Part 89: November 14 - November 16: Riddles in Writing

-Your Affection-



At this point, I think we're ready to declare Cats: Accomplished.

I hope the Dojimas aren't allergic. And that they like having the rancid stench of an animal lair all over their catport carport.


Older twin: I wonder if we wouldn't have to move if the weather lady said that the weather was going to be "clear skies." But even if we move...I'll be with my little sister, so I'll be fine. Ah, umm...I have something to ask you. A while ago, a friend told me that I didn't resemble my sister that much. But that's not true! We're so alike that we're capable of telepathy!...That's what I said. I'll prove them wrong before I move. This is the last time I'll do it, so...Will you help me with the telepathy experiment again? Thank you so much! I'll start sending something to my sister now! Mumumumu...How's that? Do you think she got it? Go ask, go ask!


Younger twin: I didn't hear or sense anything. But that's probably obvious to you...Umm. Can you tell her something for me? Tell her that's not something we should be able to do, because the two of us are different. And also tell her that I don't want her to keep making you do this sort of thing for her...I'm sorry to make you run back and forth like this.


Older twin: No way! I was sure she would get it this time!
Her younger sister knew she was doing silly telepathy stuff again. Does that count?

> She doesn't seem satisfied. Maybe you should visit the other sister once more.


Younger twin: She doesn't listen to what people say...but I guess that's just how she is. You probably need to sound really convincing, or else she won't listen...I don't think she'll listen to me, so could you do it? Please?


Older twin: ...Thank you. I'm sorry for making you run back and forth. Um, here...These are for you.

> Received Super Sonic x 3.

Older twin: I'll talk to my sister properly from now on. Thanks again.

-Can You Top That-


Funky student: Yeah, I'm kinda on the verge of throwing in the towel. But I got the fire, I'ma keep on fightin'!...Sorry, I lied. I already gave up. I didn't want to face my riddle brother like that...But I can't lie to you. I guess it's employment for me...But I can't imagine sacrificing this afro just for interviews! Years of care and grooming, versus less gainful employment...It's a tough choice, but right now...It's riddle time! Have at you!
Is that a challenge!?
Funky student: Then it's time for another logical throwdown! Once again, the category is categories. Our old friends group A and B are back in effect. F's in group A. G's in group B. N is in group A. O is in group B. Which group does "P" have detailed onto the side of his ride?
B group.
Funky student: Oh yeah? Then what do the letters in that group have in common, son?
The way they're drawn.
Funky student: Outta sight! Way to go, riddle bro! You were able to view the letters in terms of curves and angles, and you ascertained the distinction! However, that one was easy. Just a little mental appetizer before the main course. I knew I'd have to step my game up to give you a worthy challenge. All right, now for the next problem! Next one's another group riddle, baby. Tc is group A. Xe is group B. Md is group A. Rn is group B. Bk is group A. Ne is group B. Which of these three is in group A's speed dial?
Promethium.
Funky student: Correct! Element number 61, promethium! Much like Prometheus himself, you are bringin' the heat, son! Technetium, berkelium and mendelevium are all synthetic elements with prime atomic numbers: 43, 97, and 101! Masataka Ogawa thought he found element 43 and named it nipponium. He didn't, he found element 75, and didn't know! It is now time for me to spit the final verse! This time it's a "find the mismatch" problem! It took me a long time to come up with this one! Which one of these things is not like the others? Stop, need, decimal, arts, penal, wines, onset, guns...Which one of these should find a different circle of friends?
Need.
Funky student: Most impressive. I was firing my shots, but wastin' ammunition. My chance to hit you was like zero division. All the other words can be formed into at least two other single word anagrams that use every letter. This means that you are the champion, my friend! You are no longer just a riddle brother...You and I are like riddle partners in crime, or riddle soulmates, or like some kind of crazy riddle epoxy! So, to celebrate this kinship of gamesmanship, I'll hook you up with this. Stay sharp, my man.

> Received Chewing Soul.

Funky student: *sigh* Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just running because I'm afraid I won't live up to my potential. If I can succeed, I can protect my 'fro...I can protect my soul. Aight, I'll do it! I'll study like there's no tomorrow!

-Traumerei-

> Central shopping district, Chinese Diner Aiya...


I wanted to apologize for that.
I don't mind.
...You're so strange. You don't distance yourself from me like everyone else...Or preach to me like you know everything...I feel comfortable around you.

> Naoki looks happy...

...You know, I like cream puffs. I know it's kinda girlish. There's a good cream puff shop by our house, so every once in a while I'll buy some and take them home. If I put them in the fridge, Sis would eat 'em.
She'd make up some lame excuse like, "I ate them for you since they were about to expire." So we'd always get into fights over the cream puffs.
But now...the cream puffs don't disappear. I bought some, and they expired in the fridge. When I saw that, I thought, "Oh, maybe...Maybe Sis isn't here anymore," y'know. So I threw them away. I told you before, "If you ask me if I hate the killer, the answer is no." The truth is, it's not even a no...I don't know anything. I have a meaningless daily life...Just confused parents and a dark house. Just rotting cream puffs...How do I get out from that...? What would be best for me, for Sis...? I just don't know.
Take action.
I know...

> Naoki sighed and nodded...

I know I'm stagnating. I know it's not good, I know that I need to move...I know all that...

> You quietly listened to Naoki's worries...You feel like you were able to support him.


Come to think of it...Sometimes Sis would bring cream puffs back from her job at Junes...We would eat them and complain that Junes' brand tasted bad. Sis looked like she was having a hard time working at Junes. But she said it would eventually be for the sake of our store...She'd play around, but...Sometimes she acted like the eldest sibling. That always irked me...
Umm...N-Next time, will you go to Junes with me? I'd like to check it out...

> You promised to go to Junes with Naoki next time...You went home after eating with Naoki.



When I had the chance, I should have spent a couple nights gabbing with Ayane, or at least cooking for her. The sports guys, too.



-Traumerei-

> Samegawa riverbank...Kou wanted to be by the river, so you stopped by on the way home...


The first time I came here was also my first time in town, right after the Ichijo family took me in. The sky was totally clear except for the setting sun, and the light hitting the water made it shine. It was beautiful. It helped me decide something...I thought, "From now on, I am an Ichijo." I convinced myself that the old me was dead. At least, that's what I thought.
But you were just a kid then, right?
Yeah. Isn't that crazy? A little kid thinking like that? But I guess even kids have stuff on their minds sometimes.
Funny thing is, I never really became an Ichijo. I looked, sounded, and acted like one, but it was just a mask I wore. And now that I don't have to wear that mask anymore...I guess it's time to step off the stage.
Don't jump to conclusions.
Well, I haven't reached any conclusions yet. Besides, I'd never just wander off without telling you guys.

> Kou smiles gently...

It just makes me feel kinda empty, knowing that my real parents are dead. It's like...I have no roots.
We should go visit their graves after practice sometime.
I wouldn't even know where to find 'em. I've got the letter, but whoever wrote it didn't sign it. They didn't mention my parents' names, either.
Whoever handed you over to the orphanage wrote that letter, right? Wouldn't that mean they've been holding onto it for like...ten years? It's pretty rough asking someone to remember what happened ten years ago...
Ten years ago...


Yeah, well, I can't let anyone at the house see it, so...Huh? Hmm, the name on the front, "Kou-sama," is smeared. Like someone rubbed their hand against it...
Maybe they just wrote it in a hurry?
Plus...the corner of the envelope is sharp enough to give you a papercut...What do you think?
It was written recently?
You think so too?

> Kou nods seriously...

What does this mean...?
I think...the head of the orphanage must have written it. When I visited...She could probably tell I was depressed...
I don't even know what to say to something like that.
H-Hey, cheer up, man. Even if it is a fake--Uhh, it sounds bad to call it a fake, but...! She didn't do it to pull a fast one on you...
No, you've got it all wrong...I'm happy. I'm glad there are such nice people out there in the world...
Maybe the letter is true, or maybe it's just a nice lie, but all the same...Someone was there to give birth to me...Someone was there to raise me...And someone is there to watch over me like this...
I thought I had no roots...No ties to anybody...But...That's not true.
Took you long enough to get the picture, stupid.
Stupid? I know you are, but what am I?
I'm the one who told you that you'd always have us...Stupid.
W-Well...I'm rubber, you're glue!

> Kou's eyes are red, but he's laughing...It seems you were able to support Kou when he needed you most.


...Man, you've got a really ugly mug, you know that? Wanna go for a swim, ugly? It'll be like old times...
Ha, yeah...Come to think of it, we used to play around here, didn't we? How 'bout you? Wanna go for a dip?
No way.
What!? Like you have a choice!

*SPLOOSH*

Whoa, it's freakin' cold!

> You horsed around in the river with Kou and Daisuke and then went home...





-Deduction-

> Samegawa flood plain...Naoto seems to be thinking about something.


I wanted to confirm the items I assume the Phantom Thief stole, but...Our secretary, Yakushiji-san, passed along a message saying he went to visit an ailing friend in America. Since then, I haven't been able to reach either Grampa or Yakushiji-san's cell phone...
Well, there's no point in worrying about them now. I'm sure they're fine. On to business. I received a new challenge in the mail today.

> The card reads as follows...

Writing on the card: Jury to not rest, or rout for fable. Minus 40, minus 4
The sentence as written is gibberish...Is this part of the riddle? And this..."Minus 40, Minus 4"...On its own, it means nothing. Perhaps the "minus part is important...
Subtract "40" and "4?"
Subtract "40"...? Aha! Subtract 40 from the sentence...

> Naoto's eyes lit up.

"Jury to not rest, or rout for fable." From there you subtract 40 and 4...Notice the unnatural comma in the phrase. It corresponds to the two numbers. Subtract the letters in "forty" from the first part, and the ones in "four" from the second! What remains is: "ju n es, t able"...Junes, table!! That's it! Let's go!

> Junes, Food court...There was something taped to the underside of the table.



> Naoto produces a large ballpoint pen.

This is another of the seven detective tools I made...You can use it as a normal pen, but it also has a penlight and a miniature telescope. I thought I had lost this. I didn't think Grampa still had it...
Hmhm, neither my grampa nor myself can stand to throw things away...

-Traumerei-

When this pen was still mine...I was just a child, dreaming of becoming a detective. But being a man or a woman...I never thought about it. The lack of peers to compare myself to might have contributed to that. I had no friends...I was quite the outsider then, too. But...why is it that, compared to the time I spent utterly alone...I worry more now that I'm with you and the others? I feel that...I'm undergoing a change.
Don't be afraid.
...I see. I'm afraid, you say...I see...

> Naoto is smiling weakly...

The need to change...And the desire to remain the same...They're mixed together...And it scares me.

> Naoto looks smaller than ever before...That she would show you this side of her must be a sign that she has opened her heart to you...


Sanzo-san...Have you ever felt like that before?...I want to hear about you.

> You chatted idly with Naoto, then went home.