Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Detective School Q Tantei Gakuen Q Fan Fiction ❯ Codename: Athena ❯ Class Rivalry! Battle of the Vanishing Person ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

SailorStar9: Chapter 8 goes up and no review. You guys don't love me anymore. (Pouts)

Disclaimers: I own nothing.

Chapter 9: Class Rivalry! Battle of the Vanishing Person

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“Involving Class Q in that case?” Miss Katagiri gasped.

“Yes.” Dan-sensei replied.

“But Dan-sensei, a normal class would have at least a year of training before tackling a real case. I know they're something special, but suddenly sending them to the scene of that difficult case is…” Miss Katagiri objected.

“I made a promise to them. That I`ll teach them everything I know about being a detective.” Dan-sensei replied, turning his wheelchair around to face Miss Katagiri.

“But…” Miss Katagiri protested.

“I don't have that much time left.” Dan-sensei told her.

“Dan-sensei…” Miss Katagiri muttered.

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The next day, Kyu was frantically running to class.

“This is bad! I'm late, late!” he screamed in horror.

Running past Megumi and Kinta, he shouted “Move!”

“Hey Kyu!” Kinta interjected, grabbing the shorter boy by his collar.

“Why are you in such a hurry Kyu?” Megumi asked.

“Huh?” Kyu blinked and looked at his watch. “But it's 3.30. The class is about to begin.”

“It's only 3 pm.” Kinta replied, looking at the time on his cell phone.

“That can't …” Kyu protested and he looked at his watch again.

“I've been had.” he remarked, noticing that his watch had stopped. “It's a simple psychological trick. To stop the watch at the moment the classis about to start.”

“That's not really a trick.” Megumi rose a brow at him.

“Something's up.” Kazuma shouted, running up to the three.

“What happened?” Megumi asked.

“We don't have time to ask each other what happened.

A notice was pinned on the notice board,

Please consult your instructors for more information. Class determination exam. All must attend.

“Class determination exam?” Kyu echoed.

“It's an exam that will allow people to switch classes with Class Q as the goal.” Ryu explained.

“There's no date on it.” Kazuma remarked, peering closer.

“Are you serious?” Kinta questioned.

“There's nothing to be surprised about.” Sakurako remarked, coming forward.

“Yukihira-san…” Megumi blinked.

“Long time no see, Class Q members.” Sakurako added, the rest of Class A coming up behind her.

“Shishido-san, Gouda-san, Shiramine-san.” Megumi gasped.

“Thank you.” Kyu smiled.

Sakurako stepped forward and added, “The class switching exam occur several times a year. We have risen the ladder using those tests to finally reach Class A.”

“But a class above Class a called Class Q was created.” Hayato added.

“In reality, I still believe that we're the ones who should be in Class Q. that`s what Dan-sensei told us.” Shishido replied.

“Class A is stronger than Class Q when it comes to analyzing.” Gouda agreed.

“What about me?” Saburomaru asked, bouncing around at the back.

“We'll definitely prove that fact in the next exam.” Sakurako retorted.

“If that's so, Yukihira-san, I'll like to see the members of Class A try.” came Ami's clam voice.

Everyone else turned to see the blue-haired girl leaning against the glass window.

“What?” Shishido exclaimed.

Training a stone look at him, Ami added, “Don't think you can get away with this insult just because all of you are academically better, Class A. Remember brains don't necessary count in a detective case. It's the heart that matters in the end.”

“Why you….” Shishido hissed.

“How dare you mock us! I'll have you know that I have an IQ…” Saburomaru shouted.

Ami rose an eyebrow. Hook, line and sinker.

“Of 180? My IQ is 120 points higher than yours, Saburomaru-san. What's your point?” Ami retorted.

“What? An IQ of 300?” Hayato gasped.

“Let's go people.” Sakurako replied and Class A walked out.

“Wait for me everyone.” Saburomaru cried out to his fellow classmates.

“Wait a minute.” Kinta protested hotly. “We'll take you on. Let`s settle things here and now and not wait for that exam.”

“Wait Kinta.” Megumi tried to calm the outraged Kinta.

“Don't do something reckless, Kinta.” Kazuma agreed.

“That sounds interesting.” Sakurako smirked. “I've been waiting for the exam very impatiently.”

“That's an interesting conversation.” Dan-sensei's voice interjected.

“Dan-sensei.” everyone chorused.

“Let's hold the exam today.” Dan-sensei suggested.

“Today?” Class Q, minus Kinta and Ami, echoed.

“Is that okay, sensei?” Sakurako beamed.

“Yes. The six people in Class Q and the five in Class A will deduce the problem I give. In others words, how about a battle of deduction?” Dan-sensei proposed.

“A battle of deduction?” Kyu repeated.

“If Class A wins, I will use my authority to switch the members in Class A and Class Q.” Dan-sensei added.

“Switch members in Class A and Class Q?” Megumi blinked.

“Damn.” Kinta mumbled.

“Kinta, you fool!” Kazuma scolded.

“That deduction battle sounds interesting!” Kyu beamed.

“Then it's decided.” Sakurako nodded.

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“Ami-chan, you're so sneaky. You never told us that you have such a high IQ.” Megumi scolded the older girl.

“You never asked.” the blue-haired girl replied plainly.

Everyone else sweatdropped.

“After doing some digging on those five, I have uncovered more information.” Kazuma reported, typing on his laptop.

“Let's start off with Gouda Kyousuke-san. He said he was the puzzle king, but he is also a maths genius who was in the World Math Olympics rankings.” he added.

“What, so he's not really a puzzle king?” Kyu blinked.

“Why you.” Kinta scolded, resting a hand on his head.

“Shiramine Hayato-san was brought up by his world famous magician father who's been a prince of the magic circles since his debut in Las Vegas when he was eight.” Kazuma continued.

“So that person is truly good at magic.” Kyu exclaimed.

“Shishido-san is a student at Harvard and received a PhD in Criminal Psychology at 20.” Kazuma continued his report.

“PhD…” Megumi gasped.

“But Yukihira-san is…” Kinta objected.

“You're very wrong. Yukihira-san is the writer of best-seller mystery novels.” Kazuma rebuked.

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Later that day, the members of Class Q and Class A assembled in the conference room.

“Here's the problem for all of you.” Dan-sensei begun as he switched on the projector.

“The case occurred in a small village in the mountains. An university student who visited the village with several friends suddenly vanished. Almost like a Kamikakushi.” Dan-sensei reported. (A/N: A Kamikakushi is when kids suddenly disappear without a trace.)

“Kamikakushi…” Kyu repeated.

“So that's the village.” Megumi added.

“This film was shot by the friend who visited the village with the student who disappeared.” Dan-sensei remarked.

“This was just before planting begun.” Ryu noted.

“Just before planting? How do you know that?” Kinta echoed, turning to the younger teen beside him.

“There's a thin layer if water on the field, but nothing has been planted.” Ami supplied.

“A footprint at this time.” Gouda remarked.

“The footprints of this person are continuous. I wonder where they lead to.” Sakurako added.

When the trail of the footprints stopped, she gasped.

“The footprints…” Sakurako breathed in shock.

“End in the middle of the field.” she finished her statement.

“It looks like… it looks like they disappeared in the middle.” Kyu noted.

“The person who filmed it saw the footprints with several other friends. There's no possibility that someone tampered with the film. These footprints begin from the window of the student who vanished. As if he was invited out of the window by someone, then vanished into the air from the middle of the field.” Dan-sensei stated.

“Into thin air…” Kyu mumbled.

“When the footprints were discovered, they weren't enough to call the person missing. So the police never investigated. But soon, the villagers started talking about a rumor. `Another person met with Kamikakushi after trying to find the treasure.'” Dan-sensei added.

Kyu swallowed nervously.

“The case of vanishing into thin air. I'm getting more and more excited.” Kinta declared.

Dan-sensei smiled.

Later everyone was led into a room. When the spotlight turned on, they were standing around a table with a miniature replica of the crime scene.

“This is a diorama.” Kazuma pointed out.

“That's right. It's a diorama of the scene recreated in 72:1 ratio.” Dan-sensei nodded.

“Wow, there's even a tractor.” Kyu beamed

“The water has been extracted, just like when the footprints were discovered. The gates that drain and let the water in have also been recreated. I want all of you to solve the Kamikakushi case with this.” Dan-sensei announced.

“Dan-sensei, when were the footprints discovered?” Hayato asked.

“At 7 am, just before breakfast.” Dan-sensei replied.

“The last time the vanished student was seen?” Hayato pressed.

“He was last seen at 10 pm, the night before at the hotel's grand bath.” Dan-sensei answered.

“I see.” Shishido nodded, “If we think of it as a murder case, and the student was attacked by the perpetrator an hour later…”

“If it was just before planting, sunrise is about 5.30 am.” Hayato noted.

“If he pulled off the trick while it was dark, the perpetrator only had five or six hours to work with.” Sakurako added.

“Hey, it's not given that this is a murder case.” Kinta objected.

“We did say `if', didn't we? But since the student is still gone, the probability that he is dead is high.” Sakurako rebuked.

“Then who made the footprints in the field?” Megumi asked.

“It must be the perpetrator. He probably wanted it to look like Kamikakushi by using a trick to leave footprints that made it look like someone vanished.” Gouda replied.

“That's right. From Dan-sensei's story and considering the name of the village and its strong belief in Kamikakushi, everyone would just assume that he met with Kamikakushi” Sakurako agreed.

“That's probably the perpetrator's goal.” Gouda noted.

“They could be right.” Kyu nodded.

“I don't think it's time to be impressed.” Megumi protested.

“But it's a brilliant deduction.” Kyu replied.

“No wonder they're in Class A.” he beamed.

Kinta whooped him on the head.

“Damn.” Kinta complained.

“Hey how about this?” he asked.

“The footprints were made by the perpetrator in the victim's shoes while walking backwards.” he pointed out.

Ryu blinked and turned to the older teen.

“Why do you think it was backwards?” Kyu asked.

“Huh… well… it just came to me. Like sixth sense.” Kinta replied.

“Sixth sense?” Megumi echoed.

“The idea is a good start.” Ryu stated.

“You think so?” Kinta beamed.

“It's much easier to get to the middle without making a footprint than vanish after walking to the middle. That`s why walking backwards makes sense.” Ryu explained.

“But from the diorama, there's nothing near the field that someone can hook wires onto to get to the center. There are no trees or buildings.” Megumi pointed out.

Saburomaru rose his hand, “Dan-sensei, I know.”

“No way, you solved it already?” Megumi gasped.

“Please explain.” Dan-sensei prompted.

“In this case, there's only one thing to consider. The key to the mystery lies in the tractor and the planter.” Saburomaru added, pointing out the two machines.

“In other words, you can't move trees or buildings, but you can move the tractor to any location you want. First he moved the tractor to the middle and hooked a wire strong enough to support a person in the middle. Then the culprit went to the middle of the field like a ranger, creating this scene. This is the answer.” he announced proudly.

“I see.” Dan-sensei nodded.

Then, Saburomaru started laughing hysterically.

“That's wrong.” Ami objected.

“Why?” Saburomaru glared.

“From the diorama, the distance between the tractor and the bridge is 100 meters. Even if you can hook a piano wire 2 meters above the ground…” Ami begun.

Kazuma was typing on his laptop.

“Distance 100 meters, 2 meters from the surface and a piano wire.” he muttered.

“Let's say the person who's hanging on the wire is 40 kilograms, in order for him not to touch the ground, the wire can only hang down 1.3 meters. If we say the piano wire has a radius of 5 mm and calculate the force put on the wires, it would be about 500 kilograms.” Ami continued her explanation.

“She's right.” Kazuma declared, once the result was shown on his screen.

“Wow, she did all the calculations in her head?” Megumi blinked in awe.

“Which means the puny tractor can't possibly support it.” Sakurako noted.

“That's right.” Ami nodded.

“Saburomaru-san's deduction is impossible in reality.” she looked at the dejected Saburomaru.

“No way…” Saburomaru muttered, sinking to his knees.

“Dan-sensei is there any more information from the scene?” Hayato asked.

“That's right. If the perpetrator had entered the room…” Megumi pondered.

Turning to Dan-sensei, she posted a question, “Was there anything left in the student's room?”

“It's great of you to think of that. Take a look at this. We made cards of the things in the victim's room to make it easier to see.” Dan-sensei replied and placed a deck of card on the desk.

Taking the top card, Kyu recited the items off.

“Compass. Water bottle. Cell phone.”

“Utility knife. Flashlight. Rope. Camera.” Megumi continued.

“Shovel. Life jacket. Raft.” Kinta added.

“Foot air pump and sleeping bag. That was everything that remained in the large backpack.” Dan-sensei finished.

“The thing that could be a clue would be…” Kinta remarked.

Kyu started scanning cards and noticed something.

Sakurako had too realized it.

“I solved it. The mystery of vanishing into thin air.” she declared.

“This is bad.” Megumi muttered.

“The footprints start from the student's room and vanish about 30 meters down the field. If we assume the perpetrator went to the center somehow, then walked backwards from the field, then…” Sakurako begun.

“There is only one answer. In other words, it's that card.” Gouda added.

Looking closely at the cards displayed on the table, he frowned, “That card is missing.”

Turning his head, he noticed Kyu holding the said card.

“There're two hints.” Kyu declared.

“The first is the fact that it was just before planting. The second is this… the raft.” he added, flipping the card around.

“The raft?” Kinta echoed.

“How do you eliminate someone in the middle of the field with that?” he asked.

“The perpetrator used the raft to go to the center of the field. Of course, you can't use the boat when the water is drained. The perpetrator probably used the gate tot get plenty of water into the field. Right, Dan-sensei?” Kyu looked at the school principal.

“Well.” Dan-sensei replied and pressed a button on the remote control.

The gate opened and the water from the river rushed in.

“Wow, the gate opens and water just keeps on building up in the field.” Megumi blinked in awe.

With the field completely flooded, the gate shut close.

“This recreation diorama is well-crafted.” Kazuma agreed.

“Which means…” Kyu wondered and pulled the drawer beside him open. Inside the drawer were miniature replicas of items stated on the cards.

“Here it is, a miniature raft.” he declared.

Placing the raft on the now flooded field, Kyu continued his explanation.

“With plenty of water in the fields, the perpetrator put down the raft and opened the drainage gate.”

The said gate slid open and the water started flowing out.

“Then he went to the middle of the field quickly on the raft. When the water was gone, he stood in the field with the victim's shoes and while carrying the raft, walked backwards towards the victim's room. This is how the Kamikakushi was completed.” Kyu announced.

“The window at the hotel was probably open from the beginning. He probably opened it when he snuck into the student's room and kidnapped him… or killed him.” Ryu added.

“I see. Does everyone in Class A have the same answer?” Dan-sensei asked.

“Yes, but wait a second. We were the first ones to notice this trick.” Gouda protested.

“I know. Class Q just came in the middle and took it over. We had the right to answer it first.” Sakurako argued.

“That's right.” Saburomaru agreed.

“What are you saying?” Kinta objected. “Kyu was the first one to take the card. This is what it means by `the early bird gets the worm.'”

“It's not simple card grabbing.” Sakurako argued.

“Calm down everyone.” Dan-sensei intervened.

“Dan-sensei, please pass judgment on who's the winner.” Gouda demanded.

“Of course it's Class Q right, Dan-sensei?” Megumi claimed.

“Dan-sensei.” Gouda pressed.

“Wait… hmmm, this is bad.” Dan-sensei pondered.

Just then, the school bell rang.

Snapping his fingers, the principal declared, “Too bad, time's up. Let's call this battle a tie.”

“A tie?” the students chorused.

Standing up, Dan-sensei announced, “I still have an important meeting after this. The real battle between Class Q and Class A will be continued during the class determination exam. Excuse me everyone.”

“Sensei…” Kyu blinked.

“Yes?” Dan-sensei asked.

Looking down at his feet, he realized his mistake and quickly sat back on his wheelchair.

Laughing, he wheeled himself out. “Okay, excuse me everyone.”

“Thank you very much.” the students chorused, bowing.

“Well, that was weird.” Ami commented, once Dan-sensei was out of earshot.

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“Ah, that was very entertaining. Both classes are quite good. But I couldn't pass judgment recklessly like that. The bell rang at the perfect time.” Mr Koutarou grinned as he walked out.

“You seemed to be enjoying yourself, Nanami.” the real Dan-sensei remarked.

Mr Koutarou grimaced and turned around, “That voice…”

“Dan-sensei…” he greeted the school principal.

“You pretended to be me and played an entertaining prank, didn't you?” Dan-sensei accused.

“It was a moment of immaturity. Were you observing?” Mr Koutarou stammered.

“Oh well, I have finally decided.” Dan-sensei replied.

“Huh?” Mr Koutarou blinked.

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“I was nervous for a second there, especially not knowing what was going to happen.” Megumi confessed, once Class Q was back in the classroom.

“We can't be dropped of Class Q that easily.” Kazuma agreed.

“You were freaking out.” Kinta teased.

“So were you Kinta.” Kazuma retorted.

The three burst out laughing.

“But it's all thanks to Kyu that we came out on top” Kinta remarked, walking over to where the other three were sitting.

“It was brilliant to notice the raft in that situation.” he added, whacking Kyu on the head, sending the shorter boy flying off the table.

“How come you're always beating me!” Kyu complained.

The door slid open and Kyu stopped his rantings.

“Dan-sensei.” Class Q greeted the school principal.

“That was quite the deduction. I had exactly the same solution. Now I can dispatch you with confidence.” Dan-sensei told him.

“What do you mean by dispatch, Dan-sensei?” Megumi asked.

“I want to sent all of you to Kamikakushi village.” Dan-sensei declared.

“Kamikakushi village?” Class Q echoed.

“In Kamikakushi village and the adjacent Hyoutan village, there have been seven disappearances in the last ten years.” Dan-sensei replied.

“Seven disappearances in ten years?” Kyu blinked in disbelief.

“I want you all to inquire about the disappearances in those villages, including this case. Then find out who's causing all these Kamikakushis and why.” Dan-sensei added.

“You mean this case..” Kazuma gasped.

“Was an unsolved case?” Megumi finished the question.

“Dan-sensei.” Kyu stood up, followed closely by Ryu and Ami.

Megumi quickly followed suit, along with the other two.

“I know it's too early for you guys, but I believe in you. I'm counting on you to solve this problem.” Dan-sensei announced.

“Yes.” Class Q chorused.

Megumi's voice was heard next.

“That was the start of our case at Kamikakushi village and we also found out about Ami-chan's connection with the Hyoutan village.”

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Later that night, Kyu was packing his rasp sack and checking if he had everything in.

“Pants… good. Shirts… also good. I brought plenty of snacks. Everything's perfect.”

Then, he remembered something.

“What's left… I almost forgot; I can`t do anything without that.” he nodded, running to his drawer and pulled out the DDS notebook.

“This DDS notebook is great. It's cool and I feel motivated just by touching it.” he nodded.

“Kyu, are you ready?” Kyu's mother poked her head into his room.

“Almost.” Kyu replied.

Kneeling down beside her son, Kyu's mother handed him something.

“Kyu, take this with you.”

“What is it?” Kyu asked.

“I got it from the nearby shrine. It's a safety talisman. Be careful and don't do anything reckless.” Kyu's mother advised, clasping the charm into his hand.

“Thanks mom. I know. I`ll put this down here where it`ll be safe.” Kyu beamed.

Please protect Kyu… honey. Kyu's mother sent a mental message to her late husband.

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Megumi's voice was heard next.

“But what awaited us was a case more frightening and complex than we had ever imagined.”

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SailorStar9: This chapter is down.