Touhou Project - Detective Aya Shameimaru

The Beauty of A Murder, Chapter 2

"Really, Momiji? What did Patchouli want?"

"Well Aya-San... I asked her that too, but she said that she'd rather discuss it with you."

"Well, I guess I'm off then. See you later."

"Alright."

A couple of seconds passed after I walked away, and I came back.

"Ayayaya~!! I forgot my notepad!"

I took it and the pen next to it, put them inside my satchel and I flew off to the Mansion again, but this time Patchouli is outside the gates.

"So, What is it Patchouli? Where did Marisa get murdered?"

"The bamboo forest, that is."

"And how did you know this?"

"There are some rabbit furs stuck inside her mouth, and these rabbits are native to the Bamboo Forest. I recommend that you should check there."

I thanked Patchouli for the information, and flew off to the bamboo forest. I landed on the road of it's entrance.

"Whoa... Looks like a mess. I wonder what is Mokou doing right now?"

There are numerous items on the ground. I took my time investigating the entrance, since I saw red grass. And since I know that red grass doesn't exist, I concluded that it must have been where Marisa was cut open, and her blood sprays all over the grass.

"Hmm, I wonder what's underneath these rocks...?" I asked to myself, and I dug through them to find a stuffed doll.

"Looks like Flandre's. But what's this doing here? Oh well, there's still time to ask her."

I continued to investigate thoroughly, and after I dug through some pile of junk and scrap I found a piece of red cloth, which is from a ribbon.... Reimu's ribbon.

"Judging by these patterns, these are Reimu's. But what caused it to rip? And what was she doing here?"

Well, there's no use thinking of it so I flew over to her shrine. Right as I was about to land, Reimu was trying to shoot me down.

I told her to stop so that I can talk, and so she did.

"What do you want, Tengu?"

"Ayayaya~ That's not a good way to greet someone, Reimu..."

"Fine. What do you want, Aya?"

"It's like this. I found a piece from your ribbon at the entrance to the Bamboo Forest. Why are you there?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because Marisa was murdered there. Would you happen to know what transpired?"

"Marisa was murdered? Good riddance."

"What!? But that's no way for you to say that! I mean, she's your partner in most incidents!"

"Yeah, yeah she's my partner but I've got enough of her! 3 days ago, she came by and stole some coins from my donation box!"

"Wait, there's someone donating? How surprising."

"Hmph! I've got a regular visitor too, you know. Although young, she is kind enough to make donations."

"Anyway, what did you do there, Reimu? At the Bamboo Forest's entrance, I mean."

"I caught up to her, and brought her down. We fought each other for a while and I... Knocked her out, and please believe me, Aya! She was alive when I left her! And that's when I last saw her, 3 days ago! I even had to sew back my ribbon..."

I noted this down. So, Reimu said that she hasn't seen Marisa for these past 3 days... But that contradicts Alice's statement since she said that she said goodbye to Marisa yesterday, which is the day before I found her body!

I also added to Reimu's profile, that she knows how to sew.

Well, I need to investigate more about this matter. I flew back to the Mansion to see Flandre with Sakuya, playing together.

"Excuse me, but I need to speak with Flandre."

"Ah, what is it, Aya? Did Imouto-Sama did something?"

"I want to ask something."

"Sure. Imouto-Sama, she wants to ask you something."

"Ok! So... Ummm, Aya, was it? What is it that you want to ask me?" Flandre asked.

"It's like this Flan. Did you see Marisa 3 days ago?"

"Yes. She came over to play with me, and she borrowed one of my dolls. Why?"

"Because Marisa was murdered that day, and I found your doll on the crime scene."

"Wait, what? But that can't be! Someone's trying to frame me!" Flandre widened her eyes.

"Ayayaya~! Don't be too hasty now, Flan! I haven't figured out the culprit yet!"

"Oh, thank goodness then... Can I please have my doll back, then? I need to sew it back."

"You know how to sew?"

"Sakuya taught me a little. Still, I'm sorry about Marisa Nee-San myself. She's been a good playmate..." Flandre broke down.

Ah... I think I should be off by now! Maybe reinvestigate the Bamboo Forest's entrance again?

I flew back, to see that most of the piles of junk and scrap were cleaned up. But it seems someone's a bit of a slob since they dropped a knife... Wait.

"Marisa was cut up... Possibly with this? There is some blood on it."

I inspected the blade again to see that, there's something etched on it's wooden hilt....

Reimu...