What Am I Doing In Japan?

[Aaron G. Mosely]

It had all started with a dame, like a lot of my cases do. Unlike my other cases, though, she didn't want help finding her missing cat or dirt on her husband who spent so long at the office. No, she was convinced that a robot had killed her best friend and taken her place. Now, I've met all sorts of kooks in my life, but this one takes the cake. I knew better, though. I've seen chameleon monsters and I've got a set of cars that give me superpowers, so I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Turned out she was right, because it came for her as we discussed her case over coffee and a muffin. It was a long and gruelling battle, and it got away. My spirit crushed and head racked with pain, I retreated to my office where I gathered my thoughts. I had learned from our talk that they'd gone to Japan when the trouble started, so I scrounged up a little cash and got a ticket to Tokyo.

Aaron finished his mental narration as he stepped off the train to Akihabara and fluffed his jacket. There were crowds everywhere, dipping in and out of stores and restaurants. He paid no attention to them, keeping his eye on the case. Somewhere around here, there was an apartment that he intended to check out. He didn't exactly have the key, but he had Shift Cars and a Break Gunner stashed in his pocket. They'd have to do.

[Akira Hirasi]

Akira had the day off, so he'd donned his "cool" clothes and gone out to mingle. He really loved being a hero, because it gave him the opportunity to act this way. Of course, he could do it on his own if he really wanted to, but he wanted to take advantage of being a secret hero and only changing his personality that way. It was counterproductive at times, but oh well.

He moved in and out of groups of people walking, trying to find the prettiest girls he could. Of course, just because he could fake the appearance, that didn't mean he had the ability to speak properly. He made it work...sometimes, but he was willing to keep trying.

[Aaron G. Mosely]

"Just down here, through here, up here..." Aaron mouthed the directions he'd been given as he weaved through streets and more streets. Soon, an apartment block loomed into view. This was the one. Aaron could feel it in his bones.

Bounding up the stairs, he came to a door numbered 082. He recalled from his talks with the client that this was where things started turning strange for them. He reached for the door handle, and was surprised to find that the apartment was unlocked. He slowly slid the door open...

...and received a powerful kick in the chest for his trouble. It was enough to force him over the balcony and falling to the ground.

[Akira Hirasi]

As Akira walked around and went about what was now a semi-normal day for him, he saw an American (or, well, a foreigner) going into a building. Curiosity hit him, and he followed a bit behind. Soon he saw the man falling over the balcony. That really wasn't a good sign (or was it? Maybe this guy had it coming?), and Akira moved back. He'd have tried, but he didn't know what to do for him, and catching him seemed out of the question. It would end badly for both of them.