugged me as I fell back into my thoughts of my last interaction with Kazami Tazuru.

"You said that you'll answer one question of mine."

"That's right, go ahead."

"My big sister disappeared seven years ago… Do you know anything about Yuuki Koto?"

"Yes, I do."

"I'll see you soon. We can continue this then."

Kazami Tazuru is the only clue I have in tracking down my older sister.

I need more information…

Buzz! Buzz!

I broke off my hug with Fumi.

!

"Um… I'm getting a call from my part-time job."

"Oh, ok. Go right ahead, don't mind me."

"Good luck, my favorite brother in the whole world."

I smiled looking at Fumi.

No matter what happens from this point on…

No matter how many evil criminals I meet…

I'll stay true to myself, not losing sight of my goal.

Those words from my little sister…

…are all the societal approval I need.

…that's right.

No matter what happens.

No matter what kinds of murderers I encounter.

*

*

*

"Ahhh!!!"

"P-Please stop!!!!"

My… how noisy…

Why do people scream so much?

It doesn't even hurt that badly. I allowed Technician-san to experiment on me before. That is much worse.

I looked at my phone at the replay of the footage of Kazami-san's room yesterday.

Why would she want to talk to Yuuki-san's little brother I wonder?

Hah…

Soon…

Very soon I will have my answer…

Click!

"Quite a good photo this time…"