"Ow, ow, ow. What an asshole—!"
Rubbing his back after landing on all fours on the other side of the portal, Inase frowned at the large shoeprint on his pants.
"He's gonna pay for it."
Clicking his tongue, he rose on his feet, dusted off the dirt, and strolled around the unfamiliar surroundings—it didn't take him long to forget about the whole ordeal.
Instead of being petty, he focused on the mission at hand—he needed to pinpoint the location and year of his arrival, so he could adapt.
Since he wasn't trapped in an unknown reality inside a museum anymore, estimating the timeline shouldn't be too difficult. There were plenty of places he could investigate here. The question was, where should he even begin?
His eyes scanned the area in search of an iconic landmark.
The first thing he observed in the nearby dock was that it bustled with sailors and workers. Some loaded nets and barrels onto the ship, preparing for another trip. Others unloaded the decks from their (insignificant) catch at the sea.
All were busy—since fish wouldn't grow legs and march to the containers, they had to do it all by themselves.
Across the docks, several fish stands were erected with various specimens on display. Selling and buying seafood freshly out of water has become very popular lately. Maybe Inase could take a peek at what was happening there...
Sure, he'd pay a visit to the harbor, why not?
He approached the first person he spotted—an old lady busy organizing her goods.
"What are you selling?"
Inase curiously leaned over the stall, with hands resting in his pockets.
"Woah!" Being too concentrated on the task ahead, the older woman jumped in surprise at his sudden voice.
The downside of having so much at hand was that she couldn't pay attention to anything else besides it. Rarely did she have any customers outside of the town's residents. And out of those she knew very well, none would suddenly surprise her like this youngster did.
"You scared me, lad."
Inase remained silent, simply waiting for her answer with a plastered smile.
"These are some unusual clothes. Are you a foreigner?" But the lady inquired to know more, out of curiosity.
She eyed him from head to toe, wondering which country he was from. She had never seen anyone dressed like him before.
"Something like that." He ignored it. "So, how's the fishing going?"
"Well, we caught an octopus. Fished it out early this morning. Other than that, we have clam, crab, sprat, and some mackerel, if you're interested."
"All of it sounds tasty."
Inase's nod of approval buttered up the lady's pride in her goods.
"Of course. They are very fresh, I bet my heart on it!"
Proudly, she drew a cross on her chest, a symbol of promise.
"If you say so, I would take you up on the offer, Mrs…?"
"Nancy," answered simply.
"Mrs.Nancy. Unfortunately, I don't have enough money on me right now. Maybe next time-" Her offer's rejection was cut short by a strong smack on his back.
"What are you saying!" She exclaimed, flabbergasted.
Thus, their scuffle (the neverending cycle of passing the fish) had begun.
"So young and already broke, who would have thought! Here, at least take these with ya. You need to put nutrients in this scrawny body of yours!"
When one placed a fish in the other's hand, the other smacked it back onto the stall's flat surface. The old lady shook her head in disappointment, yet couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
"Eh, but—" Inase was opposed to this idea. He tried to push away the smelly carcass that the lady stuck out inches before his eyes. "I'm fine without it."
"Take it!" The lady insisted, "We have enough for the whole town," and tried to press it directly into his hands instead.
"No, thank you!" Inase didn't want to walk around the town holding a stinky sea creature!
"Don't be shy~ You need to eat!" She stood firm in her beliefs that the fish be taken with him, not minding the odor of the thing in hand, or rather, one that the entire dock was filled with.
"I really don't need it—" He, on the contrary, didn't want to reek of such.
"Take! It! I don't need a day-old fish in my showcase stall!" The woman finally snapped.
She hadn't dared to mention earlier that it wasn't from the wild sea, but from the emergency containers the townspeople had prepared just in case.
"So this was your true motive all along, old hag!"
"Who are you calling old hag, wee man? I'm still pretty and young!"
"As if—!"
"What is this!?" Incidents came in pairs, so it seemed. Their push-and-pulls were disturbed by a distant angry scream. "Our nets were squeaky clean when I let you borrow them!"
"Sir, please, calm down…" A trembling, quiet voice followed.
"Don't you dare order my pal, grandpa." A situation of an aggressor and a victim arose in the corner of a bystander's eyes. "We're here to take back what's ours. With interest, obviously!"
"What's happening this time…" Inase turned his head with a grimace as he pushed away the smelly fish.
Four docks ahead, by a small boat packed to the brim with nets overgrown with algae, stood three men—two bulky and one older gentleman, barely able to work on the sea anymore.
The two towered above the senile, giving him a very intimidating glare. Seemingly, they were furious about how tangled their nets had become on the journey back to port, unbearably so. The algae clinging to the numerous holes only made the nets look even less presentable.
They expected, no, pressured the elderly man, whose knees had been trembling as he stood, into untangling the nets immediately or preparing new ones on the spot.
Perfect timing; Inase thought, lurking from afar—he had found his first victims.
Really, youngsters of any era didn't change in the slightest. Instead of helping the old man, they extorted him for more—Inase knew better than to give them the benefit of the doubt.
"Say it again, grandpa!"
"Young lads… I tried to sail out of the reef, so I landed in a cluster of seaweed, have mercy…"
"And what does it have to do with us, huh? We rented you the nets, but you destroyed them in return! I demand a refund!" The taller one kicked the boat out of rage. "Be happy there is no court in this town, otherwise we would sue your a—hack!"
And with that, both troublemakers nearly choked when two forearms ruthlessly snagged them each by their necks.
"The hell are you doin'!?"
"Alright, that's enough. We need to have a small talk."
Dragging them away, Inase didn't bother turning to check on the old man—his mind was already set on something else... Behind an old building, where no one finds them.
"What the hell? Who do you think you are–Ouch! It hurts!"
Didn't take long to knock them out, take their clothes and money, and leave them somewhere in the ditch. They were a perfect prey to take advantage of, a too-good-of-an-opportunity to pass by.
"Clothes secured, that was easy."
The blonde guised himself as one of the locals, and luckily, had another set waiting for his white-haired companion.
But, while changing into a disguise, he noticed something slimy weight in his jacket's pocket as he was taking it off…
"Yuck!" His expression turned into that of disgust. "That old hag sure is stubborn, eh…"
A wet fish tickled his fingertips when he grabbed its slippery fins and pulled it out. Its moisture and coldness made it feel like it would twitch at any moment, brought back from the dead as if it only hibernated.
That woman had some nimble fingers, slipping it into his pocket without anyone noticing—the corner of his lips curled into a smirk.
If Inase wanted to get rid of it quickly, then what better idea than to shove it in the mouth of one of the unconscious men?
"Serves you right."
So he did just that. After the imaginary dust was brushed off his hands, he waltzed out of the corner with a brand-new look and strolled into the main road.
On the way,
"Here," Inase flicked a coin for the vendor (who clumsily caught it mid-air) when he passed by the town's only snack stand. "I'll take one bag."
Roasted peanuts for a penny were a steal.
Who would have thought that the poverty of this era would become profitable for someone who hadn't known the value of future money?
Inase threw one at a time into his mouth, his mind free of worry—every bite made the texture even more enjoyable when watching the pub's TV. He arrived there just a moment ago.
The crispy crunches popped in his ears, sending a chill of satisfaction each time his strong molars cracked one open, as the monochrome screen played on, providing him with amusement.
"Ha-hahaha!" He laughed loudly, clutching his sides as a silent comedy skit proved funnier than he'd expected. "That's hilarious!"
The thought that old shows were for old people lingered in his mind for only a brief moment. In the next, he realized his assumptions were wrong—they could, in fact, be quite entertaining.
Be it a young lady playing a wreck of a piano, or a man with a mustache having a very unfortunate day, old slapstick, free from political commentary, united people through its sheer silliness.
"They don't make them like they used to anymore."
Of course, Inase referred to his original time, when the only entertainment on TV was broadcasts of often-repeated movies—what could be salvaged after the apocalypse (anything stored digitally was lost, leaving only discs or tapes).
No one had time to create new content when survival was all that mattered. The days of human creativity were long since gone.
Thus, Inase could only enjoy these types of things during his time-dives. And while watching comedy skits, he could also listen to surrounding conversations. He had excellent hearing, which allowed him to eavesdrop without any problems arising.
It was a win-win situation.
Most of the town's talk centered around everyday events: little Timmy breaking his leg when chasing pigeons, Barbara losing her cat for the third time that week, or the recent rise in oil prices.
While these topics were engaging for the locals, Inase found them utterly boring.
Nothing here I can pick up about any unusual occurrences or anything like that…
He was about to stand up and move to another popular spot when, amidst his boredom, he heard the unexpected low voice of a man with an accent that didn't belong to a rural town.
"Whiskey on the rock, master."
His habit of speaking in a deeper tone was typical of a city dweller, yet it also projected the persona of a hardboiled detective.
An outsider.
Inase sensed it in the air, intrigued. Perhaps he could finally learn something more, so he inched closer.
"That is an odd choice," He commented, sitting beside the guy on a tall stool. "Drinking in the early afternoon, sir?"
"It doesn't matter whether it's morning or night," The man watched his whiskey swirl in his glass like a fine wine, not the poison it truly was. "A drink tastes the same, no matter the time. That's the beauty, and the curse of it."
He took a slow sip, savoring the burn, while Inase studied his every motion.
"I'm chasing after something, you see. The ghosts of the past haunt me, so I drown them in the bottom of the glass." He continued his dramatic monologue. "Even I know whiskey won't wash away my past. It'll only sharpen them, like a blade waiting for the right moment to strike. But if it makes me escape this hell of regret just for a little while, is all that matters."
"Uh-huh…"
Yup, he definitely came from a big city and lived in an expensive apartment uptown, as evidenced by his fancy habits and speech, which sounded far more sophisticated than any average man's. It was as though he had stepped straight out of a noir movie.
From his responses, Inase concluded he should play along.
"You see, I've been drinking quite a lot myself. So much, in fact, that I don't even remember what the date is today. And, I'm from out of town. Stumbled in already drunk, so I don't know where I arrived…"
There was a melodic tune to his words as he pretended to be hungover.
Glancing from under a squinted eye, the man showed concern for Inase's state—the whimsical pretending act.
"Oh, if that's the case then—"
He took a short glance at a gold watch, the kind that glitters (in his words) like a promise—its needles relentlessly moving forward, stealing seconds like a thief, never giving him a chance to turn back.
Simply put, he bought Inase's story.
"It's October 15th, 1934. Five miles away from Rockport, the salt in the air burns on my nostrils, reminding me of that grim evening when gunpowder scattered across the room and lit from a spark of a cigar (he skipped this detail, but it was his cigar). I barely escaped with my life intact. You sure you alright, partner?"
What the hell is this man talking about…?
He didn't know, nevertheless, he concurred.
"Yes, yes. It'll pass in a bit." Of course, he was lying. "It will get better once I finish my bag of peanuts." Yet, still didn't let these go.
They were incredibly tasty; the earthy flavor enhanced the tender depth of the roasted texture, making each bite even more delightful on his tongue.
A few crunches later, Inase turned into a refreshed, new man.
"Ah~ I've been revived!"
With a long stretch, resembling a homeless cat that just woke up, he finally got to the main point.
"How is the investigation going, detective?"
At last, he asked with confidence, leaning on his fist and turning into a completely different person compared to how he had behaved prior.
"Oh? Have we met before? Or have I told you that I am one?"
The detective raised an eyebrow, to which Inase smirked with confidence.
"I think the way you carry yourself says enough." He doubled down, "I don't need to be a genius to deduce that you are one."
The truth was, the long trench coat, the expensive fedora, the thick cigar in his breast pocket, and the golden lighter were what gave that man away. In addition to having a gritty and sharp appearance, his silhouette also betrayed the weariness of life he had hardships with—a textbook portrayal of a rough-around-the-edges detective.
"..."
A second of silence had passed, raising tension between them. Then another when the man narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"In my years of profession, I have seen many bright minds crumble to dust before my eyes."
Suddenly, he was swept into a flashback, his memories surfacing out of nowhere.
"Just like that one faithful night, when the rain dripped from the brim of my hat like a loose coin rolling off the table into the undying darkness.
A case I'd taken led me to a dim corner of the street—a labyrinth of shadows it was, where trust was as rare as a clean slate.
I knew I was knee-deep in a web spun by greed and betrayal, and I could almost feel the noose tightening around my neck, but I was no stranger to danger—I thrived in the gloom, dancing with the darkness while the rest of the world cowered in the light.
I leaned against the lamppost as I watched over the city. A cigarette in my hand, the smoke curling up into the murky night and disappearing like it was keeping secrets that could fill a coffin.
I waited for him, but he never came.
My old partner, Mr. Homes, used to warn me to trust no one, before he got himself killed in this very case—shot in the heart, like a heartbroken maiden seeking love from an infamous convict. He was a bright man; had a smart mind, smarter than mine. Yet, in this world, only fools are left alive to pass on the story of the great ones.
Yes, I am a fool, and he was a great fella. The question is, whether you are up to take on the task he bestowed upon me?"
Skip.
Inase was about to turn in the opposite direction; without a word, leave him to his delusions and his lengthy speech.
The detective noticed it, therefore, his attitude also changed.
"Don't go, young lad—Hey, don't leave me here alone."
A doubtful spark in his eye turned into an excited one in an instant.
"Magnificent! Utmostly amazing!" He exclaimed in euphoria, holding the young man in place by the shoulders. "To be able to deduce this much from one glance!"
I only said what I saw. You sank into your own delusions! Geez, what a pain-in-the-ass of a detective.
Seemingly, it didn't matter for that man, as long as he could talk to someone clever inside of this faraway port town and use their intelligence to solve this case successfully. So, not wanting to waste this opportunity sent by God, he took the blonde's hands and squeezed them tightly, threatening never to let go.
"Young man, will you help me?"
"Ha-?"
Inase blinked twice to digest the current situation. Was that man, the fancy-pants detective, really asking him for help in a case? Why?
"I beg you!"
All of a sudden, he was on his knees? Since when was he this fast!? Besides, his noir detective vibe was gone! What in the hell-!?
"This is my last chance to prove to my agency I'm competent. It has been years since I've brought back a successful case and been a laughingstock of my subordinates ever since. If I don't bring good news, I'm as good as fired." Suddenly, he spilled his entire life story, begging for his career to be spared. "So, please, help me!"
The young man felt a headache incoming.
"Argh… Wait, wait, wait. Give me some time to process…" He scratched the back of his head in irritation.
On the outside, he looked confused, but inside, he was grinning. This was the perfect opportunity to gather intel.
Jackpot.
He mentally snapped his fingers and said, "Fine… I'll aid you," feigning annoyance with a dramatic groan. "But only if you give me something in return. First, what's your name?"
"Just call me Detective Watson." The man answered eagerly.
Inase couldn't help but chuckle internally.
This guy was either naïve or just plain foolish. He might be trying to project an image of a hardboiled detective, but he clearly wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.
"Alright, Detective Watson. My price for helping you is every finding you've got. What have you gathered so far? What brought you out to this countryside?"
"Well…"
This is going to be another long story, isn't it… Inase lamented mentally.
The man's eyes shifted left and right, making sure no one else overheard their conversation. He hesitated to give away such precious information at first, but soon he gave in to the temptation.
Watching a serious man, who looked like a million bucks, behave so comically was entertaining in its own way—on par with what was on TV screen.
"The locals mentioned a few disappearances."
That's it? I thought the story would be longer…
"Who exactly?" Inase pressed.
"Ada, an old lady nearing her 80s. Loved knitting scarves for the local youth." He gave some specifics. "And then, James. He's a young man who just came back from a week-long trip to the sea. It's odd for him to disappear just like that after he missed his home for so long. He's been missing for nine days."
"Indeed. Anyone else?" Inase listened carefully.
"There's one more, from what I was told, that had been reported. Dorothy. Freckles, brown hair, ponytail, in her 30s. Disappeared three days ago."
The detective made sure to describe the missing people while Inase fell into deep thought.
"Hm…" A finger to his chin, "From what you've said, I can't find any common characteristics between them. What about the place they went missing…?" His blue eyes shifted.
"I have no clue. People just don't appear again in the morning." The detective shrugged, dejected. "That's all I know."
"I see." That was a problem… Not a lot of information at hand, but at least it's something he could start with.
"I was tasked with finding a missing person." The man continued. "It was the young man I told you about. His family is one of the wealthiest, so they sent a request to my agency and, well… Here I am." He chuckled. "So, will you help me?"
"I'll see what I can do."
The more he pleaded, the more pathetic he seemed.
What had happened to his tough exterior? It had been completely abandoned out of desperation to keep his only job. Besides, rather than helping the detective, Inase wanted to help himself.
"For now, I'll look around some more. Thanks for the company."
Thus, the blonde stood from the chair, giving a half-hearted wave for goodbye. He was eager to get out of that man's sight to avoid any further annoyances, both now, and in the future.
He intended to avoid this man altogether.
"Ah—" But the detective halted him by grabbing his wrist. "By any chance, do you happen to know anything about the robbery of two men that occurred nearby? I saw them stripped, heard their complaints, and am looking for the culprit… Heard anything?"
Shit… These two bastards.
A cold bead of sweat rolled down Inase's neck as his lips curled into a broken smile, praying for the man to be dumb enough to overlook it.
"No, sir. I have no idea what you're talking about."
He skillfully maneuvered out of the tricky situation, just like he slipped out his wrist from the detective's weak grip without drawing attention.
Before leaving the pub, he casually sent a short salute to the bartender, signalizing that he'd be back again soon.
Inase did it so effortlessly that the detective completely forgot to ask for his name, setting off on his own in search for more clues…
***
"And this is what happened," the blonde concluded, holding back a hiccup from having too much to drink during their fruitful evening.
The two already checked into their shared room and sat on separate beds, listening to his tale.
The inn they were staying at, for the time being, was surprisingly clean for a place you'd expect during these rough times.
No bugs roamed around nor dirty sheets from a couple's freaky last night. The water was running smoothly too, even though its color was a bit rusty. As long as they wouldn't drink it, it should be fine. Everything else seemed to be in order, too.
"Since when am I Bill in your narrative?"
Hosen leaned against his pillow, cross-armed. Even the comfiest of beds right now didn't change the fact that his mood was very cranky.
"Still fixated about that one? No point in fighting about it now. Those were the first names that came to my mind."
Inase scratched the back of his head trying to defuse the situation with a mouthy whine.
"It's ridiculous."
Will and Bill, a perfect name for a comedic duo, the next Charlie Chaplins of their era—Hosen obviously hated that thought.
Just imagining them both tap dancing and performing a synchronized satirical skit was cursed enough to make his face twist into a cringe. Not because of the comedy star of the century being mentioned, of course, but because they were absolutely unfitting for this profession.
"Let it go, man. It's already out there, gonna be hard to change it now." Inase was met with a deadly stare from the scientist before,
"...fine," he reluctantly agreed. "But, next time I'm the one thinking of our names."
"Sure, sure. Whatever you want." The blonde let out another hiccup, his mind was already in a different place, wandering around topics that were not important at the moment. "This beer sure hits different, huh. My whole world is spinning."
He earned an eye-roll from the scientist.
"It's because you drank eleven pints."
Why did Hosen suddenly feel like a nagging mother? He'd never had any motherly instincts, to begin with, but this guy sure brought out the worst in people.
Now he understood why that female researcher had been scolding Inase for the smallest details he messed up on—it was hard to trust someone who was so indifferent to their work.
"You better wake up in the morning without a whine. We need to be in peak condition for tomorrow."
"I'll be fine, Mom~" Inase waved him off after rolling to the side and showing the other his back.
His response only further proved Hosen's motherly concerns to be correct.
Good night to you too, ass.
After hearing all of this, he decided that they should worry about their exploration in the morning. Right now, they needed a proper rest before a long day of work.
With a sigh, Hosen walked up to the window. He glanced outside, taking in the misty scenery one last time.
Thick fog blanketed over the port, making it hard to steer at night. The only unwavering hope for navigation was the stars, but those too, were difficult to spot in these harsh weather conditions.
This harbor, where shadows clung to the corners and darted out of sight from the flickering gas lamps, was filled with a sense of unease.
Feeling like he was being watched, Hosen closed the exterior shutters, followed by the curtains, and blew out the lights.