Chapter 10

INTERMISSION Online Rumors (2) On the Ikebukuro information site IkeNew! Version I.KEBU.KUR.O Popular Post: [Urban Legend Resumes] Turns out the serial disappearances in Ikebukuro are being done by the Headless Rider! “Is the Headless Rider the common factor linking the Ikebukuro serial disappearances?” (Rehosted from Daily Baboo online site) Has the darkness in Ikebukuro finally made itself known? Tokyo is stunned by a recent situation that might make you wonder about that. Young people in the Ikebukuro area have been going missing since last December, and now whispers are swirling that the disappearances might be related to the Headless Rider. They say the missing and runaways share one key trait. What is that trait? That they were pursuing the identity of the Headless Rider. The Headless Rider is a mysterious being that has been seen countless times over at least the last two decades. It rides a motorcycle that makes no engine noise and transforms into a headless horse. The rider creates shadow from its own body that it can control at will. The only suitable term for such a being is urban legend, but in recent times, up until six months ago, it was a common enough sight that residents of Ikebukuro were regularly capturing it on their phone cameras. But since those eyewitness accounts dropped off, some young folks have turned into fervent “devotees” of the Headless Rider. To a person, they told others in their vicinity that they “might be able to meet the Headless Rider,” immediately before they disappeared. Last month, a writer for a local print magazine even disappeared after claiming that she was going to “meet with an influential intel provider.” (Omitted) There are also rumors about connections between the Headless Rider and local yakuza. Even the police are looking into the rider as a person of interest in the string of disappearances. (Omitted) —(The rest of this article can be read at the original link) Comment from IkeNew! Administrator First, they vanished, I thought, now they’re doing the vanishing. For the people who have gone missing to show up safe and sound, I pray. Admin: Rira Tailtooth Zaiya A selection of representative twits from the social network Twittia You remember how the Headless Rider had a bounty at one point? Well, that sure got canceled in a hurry. Suspicious, yeah? I bet the government was involved. I think the police scolded the person who set up the bounty. Common sense should tell you that the police would be mad about it. They probably took that into account before placing the bounty. It’s suspicious because they retracted it right away. Never underestimate Max Sandshelt’s love for messy drama. A kid from my college is missing. It’s crazy. They’ve been a huge fanatic of the Headless Rider since they were a kid. Isn’t that wild? It’s freaky. I think I’m happier that they’re gone now. What a creep. That’s really inappropriate to say about someone who’s gone missing. So? I can say what I want. Don’t pop into a stranger’s thread. Who are you? Oh yeah? I can reply what I want, too. You’re just as annoying. Then don’t look at my twits, idiot. Go die! Die, die, die, die. According to your past posts, you’ve driven drunk. And it seems like you’re cheating at school, too? I’ll go ahead and report that, Mr. Raira Freshman. I’m sorry, I was just joking. I’m not a student at Raira University, either. Please don’t contact the school, you’ll only be bothering them. * (The original poster was later expelled from Raira University, then prosecuted for a separate matter. The case is still in court.) Before the magazine writer went missing, they said they were meeting an influential intel provider. But who would be able to provide info about the Headless Rider? I’ve seen the rider carrying a guy in a white lab coat on their back seat. Rumor is that’s a black market doctor. Maybe Shizuo Heiwajima? You see him around it, too. So it’s like 1) Shizuo gets pissed 2) throws them really far away 3) they’re never seen again? Holy crap. Wasn’t there some info dealer who would talk with the Headless Rider now and then? “info dealer” lol I’m serious! There was a guy! You mean the one in the black fur-lined coat? Haven’t seen him lately.