The streets of Neo Tokyo were lit by the eternal glow of neon lights. Animals walked the sidewalks, their minds tangled in a hundred different worries. None of them imagined the city’s cruel underbelly, where crime thrived beneath the surface like rot beneath polished floors. In the backstreets of Shibuya, a shadow slithered through alleyways.
He had no shadow.
Left no trails.
A ghost in the service of justice.
He called himself—
“—Inspector Viper! That’s THE name!” The dramatic proclamation echoed from the kitchen of Tanuki’s Delight, a humble noodle joint tucked away in an alley so narrow the sun forgot it existed. A young snake burst through the swinging door, soup ladle gripped proudly in the curled end of his tail like a knight brandishing a sword. Behind the counter, a tanuki woman groaned and rubbed her temple. She held a fan of brightly colored receipts like a gambler showing off a losing hand. “I don’t care what your work name is, Fujimori.” She flung the receipts into the air like confetti. “You spent FIVE THOUSAND yen on TOYS. In a single night.” The snake coiled in offense, the receipts fluttering down around him like a very judgmental snowstorm. “They’re not toys! They’re top-notch espionage gadgets!”
He dropped the ladle with a clank and reached into his coat, pulling out a bulky pen with far too many buttons for comfort. “Observe. The latest in covert surveillance—” “Let me guess,” Tamashiro deadpanned. “A spy camera that records in negative pixel density?” Fujimori froze. Slowly… silently… he slid the pen back into his coat like a magician hiding a bad card. “No... That one was a prototype. THIS is... advanced.” Tamashiro motioned grandly toward the nearly empty restaurant. Only one customer remained: a tipsy raccoon hunched over a mountain of empty soy sauce packets. “Yeah, real advanced. You see anyone else here, genius? Know why?” She pointed to the glimmering monstrosity mounted on the back wall.
“THAT’S why. The gold-plated shotgun, Fuji.” The snake looked back proudly. “It’s called The Room Sweeper. Automatic fire. Near-zero recoil. Forged by a legendary—” “Nope. Nope. You bought it for 900,000 yen from a sketchy page called BOOM.STIX. They gold-plated it for FREE because you were the first sucker to buy from them in a decade.” She collapsed into a chair like the last bit of her energy had been drained through her ears. "Please, Fuji. Just... stop. I've been doing my best to keep this place running ever since mom and dad passed away. Remember what they used to tell us? "One day, you'll inherit this place, and carry on with our legacy", I'm trying my hardest to do that, but you're not even trying." she let out a tired sigh, looking briefly at a picture on the wall, through the dusty frame she could still see their parents, smiling in front of the then newly open restaurant, "I just want you to stop dreaming, to stop playing cops and robbers and just help me out. I could use a hand here, in the shop, you're fast and precise enough to be a good waiter." she said, smiling slightly, Fujimori's expression changed, he slithered toward his sister, "I know it's been hard. I also miss them a lot, but I swear this case is actually important! The suspicious lions, remember them? I have reasons to believe they're connected to the Yakuza! If I catch them, we could get the two million yen reward, and-" Tamashiro cut him off again, the pain in her voice was clearer now, "No! You are NOT doing that! You can barely fight purse thieves, the most serious case you ever solved was about someone's missing car keys! These are REAL criminals, people who have killed hundreds, maybe thousands of REAL cops! How do you think YOU would do against them? How do YOU think I would feel if I had to drive up to the morgue to identify you? I don't want to lose you as well. Please, just, help me make udon tomorrow, okay?", Fujimori looked up at the photo as well, "Fine. Whatever makes you feel good, sis. Besides, my intel suggests you need TONS of help down here! I... saw you mopping the floor after spilling the ramen two days ago, and-", "Okay, I get it. Glad you want to help. Now, we have to sleep, tomorrow's the Moonlight Festival, we might get some customers." Tamashiro said, getting up from her seat, she walked up to the light switch, when suddenly, the sound of a bowl crashing on the floor alerted her, she turned around to see the raccoon lady attempting to leave the restaurant, her greasy paws full of unopened soy sauce packets, "Oh, no! You're not taking those again! Those are one Yen each! NOT FREE!" she yelled, "I'll get the spray bottle!" Fujimori said, quickly going into the kitchen and frantically searching around in the cabinets as his sister tried to take the packets from the almost feral raccoon woman.
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