D was relieving stress by playing video games on the desktop on the main floor while Lilianna was lounging on a couch. The moment a middle aged woman entered the building, D paused his game; Lilianna immediately straightened herself on the couch.
735Please respect copyright.PENANAp40Xa7Vsx1
“Excuse me,” said the woman, “Could you take the time to investigate a mystery at the department store that I work at?” Hmm, I was hoping that we could have some free time to relax and relieve stress before any further investigations of the dolls… But maybe I should hear her out to see if it relates to the dolls, thought D.
735Please respect copyright.PENANAHRp6ciy4On
The woman continues, “A few weeks ago, all the cameras in the store malfunctioned. Then a few days later, after our female customers finished changing clothes, they opened the door to find a mannequin in the way. At first, everyone regarded it as a prank, but then it kept happening everyday. Eventually our customers thought that the mannequins were possessed. Unfortunately, since the cameras were malfunctioned, we couldn’t check to see who would pull this ridiculous prank; we couldn’t ask the police because we’re too embarrassed.”
735Please respect copyright.PENANA5qTVFKR4a5
The woman seems to be done talking. She’s done talking now…? D glances at Lilianna who looked like she was half asleep. D shifts his attention back at the woman. “Mam, we’ll take a look into this after business hours.” The woman thanks D and leaves.
735Please respect copyright.PENANAz5FKu6CfCN
Lilianna yawns loudly, “Do you really think this is related to our investigations with the dolls?”
735Please respect copyright.PENANAZc9wSf2upe
D nods, “Apparently, the doll maker just doesn’t make dolls, he or she also makes marionettes and the guy that tells you your fortune in exchange for money.”
735Please respect copyright.PENANAdF4bVHjych
Lilianna’s head falls back on the arm of the couch, “Wake me up when it’s time to go.” She goes to sleep with her arms and legs sprawled out on the couch.
735Please respect copyright.PENANA2poavaE4aa
A few hours later at the department store, with all the lights inside the store turned off, the only light source was from D’s flashlight. D and Lilianna were in the clothing sections, they looked around to see mannequins scattered throughout the area in various clothing and poses.
735Please respect copyright.PENANA1H3pD7rs6O
Lilianna spoke up, “Let’s split up and gather up all the mannequins in one place. Then I’ll just cut them all with one swing and call it a day.”
735Please respect copyright.PENANAcgZxIMAzH9
“Wait, it’s dangerous to just casually gather up the mannequins in one place. What if a mannequin were to strike one us when we get near it?” Advised D.
735Please respect copyright.PENANANjSNXQexB3
Lilianna sighs, “What do you suggest?”
735Please respect copyright.PENANAqSud5gE5ft
“The store employee said that a mannequin would appear behind the door of a girl’s changing room. Why don’t you go in one of them with your claymore? After you wait for a while, open the door with your claymore ready; strike the mannequin if you see it.”
735Please respect copyright.PENANA73qEsrKcSw
“Do I need to change clothes?” asked Lilianna.
735Please respect copyright.PENANA4UTFCxlfXJ
“If you want, the more similarities we have, the more likely that the mannequin would appear.”
735Please respect copyright.PENANAKO4NQrJmMJ
“Alright, so what will you be doing?”
735Please respect copyright.PENANAQoCSjKk36Z
“I’ll be somewhere nearby if you need me, if I just stand right next to the entrance of the girls’ changing rooms, the mannequin probably won’t come.”
735Please respect copyright.PENANAQvG7P1VEFr
After D and Liliana came to an agreement to the plan, Lilianna randomly picks out a dress and goes inside one of the dressing rooms. D goes to hide in a clothing rack where there’s no mannequins nearby and with a clear view of the entrance to the girls’ changing room.
735Please respect copyright.PENANA2zZ6p7PKOf
-------------------------------------
735Please respect copyright.PENANAFmtzbC6hTK
Meh… Changing out of my clothes and back is annoying, I’m going to take a small nap. He’s not going to know whether I changed clothes or not, thought Lilianna as she slumps on the bench with her eyes closed.
735Please respect copyright.PENANAAtpxsUkIAh
45 minutes later, D’s legs were starting to ache after crouching for so long. What the heck? I knew Lilianna might take her time with changing clothes, but I didn’t think it would take 45 minutes to change into a dress and back to her regular clothes!
735Please respect copyright.PENANAwbT7biFVPQ
D takes a look around his surrounds one more time before going out of his hiding spot. He goes through the hall of the girls’ changing room and sees a mannequin faced towards one of the room. What!? How did this mannequin get here!? I was watching the entrance the whole time!
735Please respect copyright.PENANA8Bhq67uac5
While looking out for opportunities, D notices a movable large container on wheels filled with clothes in the hallway out of view from the main entrance. So that mannequin was hiding in there until someone goes to change clothes…
735Please respect copyright.PENANAs4Xpgz32ul
D goes behind the container and starts to push it. As the container full of clothes starts to move, it got easier to push. D continues to push until he got near to the mannequin, then he gives one final shove on the container. The container slams against the mannequin and continues going until it hits the end of the hallway.
735Please respect copyright.PENANABnTr6Z8ZAc
D unloads 8 arrows at it’s head; the mannequin doesn’t move. Was it really one of the doll maker’s dolls this time? It can’t be that easy! But just in case… D fires more arrows at the mannequin’s upper body; the mannequin was now pinned to the wall.
735Please respect copyright.PENANARKVEYzGtlB
D turns towards the room that the mannequin was facing a moment earlier. He looks beneath the door to see if there are any feets on the ground. He doesn’t see any, so he checked the other rooms. When the other rooms had not indications of being used, D goes back to the same room and tried to open the door.
735Please respect copyright.PENANAqQ6TkWm5WN
The door was locked, so D lightly taps on the door, he was answered by a faint snoring sound. After Lilianna’s presence was confirmed, D took out the keys that was given to him by the employee; unlocked the door to find Lilianna curled up on the bench.
735Please respect copyright.PENANA3DoUfvmTGw
Typical Lilianna sleeping on the job… D goes up to her; starts shaking her in an attempt to wake her up. She stirs and finally stood up, rubbing her eyes, she then lazily looks at D.
735Please respect copyright.PENANAKAWjuXIgPe
“Hmm? What are you doing here?” she asked.
735Please respect copyright.PENANAPYzUMZUXFG
“You took so long changing that I came to check on you. Then I came across a mannequin in front of your room, but I took care of that now.” replied D.
735Please respect copyright.PENANA6ZsGWWLZaT
Lilianna nods with a proud looking smile on her face, “Yeah, that’s right, it came while I was changing clothes.”
735Please respect copyright.PENANA0OmFOIPj7y
D looks at the side of the wall where the dress was still clipped to the hanger perfectly. Liar…! But… I’ll let you have your moment…
735Please respect copyright.PENANA3s9U4C787f
D and Lilianna exits the changing room and notices that at the end of the exit of the hallway was blocked by a wall of mannequins. Yeah… I had a feeling that it wouldn’t be this simple…
735Please respect copyright.PENANAMI2vVRDFmd
Lilianna decides to immediately take action by horizontally swinging her claymore at the mannequins; they were instantly in pieces with their body parts flung in the air. Any mannequins that Lilianna didn’t hit on the first swing were filled with arrows by D.
735Please respect copyright.PENANA5lN4M0R0BG
When the path was cleared, D crouches down near a mannequin’s head. “It seems that these mannequins weren’t designed for fighting, but for surveillance, which is probably why it took almost no effort to disable them” said D.
735Please respect copyright.PENANAydrYpdCKEI
Lillianna lays down on her side with her head resting on her arm, “Okay, gather them up for Koban to examine; write a report on what happened.”
735Please respect copyright.PENANAPVOSrE7rS9
“Okay, but could you at least give me a hand on picking up some of the mannequins?”
735Please respect copyright.PENANAsE4NBhHuiU
Lilliana picks up a nearby arm of a mannequin and throws it at D.
735Please respect copyright.PENANAFGhrACxkME
D dodges the arm, “No not that hand!” he cried out.
735Please respect copyright.PENANA1DvFQgvt4P
D spend the rest of the time in the department store picking up the mannequins while Lilliana relaxes.735Please respect copyright.PENANANFKS4oyBJT


