The street sideway paid little heed to the news station broadcasted on a collection of TV screens behind store glass. Some would stop by to hear a pressing piece that may have related to their mundane work. The weather, train delays, talk shows and recent government news. Abruptly the channel switched to static, then to a darkened video.
"Is this on?"
"We're live, S-chan."
Backing away from the front of the camera revealing four pitch black silhouettes. The blinding spotlight at their backs made it impossible to see their identity. S-chan quickly moved to the center figure's side and joined in with the line of poses, striking her own.
There, the silhouette in the middle of this group delivered a speech, "The world spins yet spirals out of control of human hands. The influx of crime and lawful laziness has proven ineffective at reining in society's dregs. The so-called rule of odds where crime and magic overlap is nothing but an illusion. Both can't exist parallel, and day by day magic overtakes crime. Their thesis for the betterment of humankind has fallen way side, ushering in an era where once brave swords against magic have lost their relevance, and only magic persists. The WMA acknowledges this issue, yet they too seem to disregard the threat posed by modern marrows, despite our repeated warnings regarding the proliferation of magic among modernkind. To grasp the attention of The Director and the entire nation of Japan, we aim to sow chaos in the streets. Creating a catastrophe that transcends the political divide of rich and poor."
The crowd grew as the speech went on. Murmurings about this being an elaborate prank or really bad advertisement for toothpaste spread, only proving the lax nature of man vs magic Soap spoke of. The figure continued, "In order to show our dedication to changing the world, we will give you a demonstration of what we're capable of. The building which we stand on is Kintetsu Nara Station, except armed with bombs in select locations. By blowing this station up we will make everyone perpetually late to work."
The figure in the center stepped closer to the camera, the light wrapped around his grey suit up to his hand which still covered his face. He raised his other arm holding a button detonator. "Our objective is to propose a new thesis that reflects the world. One that is unforgiving. We are Cruel Thesis." He collapsed his finger over the big red button without hesitation.
"Hey Boss," One of the members in the background got the grey suited man to turn around.
"What is it, S-chan?"
"Since we're standing on the station, doesn't that mean we're going to be caught in the explosion too?"
"Oh…" He paused briefly. "Then we gotta split—"
Multiple explosions went off, first at their back then below, before blowing up the feed and cutting the screens to black, leaving people to let the threat of total violence sink. Was it an elaborate advertisement? Was the company logo going to pop up during this time of darkness? It didn't, and crowd murmurings began. Questions such as if people should move away or if the broadcast was real, all left unsolved as the news station returned covering an unrelated topic.
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Persecuting magic to maintain order. That's the job of the newly formed special cases units code named Orca Project, and its members handpicked from Kansai Prefecture's police departments by the WMA. A celebration was in order for the conglomeration of Japan's most lawful, and Dulivale was selected to direct the project for her previous case, foiling the plans of a small group of hackers. The police chief worked hard all her life to uphold justice, and the station's lobby raised a toast in her name.
"Congratulations Dulivale!" The crowd around her cheered following an applause. Absent from drinking a glass were the white suited WMA officials in the corner, discussing amongst themselves about business that was their own.
"Hmph! My work is nothing special." Dulivale modestly dismissed, though her fanged grin betrayed her true feelings. The spotlight was all her's, the detectives were nothing more than a stepping stone to get into a higher position of power where she could replace their use as magic law enforcement. Her gaze shifted to the WMA officials in the corner, who promptly made their mysterious exit. As the crowd dispersed, making way for Kamui and Lloyd to take center stage, Dulivale couldn't help but notice their inclusion in the project, despite their earlier reluctance to get involved in magical cases.
Lloyd carefully placed a four-legged pedestal followed by a chest atop it. Dulivale's wide grin faded into a bemused smirk as she observed the peculiar presentation before her. Kamui spoke up, "The Director's top scientists have been diligently working on a cure for vampirism. This right here is a prototype of their invention."
"This is…" How she yearned for a remedy to the affliction that had haunted her since birth, resisting the primal urges to indulge in the blood of lesser beings. Dulivale's childhood had been a constant struggle to maintain her humanity, resorting to various stimulants just to stave off the vampiric instincts. At one point, she had teetered dangerously close to succumbing to the darkness within, akin to a modern-day Dracula. What saved her from her father taking his own blood just to live another day were those uniformed men with badges. Since then she vowed to never lose her humanity.
Kamui opened the box. The only fanfare to be had was within her own head, the shine of the object inside was blinding only because she couldn't fathom this being her cure. It had to have been a dream for a cancer killing cure to exist with modern technological advances. Its presentation could have been better. In being a prototype, looks hardly mattered compared to the results.
"A bell..?" Dulivale muttered. Inside was a bell, a gold cowbell to be specific. A rounded bell for cows now meant to cure vampires.
"It's a magic infused collar. Her scientists called it, the pursuit of happiness." Kamui stated bluntly, indicating his lack of specific knowledge regarding its curative properties. As a mere messenger, he continued, "Wear it around your neck. I assume the magic contained within it will do something about your taste for blood."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd in response. Questions like "Why a bell?" and "Will the Chief actually wear that?" floated through the air, blending with the background noise of passing cars right outside the station. Dulivale pursed her lips, refocused on the present and reached for the bell. She swiftly adorned it around her neck, then turned to address the assembled group. All were silent creating a nervous tension—her eyes darted from one police member to the next, feeling an awful embarrassment as the seconds passed. She left her gaze fixated on the lobby's decor hanging from the ceiling to keep her confidence from waning.
"What a ridicu—" Pushing Lloyd out of the way were two policewomen below the vampire's age. Graduates of the same police academy but their rather childish personalities kept them both from securing a chief position, but repeatedly they sought to stick by Dulivale's side as her reliable command.
"How do you feel, chief!?" Said the policewoman with long blonde hair and tan skin, her name Yellow fitting her appearance.
"That bell shines like it was made by a luxurious brand." Said the policewoman with shorter gray hair and brighter complexion. Likewise she bore a similar naming scheme to Yellow, her's being Gray. "The Director must've put all her work into this. She doesn't fool around. Well… how do you feel?"
With every motion the bell rung silvery ring, that of a fork hitting a pan. It was light around her neck despite being made of pure metals. To describe how she felt, "I feel… enlightened." Like a weight was lifted off her back.
"Do you still need blood? I'll donate mine if you need it!" Yellow unbuttoned the top of her collar but Dulivale swiftly stopped her from stripping her upper half.
"Now that all is resolved, let's focus on the matters at hand and in the future." Kamui interjected, stepping closer to the center of the crowd. "We're an investigative focused organization now. The Director has appointed me as leader to ensure we maintain a stable workflow as we clean the streets of magic crimes. But there's been a pressing issue that has reared its head right as we begin our work. A criminal organization known as Cruel Thesis has revealed themselves and a motive to terrorize Japan. From the speech they gave during 6am early morning, It was shown they're only a collective of five members, but it's possible they formed alliances with others."
"The Director didn't appoint you as leader." Dulivale said.
Kamui adjusted his fedora. "It's best I lead as I have prior knowledge of the situation. I plan to split our forces in two anyway."
Dulivale folded her arms, "Go on…"
"The train station they gave their speech on was bombed, although the damage was minimal due to poor explosive placement." Kamui cupped his chin with a finger. "I have a feeling Soap is among them, and their plan is to draw out the Royal Floral Detective Agency. My team will investigate the matter further. Dulivale, I want your unit to keep an eye on their movements. An insider provided me with their next case."
Dulivale raised a curious brow. "What do you mean; keep an eye on their movements?" Puzzled by the obtuse line of logic Kamui was alluding to.
He further elaborated, "Keep them from interfering with our investigation. I needn't explain why. If possible, sabotage their efforts if they get close to our path."
"Understood!" This was her chance to exert authority over their methods, and properly arrest them for acting above the law. A smirk lifted her lips and the plan was settled.
But why stop there? Collecting damning evidence from a spare drawer, she took to the detective's cafe. There, she casually inquired of the twin maids the detective's place of stay. Oblivious to the incriminating contents concealed in her bomber jacket's pockets, the maids readily divulged the location of Shujin-Mi Dormitory. With this information she hastily departed the cafe, swiftly proceeding to her next destination.
She gripped the door handle tightly and attempted to push it open to no avail. A slight push only mustered a shudder no doubt alerting the residents inside. Her brows creased and she pushed harder with a single hand before exerting even more force, leaning into the door with her entire body weight until finally it creaked open just a crack, allowing her to slip inside.
The door slammed shut on its own with a weighty thumpf! Catching her off guard. Dulivale exhaled a sigh of relief before inspecting the empty lobby, ordinary in appearance, and half of the novice detectives sitting at a table picking at something Dulivale was too far to make out. Squinting her eyes allowed her vision to adjust a farther distance and that something they were picking at were locks prodded with thin metal lockpicks. They were preparing for something illicit but the activity in itself wasn't prosecutable.
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Dakota took a quick side glance. "Huh… didn't expect her to be visiting." He commented.
Hyde turned his entire head and remarked the same, also adding, "A cow bell..?"
"Look like it." Dakota tilted his head slightly.
The cowbell rung in reaction. Dulivale smirked, having analyzed the room to completion. There was a vacant desk to her far left, and in her pocket was illegally bought adderall encased in a plastic bag. She could envision her successful plan in her mind.
"Oh? What is this!?" Dulivale cried, pulling out a drawer of carefully hidden drugs behind the front desk. Hyde and Dakota looked at her astonished, frozen and stumbling to get a single word out. Their shouting would be mixed, that they never carried drugs—have never traded or knew anyone in their small organization that did.
Regardless, Dulivale spun a handcuff around her finger. "Ohoho..!" She laughed. "The jig is up, detectives. I only enforce the rules. You'll be behind bars for the duration of your detainment and your court date will be decided by my council."
"Prison!? No! I can't allow that to happen." Hyde cried.
Dakota lowered his hat. "Tch! Guess We'll have to do 'that' Hyde."
Both drew their respective weapons aimed towards Dulivale. She then responded, "Threatening a police officer? I knew you'd show your true colors."
The door behind her burst open to a collection of police officers that trained their pistols on the two. Outgunned by the law, they had no choice but to accept arrest and the scandal about the Royal Floral Agency being criminals themselves spread far and wide.
"Heheh… If that happens. I'll earn The Director's favor for busting their crimes wide open." Dulivale snickered behind a hand. With the detectives engrossed in picking locks, she seized the opportunity to slip behind the front desk. Drawing out the small plastic bag from her pocket, she selected a drawer at random. Any would suffice, as long as it was concealed beneath a clipboard or file.
She opened the drawer and what popped out were a collection of frogs freed from their enslavement. "Kaaaaahhhh!!" She screamed as this was the least expected, impossible outcome foiling her plans.
To make matters worse, she detested those slimy, hopping, green-colored, wide-eyed creatures. Having recoiled several feet away from the desk, her eye twitched in disbelief at the sight of frogs perched upon it. Another trap sprung on her. The detectives were crafty but it was going to take more than parlor tricks to scare an office away from the line of duty.
A deep breath helped her regain her composure, only to have it disrupted by Hyde slamming the table causing her shoulders to tense up. He scratched his head at the sight of frogs. "Don't tell me you opened the drawer that shouldn't be opened." He said.
"I had no idea Yamiko stored frogs there." Dakota chimed in, looking just as confused.
"Tch! You detectives are pitiful. What are you planning to do with a bunch of frogs–"
A floating frog's eerie ribbit cut her sentence short. Her face whitened as eyes slowly reached the corner to see if it was true. Her breath caught in her throat, and her courageous spirit abandoned her before her body could react. "No, no, no! This is why I'm not a park ranger!" she exclaimed, running out of the dormitory screaming.
A bit of a strange visitation from a cop. A white cloth materialized behind the frog, the culprit holding it underneath. With some effort she managed to flip it over her head, shaking her hair to rid it of any stray strands obstructing her vision. Mary glanced back at the door. "Why would Dulivale be visiting us? And why was she wearing a cowbell?"
Questions the two boys shrugged at. Perhaps she hit her head hard and developed a disease. Mary chuckled, rubbing her cheek with a finger. "Hm… I did a good job at scaring her though. I'm getting better at controlling this invisibility spell, hehe!"
Hyde shrugged. "As long as you don't use it against us. Then I might accidentally punch you. Now let's get rid of these frogs."
Act two, part one would be different, since Dulivale would be abmushing the detective during a case and followed by a police squad. Their previous encounter may have been tame but this case involving a crowded theater put many innocents at risk due to the detective's unsavory methods. The only criminals deserving of death were already in prison. Everyone had a right to freedom and a just trial.
Together with the squad of five including herself, Dulivale entered the theater hall during the middle of the magic show. The darkness veiled them from being seen and most of the crowd's attention was locked on the magician on stage, a top hatted man in an flamboyant outfit that was red and didn't match with the hat, and assisting with rolling in props from backstage was Ruena. Dressed in a sashed black dress, she wore a smaller top hat of her own and fake smile.
"Wow chief! A I didn't know magicians put on magic shows like this. What kind of tricks do you think he's going to do?"
Dulivale ignored the question, crossing her arms in silent contemplation. Now wasn't the opportune moment to act, especially since all of the detectives weren't present. There would be an opportune time to intervene between killing a criminal on stage while women and children were present.
"My lovely assistant, pull the curtains off this box, and show that my guest inside was unharmed by the blades which stab it."
With a smirk, Ruena complied, yanking the red sheet covering the rectangular box. Stepping out was Hyde, throwing his arms up with a triumphant "Tada!!" The crowd erupted in cheers, but their joy was short-lived as they gasped at the sight of a shotgun in his other hand. Turning to the magician on stage, Hyde declared, "You're under arrest for murder and magic, killing under the guise of a magic show. Your bloody performances end here!"
The crowd gasped, so did the blonde and gray haired police woman. A twist even the magician was thrown off by but gathering his charisma, he turned the arrest into a show. "There isn't even a lick of bloody blood on my stage."
"The brown wood we stand on is forged from the dried blood of your victims. This is just a precipice for more bodies to pile up to make a castle. Here!" Hyde spun around to kick the box he exited and what came tumbling out was a severe head and several limbs. "What do you say in your defense, Morren?"
Morren chuckled, breaking out into what sounded like a forced laughter. "Nothing but a bunch of miserably made props meant to frame me. That must be your head which fell since you're out of your mind believing I caused such atrocities. Now if you're done with this kayfabe…"
"Not at all!" Ruena chimed in. Clearing her throat, she adjusted in character to the situation. "Those lives you took will not be in vain..!"
"Ah, you treacherous whore!"
From the crowd, Dakota rose, sheathed katana in hand. "Ruena catch!" He tossed it her way. Catching the sword, she quickly unsheathed it. The ring of Dulivale's cowbell echoed throughout the theater—like a traffic whistle blowing, halting the duel before it started. She rushed from the back of the room to the stage, struggling pulling herself up on it and making herself a participant in the play.
Extending a palm towards the detectives, she said, "That's enough! You're in direct violation of the law."
Hyde lowered his shotgun. "What..?" His expression shifted from confusion to frustration. "You're in the way."
That jingling bell added to his annoyance every time she turned, proudly puffing out her chest. "Proper procedures dictate a criminal to a fair trial after his arrest, and guaranteed life no matter how heinous his crimes are."
"Our jobs are different, Dulivale." Ruena had furrowed a brow.
"Please officer, arrest these intruders for interrupting my brilliant show." Morren said.
"I still have questions for you as well."
Gray took to Hyde's side, waving her hands in a defensive manner. "Please forgive our chief. She can be a bit ham headed when it comes to procedure."
"Ugh… She certainly has her utters tied."
Yellow apologized profusely by repeatedly bowing her head towards Ruena. "You must understand the chief's point of view!"
"Well ours certainly isn't herd."
"Ugh!" Dulivale stomped her foot, a jingle following it. "You're all trying too hard."
"Morren's a serial killer under the guise of a magician performer. He murders his victims during his shows by bring guests on stage and subjecting them to cruel torture. Splitting the upper and lower half of a person in a box may seem like an impressive trick, until blood pours from where he severed it with a saw. Once the show is over with, he chooses the most suspecting assistant aiming to expose his trail, and hacks them to pieces." Hyde explained. "To the public it looks like freak accidents. A spotlight falling on a child is a rare occurrence until you factor in Morren's knowledge of wind magic. The police can't investigate magic cases, and the WMA have their hands full. Dulivale, does helook like someone who will calmly sit behind bars?"
Dulivale pursed her lips, giving the explanation only half a thought. Hyde, on the other hand, bent his knees, preparing himself in a battle stance. "Well I think otherwise!"
Morren smirked then swiped a white tipped wand to the side, materializing an arc of wind cutting through the air. A piece of the red curtain dropped and its red color dissolved to white. From it, Mary tackled Dulivale to the ground saving her from the attack that flew overhead, going on to slice a deep cut on the wall.
Using the wind, Morren jumped off stage, gliding across the crowd and landing on the back of the furthest seat.
"We're not letting you get away!" Hyde chased after the criminal's escape with the two girls following his lead. Meanwhile, Dulivale sat up, rubbing the bump on her head from the hard fall. As she turned to gauge the crowd's reactions, she noticed that the seats were now filled with wooden effigies, except for Midare, who sat calmly in the middle of the theater. This raised even more questions about the show's facade, and did Midare already see it all? The detective boss set aside her popcorn and stood up to leave the row of seats. Silence made weighty due to the disparity between their line of work. Dulivale increasingly didn't belong in a world fueled by magic.
"Isn't that right, Dulivale?"
"That?" The cowbell jingle took her out of the vivid memory. The response escaped her lips, a heavy mind occupied by yesterday's drama and paperwork that followed.
"That the cowbell looks stupid. What kind of designer makes a prototype look so inordinately ridiculous?" Her closest male partner pointed out the large bell around her neck.
Dulivale brushed locks of hair behind her ear, smirking while she said, "This bell is what's keeping me sane." Because delving into magic was a world of its own. A whole other world she didn't understand, one no one could unless they underwent extensive study which that detective boss must have given that she never showed surprise towards the unexpected. The case reported detailed a crowd made up of effigies and stitched hands that weren't his own. The magician calling himself Morren was just a facade to play his ego and his controller's desire to kill while hiding far in the background.
Was this all a reason to justifiably kill so more magicians didn't tread the same? Dulivale answered, "It's fashionable too. All the children look at me in awe. I saw a student with a collar like mine."
"I don't know if we're thinking about the same collar." Her partner laughed. "Do you feel any different at all? If I took this pen and drew blood, how would you react?"
"I haven't had cravings since I was a child. This bell merely makes it so I don't drink and drive."
"Not even a sip?" He leaned over Dulivale's desk. She firmly denied, causing him to settle back into his seat. "You're so uptight, Dulivale."
"We're police; our work is serious!"
"Seriously lame. This project has been more bureaucracy than action. And Kamui's been leading most of our cases. I had no idea he was such a good investigator."
For the most part he's been leading the project and phasing Dulivale into irrelevance by giving her menial work unrelated to the terrorists he was investigating. The policeman would add, "For some reason he drastically shifted people around. Apparently putting us on the ethics committee. I don't mind as long as I'm not swamped with work."
"Sounds like you should get a different occupation."
He shrugged. "There'll be another meeting tomorrow. Apparently it'll be all hands on deck because Kamui said he may have found a lead." He stood up to leave.
He alluded to victory in their grasp, and that there would be no need for the Royal Floral Detective Agency to persist. Bluntly, they would be out of a job come the next day.