Hardcore identity theft (2)

Reiju immediately retreated to her hotel room with Chihono in pursuit. Once they were inside Reiju turned to her.

"So what's the deal with your camera?"

"I don't know, I just- hee!?"

Chihono suddenly went pale and pointed at Shiruka.

"Can you see me without the camera?" Shiruka asked.

"KYAAAH! O- O- OBAKE!" Chiihono screamed.

"So others can see me? That's weird."

Shiruka then grabbed the video camera and a perfect copy spawned in his hand.

"HUH!? B- But my camera's still here! How can you have-"

"It's a perk. Now mind telling us who you are?"

"I don't even know who you guys are! But, fine! I'm Chika Chihono."

"So you just gave your surname, bit odd for a gyaru. Specially considering you didn't even say to call you by a shortened nickname," Reiju said.

"I was on guard. I literally was just staying at this place and got nabbed by security when I walked by. Then that mysterious woman came and said I was a reporter. Seriously, I'm not lying!"

"Well, I didn't give my full name either. It's actually Reiju."

"I can still totes call you Rei though right?"

"Now you start acting more like a gyaru?"

"Looks like she's telling the truth. The video feed from her camera confirms her story. Plus she's talking like a host and-"

"Kyah! How can you watch my video feed!? I mean I was gonna upload it online anyway, but it's still weird to have someone copy your camera and watch the stuff you recorded."

"So you wanna be a blogger?" Reiju asked.

"Yeah, I mean it's the whole reason I came to the city."

"Well just don't tell anyone about the ghost. Now lets get back to the conference. I've got some stuff to do."

"Wait! You never told me your name Obake-san."

"Shiruka. Perhaps you've heard of my works like One letter, Six chances at Love, Grouping of ghosts-"

"SHIRUKA!? But you killed yourself after murdering-"

"No, I was murdered. You watch Yowie Hunt?"

"Yeah, I've seen all the seasons."

"Seasons? That asshole. Anyway, the actor that played Dumbee, Niles Thorndyke murdered me and Amanuma-san. It was because Amanuma apparently told me some dirt she dug up on a shadow organization."

"Murdered!? I think this is too much. I wonder if I'm still dreaming."

"No you're not, now come back with me. We gotta get back before we arouse suspicion," Reiju grumbled.

                                                                                   ...

Back at the conference, Reiju noticed Kaemi and met up with her.

"Anything?" Reiju secretly whispered.

"No. The act was perfect. Though she apparently just started advocating heavily for Japanese companies to expand to central Europe. Bulgaria in particular.  She's never said anything like that before today. It's led to her naturally getting swarmed by the press. Who's the girl with the video camera?" Kaemi whispered back.

"Chika Chihono. Apparently she's just here. Do you know of a woman with a blonde asymmetrical bob that works for the Mizutani-shimbum?"

"Maria Kotobana. Why're you asking?"

"She gave me and Chika the press passes."

"That's odd. She's primarily in charge of the gossip columns if I recall correctly. Why would she even be allowed to cover an event like this?"

"Were you talking with her?" Chika asked as Reiju returned.

"Just trying to set up an interview."

Reiju then noticed the brunette haired woman with green eyes hanging around with her black-haired colleague.

"That woman supposedly went to the salon with the victim. I wonder if she might know anything, plus I can see how the one Shiruka's suspicious of reacts to me," Reiju thought.

"Hey, we're gonna interview those two."

The two approached the women.

"Hello. We are from the Mizutani-shimbum and would like to request an interview," Reiju said in a cute high-pitched voice.

"Sure. I have no intention of having a bad relation with the press. Though I can only afford 5 minutes at most," the black haired woman stated.

"I will be interviewed as well," the brunette stated.

She appeared to have a slight European accent.

"Now before we get to the important stuff, mind telling us girl to girl where you got your hair done?" Reiju giggled.

Chika gave Reiju an odd look as did the woman with brunette hair. The woman with black hair appeared to look a tad dumbfounded before composing herself.

"It was at a place called Yamato Serena."

"Ah yes, I heard from Diplomat Kawazawa that you two went together, Diplomat Yang."

The black haired woman's eyes suddenly went wide with shock.

"And? I went there too. I believe the Canadian representative did as well. Now what do you wish to know about my stances?" the brunette glared.

"Oh just how you both felt about Diplomat Kawazawa's stance towards having more Japanese manufacturing companies expand to central Europe," Reiju asked.

"I welcome it. My nation of Bulgaria was one of the countries she just strongly advocated for."

"I oppose it. I believe she should strive to form deeper economic ties with nations in closer proximity to Japan, like Hong Kong," the black haired woman glared.

"Thank you for your time ladies."

Reiju then walked away and glanced back at the two out of the corner of her eye. Shiruka stayed and watched the two women.

                                                                               ...

Eventually the conference came to a close for the day. Shiruka floated around and closely followed Kaemi.

"I didn't see anything, though both those diplomats made phone calls in their native languages. I don't speak either of those languages so I have no idea what was said. I just got off the phone with Reiju, so I should stick with Kaemi," he thought.

Kaemi made it back to her room safely. As she unlocked the door connecting to Reiju's room, she was shocked to see Chika there as well.

"And why is she here?" Kaemi groaned.

"Huh? Shouldn't I be the one asking why you're here!?" Chika shouted.

"Relax, its fine. Just remember, nothing you hear leaves this room," Reiju glared at Chika.

"Whatever, I actually wanted to discuss that weird dream you talked about earlier. What did you mean by it?" Kaemi asked.

"Well I remember things a little clearer now. The woman that attacked you looked very similar to Diplomat Valeva of Bulgaria," Reiju stated.

"What are you two talking about?" Chika stared.

"Oh, just a vision I saw," Shiruka said as he appeared.

"Kyaah!"

"What's wrong?" asked Kaemi.

"Hey Chika, point your video camera at the bed and show it to this woman," Reiju ordered.

Chika did as she asked, only for Kaemi to respond with a blank stare.

"It's just the bed."

"But the Oba-Mmph!"

"Sorry, just wanted to make sure her camera was working," Reiju said as she took her hand off Chika's mouth.

"So you think Valeva could be behind it?"

"Hey Chika, mind waiting here while we go to the other room?" Reiju asked.

"But-"

"How bout you talk with me instead," Shiruka offered.

Chika accepted the offer. Kaemi and Reiju then went over to Kaemi's room and closed the door.

"I don't know who she truly is, but she's weirdly attracted to me. Though the stuff she filmed could help us, so I let her tag along," Reiju explained.

"Did you tell her who we are?" Kaemi asked.

"I just gave her my first name. Anyway, did you manage to get an audience with either Diplomat Yan or Valeva?"

"Yes, both of them."

"How did they react to you?"

"I seemed to get a hostile reaction from Valeva."

"Why?"

"Because I pressed her on Kawazawa's push for companies to invest in Bulgaria. Though let me ask you something. Why are you putting so much faith in a dream you saw?"

"I just feel it means something considering how realistic it was."

"*Sigh* I don't believe in crap like premonitions. I'm only doing as you asked because you were so frantic and it wasn't too difficult to accommodate."

"I also want you to be on guard in case I'm targeted."

"Hmm? But why?"

"Because I think I might know who the mastermind is."

                                                                                      ...

Shiruka floated alongside Chika as she went down to her room.

"Going to upload your footage to your computer?" Shiruka asked.

"Yeah. It's a laptop so I can just bring it back up. But I'm honestly more curious about you. So are you really THE Shiruka?" Chika asked.

"Yes."

"Then-HUH!? Wh- what happened here!?" Chika shouted as she opened the door.

Her room appeared as though it had been ransacked.

"NO! My laptop's gone! It was right here on the desk!"

"What does it look like?" Shiruka asked.

"Um, Pink with lots of cute stickers on it."

Shiruka the zipped away. As Chika ran after him, a man in a suit charged out of the bathroom and chlorophormed Chika before she could leave.

"No! Obake-kun..."