Stone's Cocoon Episode 1
Dad
Dad, what are you thinking about?
I ...
had a few unsolved cases.
I'm still thinking about it now.
Alright, I'll be a police in the future and solve that case.
You will?
Yes, I'm not going to be a bride but a police.
Is that so?
Toko will be a police, huh?
Why are you laughing?
Dad?
Dad ...Dad is
It hur..hurts...
Dad (phone vibrating)
Yes? This is Kisaragi.
It's Hayase. A weird corpse was found at Shinbashi 7-chome abandoned building.
I'm telling the address now.
Okay.
Minato Ward, Shinbashi 7-chome 3-7, high building.
It's gonna take a while. Don't forget to pack for staying over.
Yes.
I'll go immediately.
Going for a vacation at this hour?
You should have continued sleeping.
You're bringing this? -Yeah.
Please call a taxi. -Okay.
Hello...excuse me
Dad
I'm borrowing this okay?
Here.
You need it for various purposes right?
Thank you.
Your father used delivery services for the bigger luggage.
Really? -Yeah. He only brought the smaller ones.
I see. Ah then please send it over. -Okay.
Toko
Don't push yourself too much.
It's something I have to do.
Also, please mail me if there's anything beside emergency.
The other day I was shocked when you called in the middle of a meeting. -Alright, I'll be more careful.
Well then, I'm heading out. -Take care.
[Confirmation from Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
[A body had been discovered at Atago Minami. Urgent meeting within the jurisdiction]
[Repeat]
Otsukaresama desu. -Thanks.
Over here. Excuse me, please make way.
Thanks.
Excuse me
Is Chief Hayase around?
Kisaragi, over here!
Yes!
The victim is probably a male.
Probably?
You'll understand once you see it.
Oh, Kisaragi. -Sorry for being late.
What was he thinking about?
We've never seen this kind of scene before, huh?
Kisaragi, have a look too.
What is it?
Looks like mortar. A type of cement.
Why use mortar to harden the corpse?
No idea.
Only the chest was left exposed.
Looks like it.
Why did he do that?
Shut up...think about it yourself.
The hardness of the mortar on the body and head looked different.
Perhaps only the body was hardened first.
Chief
I'm sorry for being late.
Please look at this.
It's on the second floor's office.
Is that mortar?
Got it. Send it to the crime lab. -Okay.
You can come now.
C'mon Kisaragi, you're also a member of 1st Division. -Yes.
He was probably tortured.
Doesn't seem to have any sign of life on the chest injury.
Then after death?
The mortar on the body was more carefully smeared.
Maybe he was covered after being made to sleep.
Be careful.
Sorry!
Don't be so careless, Kisaragi. -Yes.
Is this the trace of the chair?
Sorry
Missy, if that's the chair then what happened?
Hmm
Just now senior Takano was talking about the chair from 2nd floor.
It was placed here.
Sorry for saying something irrelevant.
Kisaragi-san, nobody's blaming you.
We just want to listen to what you wanted to say.
Yes...
The chair is for sitting...he was sitting
I don't know.
Missy, you've worked hard. -Sorry.
The criminal might have sat there demanding something from the victim.
He was taking his time questioning the victim.
That was why he hardened the body first?
For the purpose of interrogation he hardened him this way and after
he got what he wanted, he filled his head with mortar.
What about the peeled mortar?
If it's peeled after death then it's not for the purpose of torture.
Then why? -Oi, Kisaragi it's good to have questions but think about it yourself.
You too!
Mr. Forensic? -Yes?
Stand up!
We're now going to begin the investigation task force for the murder case at Shinbashi 7-chome.
I'm Hayase from Section 11, 1st Division of Tokyo MPD. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Sit!
Let's begin with the case's overview from Atago Minami Criminal Division.
Mochizuki from Atago Minami Criminal Division.
Please look at the documents in your hands.
Today, July 10th, an emergency call was received at around 1.30am.
The source was from a mobile phone.
Saying there was a corpse in the basement of the high building at Shinbashi 7-chome.
The caller hung up without giving a name but
we confirmed it was a night guard's mobile phone and unrelated to the case.
Kadowaki from 1st Division MPD.
From the questionings, at around 4am yesterday
we received information that a white wagon-like vehicle was in front of the building.
This vehicle disappeared at a little after 5am.
There's no information on the car model and number.
Next, forensics please.
Kamoshita from MPD Forensics.
The estimated time of death is between 12.30 - 1.30am.
Meaning the victim was still alive just before the call came in.
Cause of death was mortar inhalation through respiratory tract which caused fatal suffocation.
It's assumed he was hardened with mortar from the neck and below for more than 20 hours.
There were signs of assaults on the face.
The upper half body was naked.
A part of the chest skin was peeled.
In the absence of living cells, we think it was peeled after death.
Tokushige from 1st Division MPD.
The victim is male, height 177cm, weight about 65kg, age between 30-40.
There's nothing to identify him and no past history from his fingerprints.
What about the articles found?
At present, we have an important clue.
This year, from 1/23-3/22, an exhibition was held at Ueno National History Museum.
The Large Pompeii Exhibition
This was stuck at the ceiling.
The height of the ceiling is 2.2 meters.
The killer might have some kind of intent...
Chief Hayase, it's an urgent call.
For me? -No, he wished to be connected to someone from the operation.
Sounds like the criminal.
Hayase. -Yes.
The receiver has changed. I'm from Special Task Force.
I'm very sorry to have kept you waiting.
Yes?
You made your caller wait for 1 minute 20 seconds.
The correct response should be "I'm very sorry to have kept you waiting."
Isn't that common sense?
I'm sorry about that.
Do you have information regarding the Shinbashi case?
What is your name?
It's Satou.
Satou huh?
Satou-san, the murdered victim was a male right?
I'm going to ask again. What is your name?
It's Satou...
Satou-san
Was the cause of death due to suffocation from mortar?
Why do you... -I'm going to ask again.
Next time, if you still use Satou as an alias next, I'm going to hang up.
What is your name?
It's Hayase.
Hayase-san
I hate people who lies.
Can we change to a different person?
Oh right...
A female would be nice.
Compared to a sordid male, I'm more happy to speak to a girl.
Listen, talk to the caller without angering him.
Yes.
Very sorry for making you wait. I'm Kisaragi Toko. Nice to meet you.
'Nice to meet you' huh?
How do you write Kisaragi?
Kisaragi (如月) from the 2nd month of old lunar calendar
Toko (塔) is from 'Pisa and the Leaning Tower' and Ko (子) from children.
Yes, yes. Understood.
So Kisaragi-san
Are you feeling nervous?
Yes...
How should we address you?
Well, let's see.
How about Toremi?
Toremi...
The astrologer Ptolemy?
You're quite knowledgeable, aren't you?
I like horoscope.
When is your birthday?
February 9th
So your birthday coincides with your name's origin, huh?
What a miracle.
I get told that a lot.
February 9th. Aquarius.
Great personality
Strong individualism and anti-authoritarian consciousness.
You're not fit to be a cop.
Please tell us what you wanted to say.
Are you angry?
Not really.
Are you an acquaintance of the victim?
He's someone who should die.
What do you mean?
You mean it can't be helped that he was killed?
It serves him right.
That's..
There's no such thing as someone that should be killed.
Kisaragi-san, are you against death penalty?
Isn't death penalty also a form of murder?
That's...
But that's only when a huge crime is committed.
A huge crime?
A huge crime?! For example?
Like a murder.
Meaning if one commits a murder, it can't be helped that he be killed?
That's not what I mean but
it's the job of the court to judge a crime.
Kisaragi-san
You seem to have grown up in a happy family.
My family is ...
just average.
How about your family environment?
I've spoken a bit too much.
Please wait.
Are you the one who stuck the Large Pompeii Exhibition leaflet at the ceiling?
Yes. I did.
Why?
Isn't that the job of the police?!
I'm sorry.
If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up.
Wait a minute. I'll reason why you peeled off the mortar.
Interesting.
You killed the victim.
After that
You realized something important was concealed inside
And that something was accidentally buried in the mortar
Go on
That was why you peeled off the mortar. To find something you lost.
How splendid! That was a perfect reasoning.
Thank you.
To the excellent cop, Kisaragi-san Let me tell you something
Kisaragi Toko
You still have no idea what a true tragedy is.
Hello?
Toremi? Hello?
Were you able to trace it? -No.
Do we know anything about this person from the call?
We were played by him. Plus he's pretty confident and seems smart.
I can sense that too. -Is it possible the victim committed some crime in the past?
And now Toremi is punishing him.
From the murder's condition, there's a huge possibility of it being a revenge.
Could it be an unreported case?
'True tragedy' doesn't only refer to the past.
It can happen from now on.
Takano
How's Kisaragi doing?
How do I say it...
Isn't there anyone better than me to guide her?
No, you're good.
Make her a full-fledged cop.
Yes.
Ueno National History Museum, right? -We're going to Toutou University.
Toutou? -Anyways, just drive. I'll lead the way.
Yes.
The rooftop of Hibiya-dori. -Yes!
Hmm
How did I do during this morning's call?
About your reasoning? -Yes.
If he peeled the mortar to retrieve something he accidentally left
then how do you explain the naked upper half of the body?
Hmm
The reason he was only stripped off from upper half and covered with mortar
Hmm
That's enough. Drive.
Okay.
Rumor has it that Kisaragi was promoted to 1st Division because
her father worked here before. Isn't it too harsh for her?
If you think so, then help her.
That's Takano's job. I've got my hands full.
Takano's strict too though.
There's facial damage and fracture of nose cartilage.
Mortar was also found inside the stomach.
Mortar was likely forced through his mouth while still alive.
That's cruel.
Sorry.
To make you wait.
Hey. -Yes?
You apologize too easily.
Don't you have any pride as a cop?
I do.
I do have pride...
As a cop.
Sorry for making you wait.
I'm the person in charge, Shimamura.
MPD's Takano.
I'm Kisaragi.
It's true we held the Large Pompeii Exhibition here on Jan till March this year.
Did something happen?
Actually there was a case at Shinbashi this morning.
Was it murder?
What makes you think that?
MPD 1st Division handles murder cases right?
Well yes.
Do you know the number of attendance during the Pompeii exhibition?
About 200,000 people.
Do you still have the security recording from that period of time?
Yes.
How much of those recording still saved?
Shall I ask for you?
Please do. -Yes.
Similar to this morning's call, try to refrain from revealing too much.
I'm sorry.
We don't know who's related to the criminal.
Use minimum info to draw out maximum info. Got it?
Yes.
I'm sorry
Because it's over 2 months already, they've been erased.
I see. Thank you.
How was the Large Pompeii Exhibition conducted?
How much do you know about Pompeii?
That it was buried under volcanic ash...
I see. In 79 AD, the volcanic eruption from a nearby Mount Vesuvius...
Excuse me. Yes?
What kind of thing is this?
Stone's cocoon?
Stand up!
We'll now begin the meeting for the case. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu
Sit down!
A press conference was held this evening.
The victim's gender, estimated age, characteristics
Suffocation and hardened by mortar were announced.
All the information are in the documents at hand.
The call this morning was made from a mobile phone.
The signal was from the vicinity of East JR Shinjuku station.
After that, he turned off the phone and failed to be traced.
The connection with 'Toremi' is Ptolemy. He's widely known as Claudius Ptolemaeus, an Egyptian scientist.
He used mathematics and discovered the 48 constellations.
To identify the victim
we're searching through the missing persons list.
The clothes and shoes were from mass retailer so we're still
This morning around 12.10am
A witness saw someone entered the high building.
A male aged 20-40.
He wore black clothings, covered with a hat and sunglasses.
Another thing.
The day before, at 4.30am, there was sighting of a man in black and white wagon.
He should be the criminal.
It should be a separate crime.
What about the item?
About the leaflet...
We can assume Toremi visited the Large Pompeii Exhibition.
Please look at the document.
This is the form of victims' body -I can't hear you!
I'm sorry.
This is the form of the victims' bodies.
The residents of Pompeii couldn't escape from the volcanic ash in time and ended up buried by it.
Over time, the volcanic ash begin to harden.
And they ended looking like plaster casts of human figures.
So what?
The murdered victim's condition and these residents are similar.
Toremi might have been influenced by the images of these victims.
So I think there's some kind of relation.
Never mind the speculation, just tell the facts.
I understand. I'm sorry.
That's all from us.
Come with me
Nemoto-san.
Seargent Nemoto.
We're really sorry that our Kisaragi was too soft just now.
It's nothing.
Just that I think she should have more tension.
You guys at 1st Division are the ones who are supposed to lead us.
I'm really sorry.
Are you part of the special female police program?
Looks like you're pretty lax here.
Lifting up someone who doesn't even have merit or experience.
Make sure you don't disappoint the victim.
Be grateful, Sergeant Kisaragi.
That someone like you have a senior who cares so much about you.
Huh?
Oh right.
As gratitude, should I recommend you to 1st Division?
But ever since you came to MPD, you can't seem to get any recommendation.
During your police exam preparation,
How about give him a little help?
For the upcoming days, please take care of us.
Let's go.
Senior
Thank you for helping me.
It's not for your sake.
It's for 1st Division.
Eh?
If they belittle you means the same for 1st Division.
[Today about 200m from Shibashi station]
[a corpse was found at the basement of an abandoned building]
[According to the conference]
[the victim is about 170cm, aged 30 to 40 and a male]
[The corpse was hardened to the floor by mortar]
Thank you. -Thanks for the meal.
Turn off the lights outside.
This is for you, Toko-chan.
Also, this is on us.
Thanks.
Still it must be tough for you to be under Kadowaki.
What are you talking about? I'm kind right, missy?
Yes.
You're using the blackboard?
Ah, thank you.
Here. -Thanks.
You can go back now.
I'm heading home after cleaning up.
Is your mother fine?
Yes.
Here. -Alrighty.
Well then, take your time.
Alright, shall we start? -Yes.
The first question - Why was the victim hardened by mortar?
Isn't that an imitation of the victims in Pompeii?
That kind of speculation is dangerous.
The Large Pompeii exhibition leaflet was left by the criminal.
I see, there's a possibility of it being fake.
However, we can't dismiss the similarity between the corpse and victims in Pompeii.
There has to be some relation between the Large Pompeii and the current crime.
The reason for peeling off the mortar.
You said something interesting about it.
An important thing accidentally buried in the mortar.
That was just something I suddenly thought of.
Afterwards, Takano told me it's not logical.
I didn't say it wasn't logical.
I was saying there's no reason for the victim's upper half body to be naked.
That's it.
Yes. -Kisaragi.
Did you get that idea when you were on the phone?
Yes.
When I panicked and got nervous
My mind became calm.
But normally it's the opposite.
I see...
What is it?
The forum again? -Yes.
Amateur detectives might have a clue or something.
Tokishige-san always checks the murder case threads.
So what was it?
After watching the news, one of the forumers said it might be a warning.
A warning?
There's a possibility.
Person X might see the news about the victim hardened by mortar and understands something.
Someone connected to the crime in the past?
And then entice him out.
I see.
That means this crime is going to continue.
Following the development of this case, we might need more staff
do you have the documents?
Here.
Still awake?
Umm
I was thinking to investigate the unsolved cases from MPD.
Tomorrow's going to be busy. Sleep earlier.
Sorry...
Yes? Special Task Force.
Yes.
Kisaragi-san.
Someone identified himself as Toremi just called the representative.
There's a message for you, Kisaragi-san.
Senior...Senior Takano!
'Search the shrubbery'. Does that mean he was here?
How did Toremi know you're here?
But it's normal since we're in the middle of the investigation.
That's just our common sense.
Normal people would think we won't stay.
Was he monitoring?
You go over there. If you find anything, do not touch it.
Yes.
Found it!
Don't touch!
Step back. Go further back! What if it's a bomb?
There might be poison inside.
They're photographs.
Perhaps...
he's still nearby
I'll search around! -Wait! Don't go!
Toremi?
Toremi!
Black clothes, slender, sunglasses and height
Toremi!
Hey!
Senior. -You fool!
Don't do as you please! You're not the only one doing this investigation!
I'm sorry.
Are you hurt?
I'm fine.
I saw Toremi.
[The security camera at the warehouse]
[didn't capture any suspicious person]
[hence, police suspects it might the work of acquaintance]
[The gas canisters found at the warehouse]
[are sold within the city]
[Police are tracing the purchase history to find clues]
[That's all for the news today.]
[Let's switch to the next corner]
[Next up, Check Your Colors!]
[There's a current buzz at South America...]
[found about 200m from Shinbashi station at an abandoned building]
[Yesterday at around 1.30am]
[A male corpse's whole body hardened with mortar was discovered by police after an emergency call]
[The corpse was about 30-40 years old]
[Height ~170cm, weight ~65kg]
[Cause of death was suffocation by mortar]
[Police is still trying to confirm the identity]
Thanks for the meal. -Alrighty.
[Investigation continues]
Chief. Was it Toremi?
Yes. Toremi approached Kisaragi. We're holding emergency meeting.
Takano, report the situation. -Yes.
A call came around 12.30am at Atago Minami's representative.
A message was left for Kisaragi.
from a caller who identified himself as Toremi
To search around the shrubbery.
Kisaragi found this.
It's the victim.
This is outrageous.
What's the meaning of '17'?
Kisaragi.
You saw Toremi? -Yes.
I only saw Toremi's exterior.
Black hat, sunglasses, slender
Height about 180cm, I'm not sure about age.
Then he escaped in a white van and the number
300-918
He escaped after I tried to approach him.
Kisaragi
Good observation.
But I have a bad feeling about this.
There will be a second victim.
What does he mean?
The victim is with Toremi.
Search thoroughly and ensure the capture Toremi!
Delay the time
and let him say more information.
What do you think it means?
These are human bones.
Toremi!
Release that person!
I will
end this agony.
There are things in this world that can never be forgiven.
I will never forgive you!