Part 10: A mysterious girl is protective of her cell phone

I can't find a single trace of the Titor from 10 years ago. It's too weird... A few years ago, I did a search about him, and there were thousands of hits.

I feel as if I'm the only one who wandered into some other world. Is this a conspiracy of The Organization?

Ever since yesterday, confusing things have been happening. I'll try calling Daru.



"It's me. What's your status?"

"...Okarin, can't you at least stop that stuff when talking on the phone?"

"I'm asking you what you know concerning John Titor."

"I'm not really getting you, bro."

"At any rate, where are you now? Are you coming to the lab?"

"Right now I'm at MayQueen+NyanNyan."

"Again...?



Daru, who likes 3D maids, is a regular there.

"I need to have a confidential conversation with you. Don't leave until I come there."

"Huh? You're coming? Sweet!"



That's where I'm heading right now.

This area was blocked off by the police yesterday, but today I dont see a single officer here. Looks like they couldn't keep Central Street blockaded for 2 days in a row...

The Radio Center, however, is still off limits. The media is all over the place.



It's not gonna explode, is it? Since this area isn't off limits anymore, I'm guessing that the thing is not dangerous. Or maybe they're just not warning people to prevent mass panic?

Just what were the events I saw yesterday? Maybe I finally can't tell what's real and what's not...

While thinking that, I look in front of me...





"...?!"

She took a photo. The lens was obviously aimed at me. I quickly try to cover up my face with my hand, but I'm too late.

She doesn't look like anyone I know.



Without even looking at me, she's checking the screen of her phone. Then, she turns her back towards me, raises the cellphone to eye level again, and aims the lens at another pedestrian. Could she be doing this indiscriminately?

Even if that's how it is, I still have to say something. I, who is being chased by The Organization, cannot allow data such as my portraits to leak into the wrong hands!

"Wait, wait, wait!"
(Said in very rough English.)



She doesn't turn around. Is she so lost in photography that my voice doesn't even reach her? Or did she not understand my magnificent native-level English?

"Hey! You, using the phone camera! Wait! Please, wait!"

"...?"

After finally noticing me, she turns around. And, just like before, she's aiming the lens of the cellphone at me--



"..."

She completely ignores my objection... and looks at the screen of the cellphone again.

"I want you to answer me this. Are you an agent of The Organization?"

If she is, I'm gonna have to find a suitable method of dealing with her... don't think that I'll go down without a fight...

"..."

"A-Am I mistaken?"

"..."

"Even if I am, I must inform you that if The Organization finds out about you having photos of me, then their evil hand will reach you, as well. Therefore, I want you to immediately delete the photo that you just took."

"..."

Is she listening to me...?



And so, the woman talks with a small voice.

"I made you feel... unpleasant."

She lowers her chin slightly. I can't tell if she's bowing her head or not, since she's always looking downwards.

"Before you apologize, I want you to delete the photos."

"I took photos... of the scenery."

The woman is pressing the buttons on her cellphone with impressive speed. It's in complete contrast with her irritating way of speaking.

"Taking photos of the scenery? Are you a tourist?"

Or did she come here to check out the satellite? If she is, then why is she taking pictures of me, and not the thing itself?

While looking down, she shakes her head.



"What a weird person..."

"Kiryuu Moeka."

"Hm?

"Name."

Looks like she just introduced herself. I don't really care about her name, though. I just want her to delete the photos.

"I have something... to ask... Can I?"

"Before that, the photos--"

"About an urban legend... of Akihabara. Do you know?"

Akihabara's urban legends? What is she talking about? Could it be that there are rumors about a fearful genius mad scientist? Could it be that he has a bounty on his head, and that many assassins are searching for him with bloodshot eyes?!

"Kuh... I... have stayed here for too long...! But, it looks like it's about time..."

When I think about Akihabara, it's not a bad town. That's probably why I overstayed here.

"The phantom... retro PC."

"Retro PC?"

The woman answers that question with what looks like a light nod.

"Apparently... it's somewhere in... Akihabara."

"R-Really?

So it wasn't about the mad scientist... I feel both disappointment and relief. Still, an urban legend about a phantom retro PC in Akihabara, eh? This is the first I've heard of it...

"By 'retro PC', do you mean the 98?"

The woman slightly shakes her head... at least, that's what it looks like.

"...No. This."

Saying that, she shows me the LCD screen of the phone that she's been holding all this time.



Its hard to tell due to the monochrome, but it does look like a PC... Even if it isn't shaped like the latest generation of PCs, I can tell that much. I think I've seen this one somewhere...

"IBN5100."

IBN5100...

"The one John Titor tried to get, eh?"

I think I just saw the fingers that hold the phone twitch a little...

"You've seen it...?"

"No. I only know that name."

This is quite a coincidence. Or, perhaps...



"Do you know... Well-informed people...?"

"Daru might know more about it. He's my right hand man and a Supah Hakah who is capable of hacking the headquarters of MI6."

I'm over-dramatizing it with the MI6 thing. If something like that happened, we would be taken away by people in black suits... But it's certain that he's a Supah Hakah. The depth of his knowledge of PCs is abnormal.

Speaking of him, I was heading towards MayQeen+Nyan²... I shouldn't be wasting time here with this woman.

"I will take my leave now. Try to keep the Media Scrum from running out of control, woman."



"What are you doing?!"

"Give me... the email."

"...What's your purpose?"

"Of the... Supah Hakah."

Apparently she wants to talk with Daru. This is partially my fault for mentioning him in the first place... I'm going to Daru's location anyway, so I guess I can take her as we--

...No, but wait. There's the possibility that this is a trap. She could be a spy who wants to steal the valuable war asset that is Daru. If I lose Daru, I will be defenseless... All I'll have left on my team will be Mayuri the Cosplay Maker (female only).



I quickly free myself from her, and start to walk away at a fast pace.

...I throw a glance behind me.



I attempt to run away... but she's still right behind me.

"Stop following me!"

She, however, ignores my words, and for some reason, shows me the screen of her cellphone. Displayed on there is the photo that she took recently, with my stupid expression on it.

"Geh! You didn't delete it yet?"

"If you tell me... I'll delete."



Displaying my true nature, I intensely glare at her. However, that doesn't have any effect on her, since she's looking downwards.

"I am... a part-time worker... at 'Arc Rewrite'..."

"The hell is that?"

"An editing company... it's in... Akihabara."

She's a part-timer in an editing company? This mumbling and gloomy woman doesn't look like she's right for the job.

"Huh! You're planning to use my photo for an article?!"

The portrait of a mad scientist hiding in Akiba. If The Organization gets their hands on this, then they will approach my hideout-lab and turn Akiba into a sea of blood--

Damn it, I must avoid that outcome. I guess it can't be helped...

"Let's negotiate."

If a part-time worker at an editing company has that photo, it might be used for something I wouldn't approve of. I enter my email address into my cellphone, and show it to the woman.



That quickness is not something I could mimic.

"Oh, so this woman... is a super human."



If she can input an email of 255 cursed letters in 1 minute, the recipient will die.

She finishes copying the email address in about 5 seconds.

"Name...?"

"Hououin Kyouma. A mad scientist."

"How... is it spelled?"

"Houou as in phoenix. In as in temple. Kyou as in atrocious. Ma as in truth."

It's the origin of my true name. Looking kinda puzzled, the woman adds my name to her address list.

"Like this?"



(Ouhou as in violence. In as in drink. Kyou as in today. Ma phonetically.)

The woman lightly faces downwards. Apparently, she’s bowing her head in apology.

"Then, give me that cellphone! I will type it in correctly!"

"...!"



She's acting like a spoiled brat who can't let go of a toy. Apparently she doesn't want to give it to me. The extent to which she dislikes the idea makes me feel rejected as a person.

Well, looks like I'll have to get her email address and send her a blank mail. She already told me her name, but I don't remember, so I'll enter her name as "Shining Finger".



("That radio tower icon at the end of the dialogue line means that there's something significant I can do from my phone. Sometimes it's a 'but thou must' situation, but sometimes doing it or ignoring it can result in branching into different paths. In this case, I'll send the mail. There's no big choice here.)

Aaand, send. The woman is looking at her phone. Looks like it's really difficult for her to look people in the eyes...

After a time lag of a few seconds, the woman receives a mail.



"Wha-?! How do you know that name?!"

"It's in this mail..."

Crap, my emails come with my real name... I must fix this mistake!

"That's an alias I use to trick the world. I'll send another mail with Hououin Kyouma on it--"

"It's fine... like this."

"What are you saying?! I am not Okabe Rintarou, but Hououin Kyoum--"

"..."

She's completely ignoring me.

"Did you erase the photos?"

The woman slightly nods... or so it looks like. Just like always, I can't really tell if she's nodding or not.

"If you did, then show me some proof."



The only picture in her storage is the photo of the PC. What a relief...

"I'll send you... a mail. Listen for it... okay?"

"About what?"

"...Urban legend."

Oh, that. We just talked about it, didn't we...



A woman who's always calm and collected. I don't think we had any eye contact at all...