Hardcore Identity theft (4)

"So what do you want this time?" Sada growled.

"Oh, just wanted my hair back to how it was before," Reiju smirked as she sat down in the chair and was caped.

"It's been 24 hours and you want to return your hair to its original state!? Are you trying to mess with us!?"

"No, though I guess I should explain why I did something as drastic as perming and dyeing my hair. I wanted to set a trap."

Chika suddenly entered the salon with her video camera. One of the stylists internally began to get nervous as Chika stared at everyone.

"So anyone recognize her?" Reiju asked.

"Um, I don't know. Should I? I've only been here for a week or two," Kagura nervously shivered.

"Can't say I recognize her. I'm the most senior member here, though I guess it's possible she came in when I wasn't here," Kana sighed.

"Don't know her," Sada glared.

"Hmm, looks familiar, but I don't recognize her. Oh what's your name and what would you like?" Shirahoshi asked.

"She's not here for a style, she's here to help identify which one of you tried to kill us," Reiju glared.

"HUH!?" all the stylists screamed.

"Now I bet you're wondering which one of you did it. Well first let's give some context. Somehow, they got roped into a plan to kill Japan's diplomat to the economic international and commercial summit being held here in Tokyo. They also helped Takemi murder Miko. She also disguised herself as one of your co-workers while she committed the crime in an attempt to frame them. But not just her. She also disguised herself as Diplomat Kawazawa and Bulgaria's Diplomat Valeva. She was smart to use colored contact lenses when disguised as Kawazawa, but ditched them when disguising as Valeva and your co-worker. Why? Because they have green eyes and had no need to change their eye color. Now Kagura, there's no way it could be you. Your eyes are a different color, plus even if you did use contact lenses, the culprit did something that completely cleared you of any suspicion."

"Phew," Kagura smiled.

"Same for you Sada."

"Well it seems you have some intelligence after all," Sada scoffed.

"That just leaves YOU, Shirahoshi. What were her hours yesterday?"

"Pretty sure she was here from when you left until 5," Kagura replied.

"What about Kana?"

"I had the day off," Kana replied.

"Well thanks for self incriminating killer."

"HUH!? I just took yesterday off! How does that-"

"Chika, roll the tape."

Chika then played the tape. Kana scowled in confusion as the video played.

"That looks and sounds nothing like me! Stop hurling slander-"

"Nah, you're the only one who that could've been. Why else would you have reacted so frantic when I mentioned Mocha?"

"You're grasping at straws."

"No, you just fell for my trap and got caught."

"Trap?"

"This perm. I deliberately changed my look in order to catch the killer. Of the four stylists I suspected of being the killer, two were there to see me transform from start to finish. If anyone else saw me, they wouldn't recognize me. I assumed Shirahoshi would probably be able to identify me, even though she arrived as I was leaving, due to manning the register, and thus being privy to the logs.  Sure enough as I came in, she mentioned she read the logs and thus knew my style history. When I was captured, you didn't recognize me at all until I spoke in my normal voice. The other three would have known who I was and would have told their accomplice, Diplomat Yang of Hong Kong, that I was not a member of the press. Kaemi was the only one you knew for sure was a cop because of the events from two days ago."

"Bullshit! You're just making shit-"

"Oh, and someone got a photo of you changing out of the costume," Reiju snickered as she pulled out a phone and showed a picture of Kana taking off a brunette wig while dressed like Valeva.

Kana immediately darted towards the back. As she ran out the back door, she was kicked in the ankles and fell face first on the ground.

"Wow Kana, didn't think you'd stoop to murder," Fumiyo glared as she laid down on the ground on her back.

Police then pounced on Kana and cuffed her as Fumiyo got up.

"Was this all planned!? Was I doomed from the start!?" Kana wailed.

"Yep, Reiju figured out it was you last night. Oh, and for trying to kill me, you're gonna be shaved like Takemi for your mugshots at the station!" Kaemi glared.

Kana cried and struggled as she she was dragged away. Kaemi and Fukiyo then went inside the salon and gave Reiju a thumbs up.

"She couldn't outrun ghost surveillance," Shiruka smirked as he looked at the picture he snapped of Kana caught in the act a few hours earlier.

"So did you just come here for theatrics?" Sada glared at Reiju.

"Well that and I seriously do want my old cut and color back," Reiju replied.

"It truly would be a challenge. Straightening out your hair can be done. But matching the exact color might be tricky."

"Could you just cut it short enough to where it will grow back silver?"

"No, I really made sure to dye you as close to the roots as possible."

"Shit, whelp in that case shave it all off."

Everyone gasped in shock.

"You know I'd have to shave you completely bald. Oh and the eyebrows would have to go too since we dyed them," Sada sadistically giggled.

"Just do it. My hair grows fast anyway," Reiju growled.

"I still hate that smugness of yours. Though I bet even you will start crying when I'm finished with your makeover."

                                                                         ...

Reiju struggled to keep a smug face as Sada finished shaving her with a razor blade.

"I thought I didn't ask for a neck and face shave," Reiju glared as Sada sat her up.

"Oh it was complimentary as a thanks from all of us," Sada snickered as she uncaped Reiju.

Now Reiju was completely bald. She persevered to keep a straight face until she was out of the salon. Once she was out, she pulled her hood over her as her face went bright red and she began trembling.

"Ugh, I hope this works if it doesn't, I'll never recover from this humiliation," Reiju groaned.

"What are you talking about?" Kaemi asked as she, Chika, and Fumiyo followed Reiju.

"Oh, just a little magic trick. I just need some milk."

                                                                              ...

Kintaro sat in an interrogation room with Diplomat Yang.

"I have an idea what your grand plan was. I imagine you originally planned to have someone impersonate Kawazawa and have them recommend making massive economic investments in Hong Kong. But, when your accomplice at the salon informed you about what happened, you created a backup plan, which you put into effect to throw off suspicion, but still make Japan look bad. However, that too failed, but you had no choice but to go through with it," Kintaro theorized.

"___."

"As for your motive,  you wanted more economic investments in Hong Kong instead of mainland China.  I imagine you held great resentment towards Japan in particular after many Japanese companies moved their businesses to Mainland China in the late 90s."

"I needed to bring economic prosperity to Hong Kong. But now, it's over. " Yang somberly muttered.

"There were far easier and less violent ways to achieve your goal. Why didn't you just do that?"

"I was given an ultimatum by the higher-ups. I was to eliminate Kawazawa and bring economic prosperity to Hong Kong, or have my family executed."

"Hold on! What do you mean by that!? Is there something bigger going on? If you were coerced into this we can sort something out, but you'll have to tell us who ordered you to do this."

                                                                           ...

In the main lobby of the police station, everyone stared skeptically as Reiju poured a glass of milk from one of the two gallon milk jugs she bought. She happily drank the glass and rubbed her head.

"You're still bald as a naked mole rat girl," Fumiyo cooed.

Reiju grew desperate and began chugging the milk straight from the jug.

"OI! You're gonna choke if you do that!" Kaemi yelled.

She quickly went quiet as did everyone else as something unnatural began to unfold before them. As Reiju drank more milk, her hair grew longer. As she finished the first jug and went onto the second, her eyebrows had grown back and her hair was now pixie length. Once she was finished with the second jug, her hair was now long.

Shiruka froze as he saw the spitting image of Yukino before him.

"Yukino?" he uttered.

"Yukino? Wait! HOW'D THE HELL YOU GROW YOUR HAIR BACK JUST BY CHUGGIN SOME MILK!? Chika shouted.

"Oh, it's something to do with my family genes. Never tried this before, so I had no idea if it would work," Reiju explained as she grabbed a pair of scissors.

"Wha!? You're gonna cut it!?" Chika cried.

"Well yeah, it's too long. Come to think of it, you didn't see me before the perm, well this is my normal look," Reiju said as she cut her hair to its original length.

"You look good, but you looked better with the long hair."

"I can't just show up to school with my hair drastically longer! Everyone would freak out!"

"You're a Ginkawa right? I've heard they have some superhuman genetics," Kaemi pondered.

"Boo, I was hoping you'd be stuck bald for a year," Fumiyo pouted.

Suddenly, Diplomat Yang emerged from the holding area flanked by two men in suits.

"There WILL be legal ramifications for this unjust imprisonment and slander," one man growled.

"Ugh, why'd the hell'd you help get her released!? I was in the middle of interrogating her, but you blew it by bringing those goons with you!" Kintaro glared at Nakayama.

"Excuse me? I was correcting a mistake YOU made! Your foolish spectacle this morning showed how stupid a man, our station, and our country could be. The buffoon running this station was furious, and so was the Hong Kong government, as well as our own government. Besides, I doubt someone like her is truly capable of what you accused her of," Nakayama glared.

"Um, she is Her men totally attacked us," Reiju glared.

"You! Why are you here!? How dare you interfere once again with an investigation! _!?"

Nakayama immediately ran up and slammed Chika's face into the table before cuffing her.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Kaemi shouted.

"Arresting a despicable delinquent. Look! I can see that her hair has been dyed blonde and is not her natural color! You know that symbolizes an act of rebellion in our country!"

"I'm a delinquent too you know," Reiju glared.

"You are only allowed to roam free because of your rich family. Though not for long once I become Superintendent general-"

"Nah, it's not those shits, but more so my great intellect. Heck, bet my IQ's higher than yours you insane hag."

"YOU SHOW RESPECT YOUNG WOMAN!"

Kintaro then walked up and knocked Nakayama out with a karate chop.

"Apologies for our control freak officer. She overworks herself trying to secure the highest job in the land, and hates any woman that acts carefree or is better than her but has a more delinquent demeanor," Kintaro sighed as he uncuffed Chika.

"Screw that bitch! The hell's wrong with her!? I just bleach my hair and blog! I'm not a delinquent, nor do I hang out with them. Though wait, what did you mean by saying you're one?" Chika asked.

"Well, I just humiliate teachers and make em look dumb in their own classroom. I don't behave respectfully, but I'm the top student."

"Wait, you don't smoke or break shit?"

"No, I did hang a vulgar posters up once, but that was the worst. My family sucks and so does my school, so that's why I don't show em respect."

"Oh, that's cool then."

"Everyone! something bad is going to happen outside in a few minutes!" Shiruka warned.

Only Reiju and Chika reacted.

"Huh!? Something bad will happen outside!?" Chika said aloud.

Kintaro's eyes went wide as he unsheathed his gun and ran outside.

"Shit, it's today. Stay inside everyone! This man is dangerous!" he shouted.

"What the hell is he talking about?" Reiju asked.

"Shit, it's March 15th, the Ides of March," Kaemi glared.

"Huh?"

"It's the day a notorious serial killer dressed as a namahage attacks."

Reiju peered outside to see Diplomat Yang giving a press conference while flanked by the two men.

"The charges were fabricated," one man said.

"But, we received word that the Canadian diplomat was the one that-"

"Was killed by the police. They just despicably sheared her corpse of hair to pass it off as Diplomat Kawazawa. As you can see, this nation lies! It-"

"How can we be sure!? There was a report that said her men tried to kill some reporters from the Mizutani-Shimbum!"

"They went rouge. I-"

"SPEAK HANDS FOR ME NAUGHTY BRATS!" a deep masculine voice shouted.

Everyone turned as a large namahage leapt out of a tree. Kintaro fired at him, only for the bullets to have no effect.

"Shit, is his costume bullet-proof!? Kintaro glared.

The namahage then stabbed Yang in the throat with his knife, killing her instantly. He then leapt away.

"Namahage Brutus. Every year on this date starting in 2000, he appears and murders at least one government official. It matters not if they're foreign or domestic. On the Ides of March, he kills any politician or diplomat that cross his warpath. Worst of all, we have no idea who he is, nor have we even been able to catch him," Kaemi shuddered.

Shiruka immediately zipped after Namahage Brutus.

"That murder method hits a little too close for me. Plus, she said he only appeared after I was murdered. I wonder if he's connected to it," Shiruka thought.

Fumiyo and Chika immediately ran after Shiruka.

"OI! Where the hell are you two running out for!? It's dangerous!" Kaemi shouted.

"No, I think we might be able to catch Brutus," Reiju smirked as she too ran off.

Kaemi shook her head in disbelief before giving chase.