From: chrismg@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (christian gadeken)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime
Subject: Miyu/Frame (Part 4)
Date: 28 Sep 92 04:20:35 GMT
Reply-To: chrismg@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (christian gadeken)
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX
Originator: chrismg@bashful.cc.utexas.edu


			Who Framed Vampire Princess Miyu?
				    Part 4

	The next day.  A room divided in half by plexiglass.  A girl in
drab grey on one side, a young man in black and red on the other, all
under the cold eyes of the Tokyo Police.
	Miyu gave him a rather weak smile.  "Well, I don't think I'm
going to be assaulted;  everyone else seems pretty scared of me."
	"Vampires are a horror embedded deep in the Japanese
consciousness."
	Her smile strengthend somewhat.  "You're thinking of possesion."
She leaned forward.  "Here's what they told me:Two days ago, the body
of this Saruwata fellow was found in an alley between his home and his
favorite bar.  The body was completely drained of blood, and there were
fang marks on the neck.  Since I'm the only known vampire in Tokyo, I
was the logical suspect, but what made them *sure* was a scrap of white
cotton he'd torn from a garment as he died."
	Matthew looked up, eyes wide.  "Your night-kimonos...  You
said there was one missing..."
	"Yes, they're assuming I hid it somewhere after I killed him,
but they were so intent on getting the arrest warrant they forgot a
search warrant."
	"They got it this morning and went through the house top to
bottom.  The only kimonos they found were whole, so they can't be sure...
Have they set the hearing date yet?"
	Miyu nodded.  "Thirteen days."
	"Mmf.  Cutting it close... Did-" He broke off and twisted around.
Looming behind him was a tall figure wrapped in a hooded black cloak, under
which a white face-mask could be seen.  The guards were gaping at it in
shock, not being used to visitors arriving by teleportation.
	Miyu almost jumped through the plexiglass.  "Larva!"
	Matthew scooted his chair aside to make room.  "Hey big guy, come
to lend moral support?"
	Larva glanced from Miyu to Matthew, who sat up straight.
	"Say what!?  Why did you-"  Matthew and Miyu exchanged glances
"Do the security people know *why* you're taking vacation?"
	Larva looked back at Miyu, who smiled again.
	"Of course, having an employee who solved a grisly vampire murder
won't hurt them at all."
	"And," Matthew interjected, "it won't hurt you to promote good
relations between humans and monster-type animates-" He broke off under
what felt like a glare.
	Larva stepped back.
	"Right."  Matthew stood up.  "Miyu, we've got two weeks.  I'm
going to find out what really happened if I have to turn Tokyo upside
down."
	She smiled sadly.  "Don't lose your job in the process."
	Matthew glared.  "If I do, I can get a new job; if I blow this,
I *can't* get you a new *life*!  Larva, let's roll."
	Larva wrapped a cloak-fold around him-
	"Hey! Waita-"
	-and they vanished.

	How not to make a good impression on the police:  Appear out
of nowhere in the middle of the station, accompanied by a figure in
cloak, hood, and mask, fall to your knees and begin throwing up in a
wastebasket.
	Matthew got up wiping his mouth.  <Well, at least I didn't miss
the wastebasket.>
	A very upset lieutenant came up to them.  "What is the meaning
if this!?"
	"Apologies for the unexpected entrance, sir.  I am here in connection
with the arrest of Onigami Miyu; Larva here is representing the interests
of Fukimagure Security."
	The lieutenant considered this, nodded, and glanced down.  "Are
you all right?"
	"I'm fine."  He glared at Larva. "I always throw up when someone
teleports me."
	The three of them went into the lieutenant's office.  "The fact is,
we have no other suspects beside your ward.  The scrap of cotton found
on the scene matches the material in her kimonos, although we have not 
found the one it was torn from."  He handed a clipboard across the desk.
"This is a comparison of the dried saliva on the wound to a sample from
Miyu."
	Matthew and Larva examined it.  "Mmm... Several nonhuman proteins
found in both... including a hypercoagulant.  But the human factors are
competely different, how can you claim she did it?"
	"Because, as I said, we have no other suspects.  The match in
nonhuman factors means it *was* a vampire, and since there are no other
known vampires in Tokyo..."
	Matthew tossed the clipboard on the desk.  "How about an *unknown*
vampire, or one from outside Tokyo?  And anybody can get a kimono made
from white cotton, it could be an attempt to frame her, or even coin-
cidence."
	The lieutenant stared down.  "You may be right.  However,
there is a great clamor for a quick end to this case.  Unless convincing
evidence comes to us, the most likely outcome is that the hearing will
lead to a trial, where she will be convicted, and..."
	"And erased for a crime she didn't commit."  Matthew stood up.
"May I have your support in looking for that 'convincing evidence?'"
	"I can't help you much more than I already have.  The authority
of your friend's employers will open most doors."
	"Thank you for your time, in any case."  He looked up at Larva.
"We'll take a taxi."

	"Oh, lord, I should have expected this."  There was a horde of
people with camera's and notebooks outside Matthew's house.
	He handed the cabbie a 1000-yen bill.  "Keep the change, Larva
and I will make a run for it."
	"Thanks."  The rear doors opened and Matthew and Larva dashed out.
Matthew had time to be annoyed that Larva was floating seven feet off the
ground before he was mobbed by people taking pictures, waving notebooks,
and shouting so many questions he couldn't make any of them out.  He
tried to push through the crowd but every one was trying to get to him,
forming a noose with him in the center.  A hand grabbed his bandanna,
and in pulling away he fell.  He was shoved along the ground, with more
hands grabbing at his neck.  <Cripes, wouldn't they all go totally nuts
if they see my throat.> he thought, fighting a wild urge to tear off the
bandannas and the hell with consequences.
	Suddenly, there was a blinding flash from the edge of the crowd, 
and people began screaming and pushing over Matthew in an attempt to get
away.  Over the screams, he could hear a high-pitched snarling.  In 
moments, the crowd had cleared, leaving Matthew face-to face with-
	A three-eyed girl with glowing hands, carrying a briefcase under
one arm.
	She looked down at him.  "Y'aright?"
	"Haaaah... Yeah... thanks."
	The oddly-matched pair entered the house.
			
			T S U Z U K U . . .

-- 
			C h r i s t i a n  G a d e k e n

Yakumo: "But I really did destroy a monster in Hong Kong!"
Saru  : "Ahem, ahem"
Yakumo: "Saru, do you believe me?"
Saru  : "Where's my Hong Kong souvenir?"
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