Report 4 Ai

Ai
Story	Placebo
Date(s)	September 2, 1999 September 3, 1999 September 4, 1999 September 5, 1999 September 6, 1999 September 6, 1999 September 6, 1999 September 7, 1999 September 8, 1999 September 9, 1999
Location(s)	Typhoon Jackhammer Precinct 24 Mulholland Hitakatsu Switchyard
End card	Love less
Moon color	Green

Report*4:AI is the fourth Placebo report of The Silver Case. The chapter follows Tokio Morishima's perspective during the events of case#4:kamuidrome.

Description

AI focuses primarily on the events leading up to Tokio's confrontation with The Bat. Unlike other Placebo chapters, it does little to explain the events of its corresponding Transmitter case, and only briefly mentions its events in the story as it occurs in the background.

Summary

Thursday, September 2, 1999, 10:25AM
Tokio wakes up from a nightmare, where he remembers hearing the phrase "live weight". After a smoke, he reads an email from S. Inohana, telling him that the International Environment Agency was hacked and high-level data was published online. The data was uploaded through Kamui Net, under the handle "Sayuki", believed to be a play on Kamui's name. He tells Tokio to look into any online activity related to Kamui. He reads another email from a previous client named Yuu. She asks if he remembers her, and says she learned that he used to work for a gossip magazine by searching his name. She asks if he wants to do a photoshoot with her, and says that she met a genius web designer at the Ronny Rockets nightclub, who said he'd make a website for her. She expresses that she wants to become an internet idol, and will let him know when it's ready. Tokio writes to himself that he doesn't care for Kamui Net, and finds Inohana's request strangely vague. He remarks that the Heinous Crimes Unit has also been investigating online crime lately. He goes over the suicide of the idol Sayaka Baian, which occurred after she was secretly filmed for a week with access to the footage being sold online. Tokio says that online information doesn't decay, but is forgotten, with people already forgetting Baian's suicide not long after.

12:43PM
Tokio goes to Precinct 24 to meet with Tetsugoro Kusabi. He finds Kusabi looking bored now that he has nobody to talk to after what happened with Sumio. Tokio asks about the investigation of online crimes. Kusabi tells him he's not interested in it, but Tokio says that others disagree, like Akira. He decides to go to the sauna before going home.

2:18PM
Tokio calls Yuu to ask where Kamui Net is located. She asks in her online chat, and gives him the URL and passcode.

8:25PM
Tokio writes about visiting Kamui Net, and finding it filled with propaganda surrounding the worship of Kamui. He gets on a live chat, and starts receiving messages from another user, telling him that he knows he's watching and that they're searching for him. Tokio taunts him by sharing his own address. Tokio types in the chat, where the others all threaten him. He apologizes and leaves.

10:07PM
Tokio goes to Jackhammer and asks the Bartender if he knows what a "generation gap" is, and if it's possible to understand the internet generation. The Bartender tells him that there are actually more people in their 30s on the internet than any other group. He says that he reads journals online, but can't understand ones written by younger people, since they're targeted at a younger audience. He finds it lonely since it only exists for the author and their select few perfect readers.

11:39PM
Tokio writes about the relationship between a writer and the reader. He wonders why he writes his reports like a diary, which he thinks is to include his personal viewpoints. He describes his dream from that morning, that he was in a long line of children at a bus stop. Each child is checked by a woman to be let on, and when it was his turn, he was turned away because he didn't have enough "live weight". Tokio wonders what the meaning of the dream could be.

Friday, September 3, 1999, 10:25AM
Tokio tells Red that he had the same dream again, and wonders if he's cursed. He reads an email from his adopted mother, asking how he's doing. She says that she mailed him some pomegranates and to talk to her soon. He reads an email without a sender, warning him to stay away from the HC Unit and anything involving Kamui. The message closes by telling him that The Bat is always watching. Tokio writes an email to Slash, asking to find The Bat for real this time. Tokio writes that Slash should have no problem checking on The Bat with his hacking skills. Tokio wonders how The Bat could have been aware he was looking into Kamui from the beginning.

9:53PM
Tokio heads to Jackhammer and finds Erika Yukawa waiting for him. He gives her one of his pomegranates, and tells her about being adopted and having no memories of his early childhood. Erika asks if their work is done, and he tells her that The Bat showed up again.

11:39PM
Tokio writes about a continuation of his dream. In it the same woman appears, and asks why he's there. He asked her what "live weight" meant. She tells him that it is a term used by ranchers when weighing livestock before a slaughter. Animals are sent back if they aren't heavy enough, and Tokio didn't have enough live weight yet.

Saturday, September 4, 1999, 10:25AM
Tokio reads an email from Slash, telling him that he'll look into The Bat again. He asks if he knows what a "vandal" is, and explains that it's the type of networker that does destructive things, which is who is behind the breaking of Kamui Net. Tokio writes that Slash sent him part of the broken Kamui Net, which was apparently attacked by a hacker named Oldman. He then created a "New Kamui Net". Tokio dismisses the whole idea, and says that the internet is simply a tool.

5:05PM
Tokio goes to Mulholland, and tells the old woman that he envies her, since she doesn't seem to have a care in the world. She tells him to quit wasting time and get back to work.

11:46PM
Tokio writes about another continuation of his dream. In it the woman asks if he remembers who the other kids were. Tokio isn't able to remember, and the woman warns him that the children will trap him and he'll be unable to escape.

Sunday, September 5, 1999, 10:25AM
Tokio reads an email from Slash, telling him that he's found a way to look into The Bat. He sends him a bonus file of Sayaka Baian. Tokio writes that she looks like any other girl, and had no idea she was being watched. He says that he understands why she wanted to die. He writes to Erika, telling her that Kamui Net was destroyed and asking for any info on Oldman. He also asks if she knows a way to search for hidden cameras, since he feels like he's being watched. He writes to his mother, thanking her for the pomegranates, and telling her that he'll make time to visit. He writes to himself that Slash is just another reckless person using the internet, and that The Bat could turn out to be a real threat. He writes more about his dream; in it dozens of children appear before him asking him to hold their hand, and he is approached by someone from behind.

Monday, September 6, 1999, 11:48AM
Tokio reads an email from Erika, telling him that Oldman has a partner named Neutral, and that she doesn't know anything else about them. She asks for more info on The Bat, and wonders if Tokio's comment about hidden cameras is a joke about Sayaka Baian. He reads an email from Slash, saying that he is on The Bat's trail. He attaches a file about the mayoral elections for Ward 24. He writes to Slash, telling him to simply find The Bat and not do anything without telling him. He then writes to Erika, saying that The Bat is a threat and that she should stay away from him.

2:37PM
Tokio speaks to Kusabi at 24 Precinct, and asks if there's anything new from the internet investigation. Kusabi has nothing to say, and wonders what's going on with the missing girl who was addicted to the internet. Tokio says that children are weak to raw desire and mix up reality and fiction.

11:18PM
Tokio enters a chatroom with a user named Setsuna. He asks if Tokio wants to talk, and they discuss the nature of the internet and anonymity.

Tuesday, September 7, 1999, 11:48AM
Tokio tells Red that his string of nightmares has finally ended. He reads an anonymous email, threatening his life if he doesn't stop pursuing The Bat. He writes an emergency message to Slash, telling them to stop their investigation, and giving his cellphone number.

Wednesday, September 8, 1999, 11:19AM
Tokio receives a message from The Bat, who tells him that he dealt with Slash, who turned out to be a woman. He sends an email to Slash asking if something actually happened.

12:59PM
Tokio visits the Heinous Crimes Unit to try and confirm the death of Slash, but they are in a meeting.

2:23PM
Tokio writes to himself, wondering if Slash was really killed. He writes to Inohana, telling him that he received a message from The Bat and that he may have killed one of his contacts. He tells him about when he was first contacted in the Scolba chatroom and asks for any information on The Bat. Tokio writes that he posted multiple messages saying The Bat killed Slash on message boards as a trap to lure him out.

Thursday, September 9, 1999, 11:19AM
Tokio reads an email from Erika, saying she wants to keep looking into The Bat, and remembers back to when she was disconnected from Scolba. Tokio writes to himself that he's heard nothing from Slash. He decides to take a bolder approach and call out The Bat directly online. He gets a phone call from Kaiji Enzawa, who claims he has an emergency request from Inohana to tell him something. He asks to meet Tokio at the Hitakatsu Switchyard.

12:07PM
Tokio meets Enzawa at the switchyard, and realizes that he is The Bat. Enzawa tells him that the Inohana he was working for is really just a member of a certain syndicate, and that he had been personally supervising Tokio during his investigation. He refuses to say what the syndicate is, but says that it's a group working to prevent Kamui's return. Enzawa says that he is a neutral party working between multiple syndicates. After Tokio made contact with Kamui at the Babylon Shopping Center, Enzawa realized he was in the way. He says that he has been watching over Kamui and Ayame since they were young, and that he is mainly a believer in Ayame. Enzawa points a gun at Tokio, and a gunshot is heard.

1:29PM
In his car, Tokio recounts that Enzawa was killed in front of him by a gunshot from someone else. He begins seeing visions of Enzawa's last moments.

7:42PM
Tokio writes to Erika, telling her that he's stopping his investigation into Kamui, and that The Bat died while trying to kill him. Erika demands that he explain, and they agree to meet in Scolba. Erika tells him that he must be close to something big, and asks if he's just going to give up. He tells her that his client was posing as her husband, and that he contacted her for protection. Erika says to continue using her as a shield, and that they can face the danger together. Tokio says that he plans to go into hiding, and Erika responds that she's coming over.

9:51PM
Erika confronts Tokio at his apartment, and asks if he's really going to run. Tokio asks her to take care of Red while he's away.

12:00AM
At midnight, Tokio experiences the blackout caused by Method Tank. He tells Red not to be afraid while he's gone. An unknown voice tells him it's time to go, and he leaves with them.

Love less