Ch. 4 - Delayed Departure
"Desperation is like stealing from the Mafia: you stand a good chance of attracting the wrong attention."
- Douglas Horton
A chill sea breeze lifted Ari's coat from where she leaned on the clear glass railing of Yokohama's Marine Tower, her eyes narrowing slightly at the colder than expected gale. She knew fall was just around the corner, but even then it felt stronger than usual. Perhaps a cold front was coming in?
A few feet away, Jay huddled closer to the heater placed by their table, pulling another piece of bread from the plate in front of him and eating it in a fashion not at all unlike a squirrel. She chuckled, knowing that the sight was only thanks to the wind and that they were one of three parties at the regal eatery. Apparently it was a slow day for them, but it didn't bother the travelers. Now they had the place practically to themselves – or at least the outside since the elderly pair and solitary business man kept to the warmer interior of the establishment.
Turning back to gaze out over the choppy harbor, she felt her expression sober, a tinge of guilt hitting her hard as she once more grasped the fact she was partially to blame for their premature departure. Sure, it would happen eventually, but she felt bad that it had to come so soon even if the other two brushed off what happened earlier – Jay barely even teasing her for causing a car accident, sticking to Rothenburg with the tenacity of a cockroach.
"You screwed up, big deal. It could've happened to anyone." His words echoed through her mind when they first arrived at the tower, "At least now we can finally be spared from your constant whining to leave. All in all, I'd say it's a small win."
She shook her head, a small smile forming on her features. At least Tuck hadn't taken it as hard as she anticipated – the man currently on the other side of the tower gazing out at the city in wonder. Indeed, he seemed even more ecstatic that they were setting off for Kyoto in the morning, saying that now he could wear a haori without a doubt even if the other two remained by their point that the outfit wasn't often worn in public by locals, let alone foreigners.
At least now we can finally leave this wretched place behind us… She thought as her form relaxed on the railing for the first time since the events that morning and encountering the dark man earlier. They briefly discussed him and who he may be on the way, but Ari ultimately ended the unnerving topic by stating they likely wouldn't see him again in their lives and would be fortunate not to. Indeed, she hoped they'd never cross paths with him or anyone associated with him within the next 24 hours.
After Adelaide, they really didn't need another major complication in their journey.
The young woman sighed, pulling up her hood and resting her head on her arms. I knew we never should have come here… Nothing good could ever come from a place like this.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" an unfamiliar voice stated, accompanied by a hand taking one of hers in its grasp. Ari blinked, looking in mild surprise at the man who suddenly appeared next to her, his dark hair flowing in the wind, "A perfect place for a double suicide, don't you think?"
It took her a second to register what was happening and who he was, and when she did all she could say was, "Eh?"
Above his shoulder, she could make out Jay casting a curious look her way, but his form was blocked as the man leaned down and smiled brightly at her, his numerous bandages now much clearer in view. This guy…he's the same one from the street and resort. Did he follow me? Ari narrowed her eyes, expression blanking upon his next words.
"Say, would a breathtaking woman like yourself join me in leaping off this tower into the next world?" he asked with upmost sincerity that took her aback. However, when his words registered, her wide-eyed expression sharpened into an icy glare.
"How dare you," she growled, not even worried about retrieving her hand, "Join you in suicide? You say that as if you ask every woman you meet the same thing."
"Well, you're not wr-"
"You scum!" she snarled, effectively silencing him as he shot a semi-surprised gaze at her fury, "Do you value human life at all? Obviously not. Even if you so badly want to end your life, it does not excuse your sheer indifference and disrespect for another's. How can you possibly ask someone – a stranger you don't even know – to put an end to their life just to fulfill some sick fantasy of yours?!"
The man blinked, likely not expecting such a reaction as she finished coldly, "No. You're not scum, you're worse than scum."
Snatching her hand back, she roughly pushed past the man, all traces of previous calm burned to a crisp as she glowered. What is it with this place? Even its residents are terrible. We can't leave this hellhole fast enough. Ari huffed, noting with an ounce of satisfaction that Tuck returned and was watching her and the man questioningly beside Jay, whose words were torn away by another gale. At least now she didn't have to go through the trouble of finding him. Hopefully convincing them to relocate would go just as smoothly.
A chuckle filled the air, causing her to pause in her tracks to scowl at the man as he turned and pinned her with a wry smile, "That was quite a look you gave me just now – exactly what I'd expect to find from a master thief."
Ari felt her stomach drop, expression deadpanning. It isn't possible… How could he…?! The answer made her grimace. That's right; he was at the intersection earlier, so he would've seen my ability in action. Damn. Of course he'd see.
"Oh? And what gives you that idea?" she replied coyly, pulling a hand behind her back and folding all but her smallest two fingers. She didn't even have to see the others to know that their calm curiosity swiftly morphed into a tense readiness. "Last I checked you were just some guy with no qualm about life and trying to end his own, not a detective. Even then, what makes you think you can catch, let alone prove those accusations against me?"
His smile widened, complete indifference to her words bothering her alongside the clouded feeling she quickly gathered from the man. The more she felt it, the more unease she experienced. Something about him wasn't right – just like the older man earlier, but where his was menacing, this guy's held darkness but it was so shrouded by other things every time she tried to grasp it, it slipped through her fingers.
This guy… She narrowed her eyes, shifting into a defensive position. He's dangerous. Still… Ari smirked slightly, it's not like he can even touch me.
"Oh?" his tone sharpened, eyes losing a hint of their previous informality, "Do you want to make a bet then?" She stared at him emotionlessly as he shifted toward her, "Winner buys the loser drinks."
Ari blinked but then shook her head and laughed, "Talking about a bet so casually now of all times? You really are weird one." Meeting his gaze she finished, "Fine, I'll accept. But don't worry, you won't have to spend a dime on me – I'll be long gone before you have a chance to wake up."
He smirked confidently, not even a bit disturbed by what she said, "Just try it."
Ari scowled, activating her ability and pinning him with a deadly stare as the golden bands of light flowed around her, "Don't cry when I wipe that smug grin off your face."
In the next second she jumped, aiming a precise kick at his face only for the man to swiftly dodge and roll so that they switched positions. However, without a target, her assault continued much further – enough to propel her over the edge of the tower. The man shot a shocked look back, eyes showing genuine confusion as a clear question of her motives flashed through his features at which Ari's chuckle quickly sobered.
"What? You looked like you were actually scared for me a second there," she stated haughtily, folding her arms and staring down at him, "Don't tell me those words earlier were all just a ruse to break the ice."
The man frowned, red-brown eyes sharpening as he stared at the young woman standing effortlessly on thin air, his lips curving up as he deduced, "I see, so your ability allows for levitation. Not particularly unique, I must say."
Ari's brow twitched at the barbed comment, expression soon molding back into a superior one, "Please, I'm one of a kind. And you're close, but not quite there buddy. My ability is far more than a simple parlor trick like this," she punctuated by flipping over, letting the added inertia and gravity strengthen her kick, "But if you manage to remember all this when you wake up, I'll send a postcard congratulating your attempt."
Right when her boot's heel was inches away from his head, the man smirked – action thoroughly catching Ari off-guard alongside another point. He's making no attempt to dodge this time. What is he…? Her thoughts stopped as he promptly caught her attack, scrunching down a bit from the force.
His fingers wrapped around her ankle as Ari stared at him, stunned by the block, while he said with a note of admiration, "That was quite the kick. Not the most powerful I've seen, but pretty close. Indeed, it could've easily knocked me out if you managed to connect. However," his eyes instantly grew ten degrees colder, "you're no match for me."
Suddenly, bands of blueish-white light sprung from him, Ari gawking at its familiarity. He's an ability user?! Noting her newfound understanding, he smiled, "Yes, I too am gifted with an ability – one that nullifies any other by a simple touch."
Simple touch…?! Ari gasped, feeling her power vanish in the blink of an eye only to be replaced by a quick rush of air that ended in an unceremonious landing on her back. The pain momentarily sent stars in her vision and she groaned while beginning to sit up only to have the newcomer lower himself so they were eye to eye, snatching up her arm in a vice grip and saying cheerfully, "Gotcha."
The young woman scowled, hating the feeling of helplessness that quickly surrounded her. Be that as it may, it swiftly departed upon hearing Tuck and Jay cry out respectively: "Aria!" "You bastard, get away from her!"
They glanced over where the two glared at him, Ari staring in horror as the man merely tilted his head, "Oh? Are these your companions?"
"Don't you dare touch them!" Ari snarled, instincts screaming to keep his attention on her and coming out successfully as he turned back, "They've nothing to do with this. It was all me, only me."
For a moment, her heart pounded painfully, wondering whether he'd actually listen. A brief relief came when he responded, "What's this? Are you confessing to the crime, Aria-chan?"
The woman glowered, not sure whether his usage of her name or the fact she really was confessing to the jerk disgusted her more, "Yes, now get on with it and turn me into the police or whatever."
For a moment, the man stared at her as if dissecting every bit of who she was and what she said, making her feel all that more uncomfortable. But just as quickly as it came, it vanished as he chuckled, "That won't be necessary, you see," he pulled out a small item from his coat pocket, opening it to reveal an I.D. with his photo underneath an official symbol bearing the name 'Armed Detective Agency', "I am the police."
Armed Detective Agency? You've got to be kidding me. He's one of them? Ari grimaced, staring at the card as if it were responsible for her situation. The man's name seemed to fill her with just as much annoyance as its owner: Dazai Osamu. Before she could say a thing, movement from the corner of her eyes caused her head to whip around to find Jay and Tuck swiftly making their way toward her.
Alarm filled her being, and she quickly yelled while the agent curiously glanced their way, "No! Don't come!"
The pair stopped in their tracks, shooting pained, confused looks her way that tore at Ari's heart, but not as much as the next part. Steeling her gaze, she commanded, "Go. If you don't run now, it'll only complicate things further. I made this mess, and I will clean it up."
"Aria…" Tuck murmured, looking as if he were about to cry while Jay appeared beside himself at the mere thought of leaving her, "You idiot! Do you think we actually care about that? No way! We're not-!"
"Stop being so selfish!" Ari snapped, silencing the teen who shot a shocked look her way, "For once in your life, listen to me and run! I won't be the reason we stop here, so get a move on!"
Jay scowled, looking ready to argue when Tuck placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. The action appeased him if only a bit as he turned his ice blue eyes back on her and growled, "Fine. But you better not make us wait too long. You're the one who wanted to leave so badly in the first place."
Ari gave a small, grateful smile and nodded, heart beginning to relax as they quickly snatched up their bags from the table and made their way inside only to have their escape cut short. The red-haired woman's blood turned to ice as a tall, blonde man stood in their way, narrowing his eyes behind a pair of thin glasses, "Sorry, but we can't let you leave yet. Since you're associated with the culprit, you're liable as well."
The woman glared at him, adrenaline rushing through her veins and giving her the energy to shove away the first agent. She managed a few steps, mind desperately screaming to save them, before the brunette wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her back so that she hung an inch above the ground. Shooting him a wild look, she practically screamed, "I thought I told you they have nothing to do with this! Leave them alone!"
"Sorry, but Kunikida-kun is right, we can't just let them leave," he answered smoothly, "Besides, drinking is always better with company, don't you think?"
"Bastard…!" she glared at him, breathing becoming more laborious as his arm dug into her lower lungs, forcing her to push up with a hand to ease the task if only a little. Despite his thin appearance, his grip was far firmer than she expected.
He gave a small smile before turning back to the three, "Don't be so upset. At least this way you don't have to separate, right?"
Ari frowned, letting her eyes trail over to where the man, Kunikida if she heard correctly, stared down at her companions, reaching out to Jay, "Alright, now if you'd come wi-"
The man didn't have the chance to finish as the teen swiftly jabbed him in the chest, sending him to the ground, his glasses skewed as he stared into the air with a stunned expression. Ari's heart lifted in relief as Jay tugged Tuck forward, yelling, "Come on!"
Just as they were about to cross the threshold, the air around her whirled and she was jerked about as the first agent jumped up and balanced precariously on the railing, wind blowing at their hair and coats from the extended height as he spoke up, "Now, now, no need to leave so soon. You wouldn't want to turn your back on saving two people from accidentally falling over the edge, would you?"
Tuck and Jay stared in mirrored horror as Ari tensed in his grip, teal eyes wide. Such a fall normally wouldn't bother her, but his ability changed things. So long as he remained in contact with her, she couldn't prevent either of them from going splat on the pavement far below. For the first time since gaining her gift, the young woman shook from their height and the prospect of free falling without a parachute.
Still, the feeling failed to compare to the resounding dread the trio felt as his companion groaned, beginning to recover as he instructed warmly, "See? That wasn't so bad. Now, let's get back to the Agency, shall we? I think I've had just about enough of this view."
…
"…all of which accounts for at least a million yen in damages, not including those incurred on secondary parties and the charges of assaulting two agents while attempting to flee," Kunikida listed, his voice long since having become a nuisance to Ari's ears from where she sat on a bench with Tuck and Jay inside one of the Armed Detective Agency's rooms typically suited for more sensitive requests. She didn't know why they bothered as the room was practically full of curious eyes trained on them.
"Well?" the blonde agent snapped, "Do you have anything to say for yourself?! And quit yawning like you're about to pass out, you're just as guilty brat," he directed toward Jay, anger spiking at his impartiality.
"Of what? Self-defense? What was I supposed to do when a strange man tried to grab me?" Jay retorted, returning the man's glare, "Besides, I didn't even hit you that hard."
"You nearly gave me a concussion!" Kunikida rebutted furiously.
Ari suppressed a groan, wanting nothing but to bury her head in her hands. She thought the car ride over was bad, but this was much worse. From the moment they set foot in the office they'd been stared at like some circus act and then forced to listen to this guy's droning voice list every case of theft in the resort linked to her. Every single one. If not for the fact that her nerves were on edge already from entering the office with the other two, she'd have passed out.
Laughter sounded close beside her, making Ari's brow twitch in annoyance as Dazai teased the man, "Don't worry, Kunikida-kun, we won't tell anyone that you were beaten by a blind kid. Although I have to say it was quite the sight, no pun intended Jay-kun."
"You bastard…" Kunikida shot him a sullen glare while Jay spat, "Shut up! I'm not a kid!"
Ari rolled her eyes, already witnessing the conversation seven times on the journey there and their arrival. What did they think the moody teen was doing with a walking stick in the middle of the city? Keeping it close in the occasion a mountain suddenly springing up in downtown? These idiots…
"Give it a rest," she growled, adding with more irritation while turning to snap where Dazai sat so close they were touching, "And have you ever heard the term 'personal space'?! Back off already!"
"Sorry," he responded completely unapologetically, "But after all the effort it took in finding you I don't want to risk you slipping away."
She bristled, "I told you a thousand times already: I'm not going to use my ability – so move over! And if you're going to apologize at least mean it!"
The man merely tilted his head and smiled, not budging an inch – action serving to annoy Ari further as she spat insults at the man, trying her best not to strangle him. Beside her, she could vaguely hear Jay's smart-aleck replies to Kunikida's ever raising voice. She could only imagine what they must look like to the other two members in the room. Then again the traveler could care less, already forming an escape plan in her mind.
Be that as it may, the two conversations quickly came to a halt as Tuck snapped, "Jay, Aria, that's enough!"
Both shook, staring in astonishment and guilt at the man who pinned them with a disapproving look. The rare few times he spoke out as such Ari could count on her hand alone, which meant nothing good for them currently. While she could still feel Dazai's leg brushing against hers, a layer of shock prevented her from lashing out. Luckily the outburst held similar effect in quieting the others as well.
"Please, forgive them, they're just a bit tired from the day's events," he solemnly apologized to Kunikida, action springing Ari back into reality.
"What do you mean? Half of it was their fault to-"
"Aria!" Tuck snapped, making the named flinch as he turned toward her, golden eyes swimming with anger that took her aback. It subdued a bit but was replaced with notes of betrayal and sorrow as the man continued softly, "Why didn't you tell me we were short on funds? I could have helped – Jay too. We've done so before, so why resort to stealing?"
The young woman averted her gaze, shame making her feel ten times sicker than the previous day, "I'm sorry Tuck."
He frowned and exhaled wearily, "We'll talk about it later, as for now," he returned his attention to Kunikida and the other agents who stared at the trio in building curiosity, "Please forgive her for any harm she may have caused earlier, Kunikida-kun, Dazai-kun."
"No worries, it was a good way to stretch," the dark haired man answered sunnily, disposition making Ari irritated but she dare not speak out after Tuck's scolding.
"So, are you all ability users Mister?" one of the other three, a teen looking younger than Jay with rustic attire inquired, his brown eyes wide in curiosity.
Tuck smiled softly, "Please, you may call me Tuck. As for your question, we are."
"Wow, that's cool. What types of abilities are they?" the teen furthered, adding with a pure expression, "And sorry for not saying earlier: I am Miyazawa Kenji, nice to meet you Tuck-san."
"Don't worry, we did cause a bit of confusion coming in so suddenly. Besides, we hardly introduced ourselves either, so let me get to that first," he reassured before holding out a hand and gesturing to Jay, "This is Jay Hunter, or I suppose Hunter Jay would be more appropriate in your language. His ability is called 'The Sight' which allows him, among other things, to perceive the life force of all things in addition to manipulating it at will – including temporarily displacing it, which is what happened earlier to Kunikida-kun."
They all blinked, turning their gazes on the blonde as Tuck chagrinned, "I'm afraid Jay was speaking the truth earlier when he said he didn't hit you hard. You were simply experiencing your life force being disarranged slightly. Luckily, the reversal process is quite simple, and after some rest you should fully recover."
Kunikida raised a brow, hand unconsciously rising to the sore spot on his solar plexus before going to write something in his notebook, "I see. I'll make note of it for future reference then."
"So, you can actually see us? Like really see us?" Kenji's companion, a slightly older teen with off-white hair inquired, eyes an odd purple with tints of yellow.
This time Jay spoke up, crossing his arms, "Of course not, I am blind remember? Blind people can't see anything." His harsh words made the agent flinch as he continued plainly, "My ability allows me to perceive where you are. I can't see anything, but I can make out different people and things based on their energies."
"I-I see," the teen replied, a weak smile on his face that faltered upon noting Tuck's gaze, "Ah, that's right, I didn't introduce myself either: my name is Nakajima Atsushi."
"Nice to meet you, Nakajima-kun," Tuck warmly replied, finishing by gesturing to Ari, "Your colleges may already be aware, but this is Aria Harris and her ability allows her to choose anything in existence that she wishes to touch or not. It is called 'Free Will'."
"I see, so earlier you weren't actually levitating but choosing to touch the air; and before, in the intersection, you chose not to touch the car. Interesting. It's the perfect ability for a thief," Dazai mused, making the woman grimace as they all stared at her.
Fortunately, Tuck pulled their gazes back to him as he finished, "And finally, I am Nathan Jesse Tuck, but, like I said, Tuck alone is more than enough. As for my ability, well," he blushed a little and scratched the back of his head in slight embarrassment, "I am immortal."
For a brief second, the four agents merely blinked at the man, minds still registering what he said while his companions observed soundlessly even after the expected outburst of disbelief, "What?!"
A barrage of questions came Tuck's way from all four, Kunikida inquiring of a more specific definition while the other teen asked if it simply meant regenerative powers like his own, and Kenji simply marveling at it, "Wow that sounds amazing! To live forever…it sounds like fun!"
At the comment, Tuck flinched but recovered so quick that barely anyone noticed, "Ahh, yes I suppose it does have its benefits."
Ari frowned, letting their conversation fade along with Dazai's muttering that he was grateful he didn't inherit such an ability. Just immortality? He's sure cutting them off short, but I guess it's for the best. The little they know, the easier it'll be to get out of here.
The snapping shut of Kunikida's notebook drew everyone's attention as he pushed back his glasses and stated, "Thank you for the introductions, but I'm afraid it doesn't change much of anything in regards to the situation at hand. If it weren't such a sizeable amount, we may have been able to let Aria off, but such simply is not the case. Be that as it may, I can see that neither you nor Jay was involved, so you are free to go as you wish."
At the return to reality, Ari met his gaze evenly as he furthered, "As for you, we will have to wait and see what the sentence will be. Given your ability, however, I don't believe it will entail a simple prisoning."
The room seemed to chill at the ominous note in his voice, Jay tensing – ready to leap to her protection until Ari spoke up, "Of course, take all the time you need." He frowned at this but she ignored the agent and instead turned toward her companions, "You two should go, the train leaves early tomorrow morning and you still haven't fully packed, Tuck."
"What are you blabbering on about," Jay growled, "We're not leaving you behind."
Ari scowled at the teen but before she could speak, he continued heatedly, "No, don't waste your breath Ari. Earlier was an entirely different matter. Whatever mess you made we'll clean it up together – just like always."
She frowned at him even as Tuck added, "I agree with Jay. It's best we stay together; besides, there'll always be another train we can take, it doesn't have to be tomorrow."
Exhaling, she shook her head, touched and somewhat glad for their loyalty yet also irritated and worried about them sticking around the murky city. Sure, unity was good, but she rather they were safe and alive while being apart for a bit than together and in prolonged danger. Still, she was in no position to say anything – none of them were. Yes, they may be able to stay, but that didn't change the fact she was caught, and they really could do little to help in that matter.
"Um…" they looked over to where Atsushi took a step forward to stand somewhat in between her and the blonde, "Kunikida-san, wouldn't it be possible for Harris-san to work off her debt by taking jobs for the Agency? I-I mean, after all, she is an ability user…"
"Eh?" Ari's eye twitched, instantly jumping to the worst-case scenario of being stuck with Dazai for the rest of the year. I'd rather scrub toilets with my toothbrush than spend another second with this ass.
"If that is possible, then please split the debt three ways and let us help," Tuck requested, standing up from his spot, "We may not look like much, but we can at least assist you in your work – that way you won't have to worry about Ari running away and she'll be able to pay it off faster."
Kunikida frowned, "While the idea sounds good, we cannot afford to watch after someone at the moment. I'm sorry."
"But…" Atsushi trailed off, standing as the picture of Jay and Tuck's disappointment – although Ari silently breathed relief. If she was going to escape, she needed to be as far away from the place as possible, not in it every day. The red-head frowned. Tuck certainly knew this, so why did he support the idea? A sickening feeling weighed down her stomach. He must be truly angry with her to stay despite the city's underlying taint.
"I don't know about that, Kunikida-kun," Dazai spoke up, "They are three new ability users that are offering their assistance. If anything, they'd be great help in distributing the work among everyone evenly and helping out in small tasks. As for Aria-chan, it's probably better this way since she's less likely to run off with her companions also remaining here."
The blonde sighed, "Even if your idea works, where will they stay? We're short on room as it is – we can't simply board three more people."
"We can figure that out later," the brunette responded making his partner scowl at the spontaneous arrangement.
"Dazai, we can't just let them into the Agency – one of them was just arrested for stealing," he argued.
"I'm right here, you know," Ari muttered sullenly, eyes widening in hope seconds before returning to their previous annoyance as Dazai stood yet kept close to her nonetheless. Can I not catch a break?
Kunikida ignored her, instead continuing, "I may have accepted Jay and Tuck working, but I cannot allow Aria as well. It's too risky."
"Fine, then let me go to jail, I'll be happy," she stated yet was once more overlooked as Dazai rebutted, "But they just gave a moving speech about staying together. Surely you're not so cruel as to pull them apart after that, Kunikida-kun?"
He shot Dazai an irritated glare that clearly said 'No, but the situation isn't exactly ideal now is it?'. However, before he could say a thing, the door opened to reveal a man with pale hair and flint-blue eyes staring sharply at the group, the three newest gazing with varying levels of emotion that spanned from Ari's indifference to Tuck's admiration directed at his attire.
"President?" Kunikida inquired with a note of surprise as the man gazed over the trio, ending with Ari who met it evenly. This went on until the woman felt a bit uncomfortable under his attention just seconds before he abruptly turned and stated, "They will stand as temporary agents until the debt is paid."
While a good amount of the room exchanged relieved, happy smiles – aside from Kunikida who gave an exhausted breath and muttered something about complications and such – Ari finally stood and addressed the man, annoyance sparkling in her aqua eyes, "Hey, did any of you actually ask if I wanted this?"
They blinked, the man glancing back momentarily before stating simply, "It is either this or we will seal you away."
Ari chagrined. With how you put it, that's not really a choice at all.
"Don't worry, Aria-chan," Dazai hooked an arm around her shoulders, "It'll be fun, you'll see."
"I can't wait," she muttered sarcastically as the others began conversing about possible living arrangements, retrieving their belongings, and the like. She ignored them mostly, instead trying to get as much distance as possible between herself and the bandaged man.
In all honesty she could care less about where they were staying. As soon as night fell, she was getting out and dragging Tuck and Jay if need be. Their departure may be delayed, but Ari vowed it wouldn't last past the end of the week if only to get away from the man beside her.
So sorry for the delay! And just a heads up finals week has come and will probably delay the next chapter, but don't fret it will eventually make it c;
As for the chapter, go cliche meeting and ice breaker for Dazai, but hopefully we'll all be able to put up with these moments and Ari's kinda awkward first words to him (yes I know, hardly the thing a normal person would say; I cringe too) and enjoy the rest of the seemingly endless tale (although I do already have an idea of how this story will end, just getting there is a mountain within itself).
Before I go, here's a little extra on my trio's abilities:
Jay: The Sight
Mirrors off of Erin Hunter's The Sight, more specifically Jaypaw/feather since he's my favorite character within the series
It allows him to 'see' things and manipulate auras, therefore abilities like Tanizaki's Light Snow don't really hold effect on him
Tuck: Tuck Everlasting
Based off the novel by Natalie Babbitt (his first name is the male version of Natalie - aka my poor attempt to link the two).
Immortality, time control, and a little more? Will have to wait to find out more c;
Aria: Free Will
Loosely based off Sam Harris' work (really not so much except for how it deals with fate and choice)
Can select or reject whatever she wants to touch (if you're a DGM fan, think Tyki); additionally, she is immune to those abilities that forcibly take away her free will
And that's about it, hope you all are doing well and good luck if you're in the depths of finals hell like me
We got this!