Ch. 11 - A Little Celebration
"Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed."
Friedrich Nietzsche
A heavy weight rested on her entire form, as if begging her consciousness to remain within the soothing blackness – anything instead of waking to the reality that made even breathing a difficult task. Her lips pursed troublingly. It really was hard to breathe, almost as if she were at the top of a mountain.
Ari furrowed her brows, recalling her venture into the secret passage hidden in the warehouse with Jay and the others. They travelled quite a ways before that horrid groaning began, followed by a realization it was the sound of waves crashing against the other entrance; slowly flooding the passages. After that she recalled arguing with them about leaving, insistent on finding the damnable man who framed her; then the light from the blonde's flashlight suddenly cutting off, Jay's yell, a rancid cloth covering her mouth accompanied by an arm wrapping around her waist, sickeningly sweet air being forced into her lungs, and then…nothing.
Groaning, the red-head attempted to stretch only to find her limbs stop short in every direction. Her heart began to pick up pace and her eyes snapped open, finding a pale light illuminate a rather rundown looking room from the other side of transparent walls that encased her. Ari stiffened, breathing growing unsteady despite a piece of her screaming to calm down lest she pass out from oxygen depletion.
Warily, she reached out about an inch before her palm rested against a glass wall closing her inside what she grimly deduced was some sort of transparent coffin-like case as if she were some ancient mummy on display. Her head spun, and she wondered whether it was from the lingering effects of the knockout drug, lack of breath, or rising panic. The dizzying sensation forced her head back down and eyes closed if only to regain a little control.
Where am I? What happened? Ari scowled, peering open an eye to glare at the dilapidated stone ceiling. Did that bastard really drug and kidnap me? If so then where is he?
As if sensing her thoughts, a figure approached the case, peering down at her with dark brown, almost black, eyes. A flicker of mania crossed his features as he smiled down at her, voice partially muffled behind the glass, "Ah, you're awake. That's wonderful. I'd have regretted it if you remained unconscious for the entire time. Such a waste of a wonderful talk with a beautiful maiden."
Suppressing a shudder of disgust, Ari replied bitterly, "Creep. What the hell did you give me?" Her head spun and she couldn't even muster the energy to activate her ability and get out of the blasted case, let alone maneuver her hand to cover her throbbing head.
"Just a simple sedative of my own creation. It has a nasty side effect, but certainly does the trick, wouldn't you say?" the man smiled back, completely unbothered by her harsh tone. Indeed, he looked near giddy, and when she paused to get a better view she noted his groomed yet ultimately weathered suit and auburn hair were covered in so much grime they appeared more of a greenish black than their true colors.
Ari scrunch her nose, partially thankful for the case keeping his certainly rancid scent away. Nevertheless, she glared daggers at the man, "Bastard. You're the one who framed me, aren't you?"
"Framed you?" he responded as if hurt by her accusation, flipping completely in the next second to a sickeningly sweet smile, "Of course not! I was merely helping you gain the fame you so rightly deserve, Aria."
Ugh… She felt bile rise in her throat at his use of her name, "Helping? How the hell is setting me up for a crime I didn't commit – for worsening my debt and forcing me to stay in this damn city – helpful?"
"Ah, it's okay if you don't understand. All that doesn't matter anymore, because now we can be together forever just as we've always planned," his reply sent shudders of disgust down Ari's spine as she scowled at his manic smile, pressing down as he leaned against the glass, "Isn't that wonderful, Aria?"
"I think I'd rather spend a month handcuffed to Osamu," she replied flatly.
The man blinked, pulling away like a lost child while murmuring, "Osamu?" In the next second, however, his tone gained such pure malice, Ari stiffened in apprehension as his dark eyes glinted dangerously in juxtaposition to the grin tugging up his lips, "You must mean that detective guy. The rotten bastard who dared to try and force you to stay with him forever."
Say what? Ari's brow twitched, "Uh, wherever your twisted mind is going, that will never-"
She flinched as he brought his fists down harshly on the glass with such force she was surprised the material didn't crack. Tensing, her eyes widened in shock at the unadulterated fury in his tone as he seethed, "That demon and his friends thought they could keep us apart. They ensnared an innocent maiden and forced her into ungodly acts of false repentance. Damnable beasts!"
Ari's jaw clenched as she watched his persona warp dangerously, previous crazy yet ultimately innocuous behavior dementing into a much more sinister version. This guy's insane! She glared up at him, heart pounding as she found herself willing her numb form to regain its senses and escape from the confining box. At least then she could knock the maniac out and get to work on finding Jay and the others.
Unfortunately, her prayers for a swift recovery went unanswered as the man took a deep breath, pushing back the hair that fell in his face to speak more softly, "But alas, we don't have to worry about those dastardly people taking you away. By now, they've probably fallen prey to one of the many traps the ancient pirates set in these tunnels."
Ari's eyes widened, worry mixing with rage at the man should any harm befall Jay or the others. However, he spoke up before she could say a thing, leaning unpleasantly back toward her as an oily smirk lifted his pale lips, "I must say, you're even more beautiful in person. Fortune certainly smiled upon me for letting our paths cross – almost as if we were destined to unite."
She was seconds from retorting she'd rather puke than accept the twisted fantasy, when his next words sent chills down her spine, "Really, I must thank that man for introducing you to me. If it weren't for him I'd never realize the precious gem right under my nose."
"Him?" she scowled, "Who are you talking about?"
He shot her an amused grin that made her blood boil, "No one important. No one that you need bother yourself thinking about. In fact, you don't have to worry about anything anymore, Aria. Because now that we're finally together, I'll make sure that we stay together forever."
"Go to hell," she snarled, banging a fist where his face hovered over her, "The only thing I want now is to beat you to a pulp before the police throw you in some white room to rot away in forever by your creep self."
The man chuckled, tracing a finger over the glass above her cheek as if caressing it through the barrier, "You're so cute, Aria. I love how playful you get – denying the very desires we both know you have to remain with me."
"Ugh," she cringed, instinctively shifting her form away from his vile gaze, "You creep. Why would I even joke about wanting to be with some perverted, twisted lunatic?"
"It's okay Aria," he continued evenly without a trace of insult from her words. Finally he rose, letting her breathe a breath of relief as he approached a small control panel on the nearby wall. Flipping it open, she watched cautiously as he continued, "Even if you can't admit it, I'll make sure we stay together forever. I'm glad, nonetheless, that I finally got to hear your alluring voice without any horrid background noise. I'll miss it, but, as they say…"
Ari tensed, not at all liking the direction he suddenly took as the man gave one last bright smile. A soft click of a switch echoed in the room quickly followed by a murky white gas beginning to fill the case. Instinctively, Ari held her breath, shooting an almost panicked glance as the substance filled the space around her and settled unpleasantly against her skin like glue.
She raised a glare in the man's direction as he concluded merrily, "Sacrifices must be made for the greater good."
…
Rushed footsteps pounded against weathered stone carved out long before their owners' time. Each person's face displayed a certain level of urgency and fear that propelled them faster down the maddening tunnels filled with damp air that made it almost as if they were drowning despite having long since abandoned the connecting passageway that likely already flooded by that point. A brief concern of how they were going to get back passed through the young teen leading the group along a trail invisible to their eyes, but it quickly faded with a much more potent fear.
"Have you found her yet?" Atsushi called from behind, his eyes awash with worry.
His heart pounded painfully in his chest, only growing worse from their sprint and learning that a potential copycat of an infamous serial killer had taken Aria. Sure, a part of him reasoned the red-head could hold her ground, but coupled with the information her adoptive brother shared about seeing her knocked out grated unpleasantly against his nerves and made his stomach twist.
"Almost," Jay replied breathlessly, swiftly disappearing around a dark corner that quickly became illuminated by Kunikida's flashlight, "The trail is getting stronger, she has to be close!"
"Good. If this guy is using the same chemical compound as the Puppeteer three years ago, then we only have minutes to get her out before it's too late," Kunikida commented ominously, causing the blind teen to scowl painfully.
"Aw, Kunikida-kun, no need to bring a dampening to the moral. You'll worry poor Jay-kun if you continue to speak like that," Dazai chided lightly.
"I am simply stating the facts, something that would have saved us a lot of trouble if all of them were shared to begin with," the blond shot a glare at his partner, "I understand what you were trying to accomplish in keeping the thief hidden, but why the hell did you think it unnecessary to share your suspicion that he was targeting Aria?"
"Boo, you're no fun Kunikida-kun. Where would the excitement be then?" Dazai shot back, adding with more weight, "Besides, I didn't know that he was after Aria-chan specifically. To be honest, I assumed Jay-kun was the target."
"Oh?" the teen growled out, almost as if he wished that were the case so he could beat the criminal himself.
"It would have made sense, given that we were headed into a system of tunnels only those familiar with its layout or holding a special ability could safely travel through. Therefore, it was logical to suspect his intent on leading Jay-kun away, thus effectively separating him near permanently from the rest of us," Dazai explained, ducking beneath a particularly low hanging patch of ceiling, "While I suspected Aria-chan initially due to the circumstances of the culprit setting her up and then purposely baiting us here with that golden ring, Jay-kun stood just as likely a target."
"If it makes you feel better, Kunikida-kun, I was grateful for you letting me stand between the two. Unfortunately, it seems even then I was unable to catch our slippery thief," he concluded with a dramatic sigh.
The blonde scowled, "If you have time to put on a show, then focus on the task at hand idiot. President left her in your hands, so take responsibility for once."
"Of course," the brunette responded honestly, eyes betraying no humor or casual joking, "Aria-chan's safety concerns me greatly. There's no way I'll let some lowly copycat snatch her away."
"There!" Jay suddenly called out, digging his heels in further as he noted the faint edges of Ari's aura. He clenched his fists at how it sparked with energy reminiscent of panic, calling out urgently even as Dazai and Kunikida sped past him, former blocking out his ability in the last seconds before they crossed the threshold into the room.
"Harris-san, are you-?!" Atsushi cut off, tense expression deadpanning at what met them as their eyes adjusted to the artificial blue-white light filling the room with similar, yet less dusty, items filling its floors. Situated a little to the left side of the room was a pristine glass case – its contents shrouded by a milky white gas that quickly hardened whatever occupied its space.
However, its only victim would be the small cushion situated within as the four blinked at the sight before them.
"Bastard!" Ari spat, twisting the heel of her boot into a young man's shoulder blades and pulling a pained yelp from him as he remained with his hands bound behind his back by colorful wires. The red-head, while a little more worn than the last they saw her, glared daggers at the pitiful man, whose already sickly state testified simply by the rancid scent filled Atsushi's nostrils.
"Did you seriously think I'd just sit ideally by and let you do whatever the hell you wanted? What kind of flimsy damsel in distress do you take me for?!" she retorted sourly, completely unaware of their presence.
Her rant broke as Dazai failed to keep in the chuckles rising in his throat, pulling the woman's attention at last to the shocked look Kunikida gave beside Atsushi who stammered, "Uh… Harris-san?"
Instantly her features brightened at seeing them, tone far too sunny for her continued stance atop what they could only deduce was the thief and copycat, "Ah, there you guys are! About time. Thought I'd have to drag this lowlife out myself. Anyways, look," she pointed like a child in a candy store to the far wall where a mound of bags rested. A few gleaming artifacts and pieces of jewelry hung out from the corners of the openings as Ari continued happily, "I found the stolen stuff too! Who's the wrong one now, huh?" she finished haughtily at Kunikida, whose stupor finally broke as he swiftly approached the woman, tugging her down to at last save the poor man beneath whose face was a swollen collection of black and blue bruises.
"Looks like we overreacted," Jay smirked despite a tremendous relief filling his being as Ari approached, "You couldn't at least have tried to go easy on him, huh? We need some kind of confession from the guy."
"Don't worry, I left his hands perfectly intact," Ari replied with an impish glint in her teal eyes he noted were surrounded by a small film of white. Indeed, her entire form seemed misted with the substance, making him inwardly shudder that she was exposed even briefly to the deadly compound. He'd need to make sure she showered thoroughly when they returned.
Her expression faltered a little as Dazai suddenly pulled her into a bear hug, proclaiming dramatically, "Aria-chan! I was so worried! That's it; I'm never going to let you leave my side ever again. Never will you have to go through such a traumatizing ordeal again, I swear it!"
"Lay off," she pushed him away, leaving the brunette staring curiously at the white residue coating his clothes yet pulling his eyes up to grin mischievously at Ari as she continued, "I've had my fair share of creepy stalkers for a solid month. I'll kick the ass of the next person who tries to 'keep me forever at their side'. Don't tempt me to start early Osamu."
The man chuckled, beginning a quick round of banter with the woman until Jay announced an accessible exit for them to use, prompting the group to gather the thief and his stolen goods. Before setting off, Atsushi finally broke from his shock at the turn of events from what his mind imagined to follow after them. He couldn't quite grasp the woman or her companions, and this situation hardly helped. Be that as it may, at least now they were going to leave these rancid tunnels behind. Hopefully for good.
…
"Come on, is that all you've got Atsushi?" Ari taunted from where she sat beside the young teen at the counter of Uzumaki café, a half drunken glass of whisky swishing dangerously in her glass as she hooked an arm around him. A light blush painted her cheeks as she gave a Cheshire grin.
Atsushi felt as if his head were spinning, but the feeling was sidelined by a much more potent sensation of almost numbness. As if everything that would normally keep him in proper place grew hazy and only continued to do so with each additional refilling of his glass by the red-head, who watched with great amusement the teen's first experience with the spirit. At first the weretiger thought his throat would be reduced to ash by the strong drink, yet the lingering warmth it imparted felt nice enough to continue. Or maybe that was Aria's persistence and a slight wariness he built upon finding her in the tunnels a few hours ago.
Upon their return, Ari's spirits only continued to rise at the accomplishment they achieved in catching the thief and returning the stolen goods at last. Indeed, the woman was on cloud nine – likely, Atsushi assumed, more so from proving Kunikida wrong than anything as proven by her continued high spirits despite the expenses from their investigation still going through due to them technically finishing sometime after sunset and lessening the impact of the reward and deduction of her debt. Nevertheless, their efforts managed to cut the remaining debt in half. Quite the accomplishment; enough so for the young woman to prompt a celebratory gathering of the remaining agents in the office downstairs at the café that surprisingly held a good stock of alcoholic beverages, with the tab completely on the trio.
Of course, after only a few minutes Ari dragged nearly all the members of the Agency into a drinking challenge in which most were either too drunk to continue or passed out on the ground. Out of those who joined in, only Atsushi, Jay, Yosano, Ari, and a couple of younger office assistants who obviously held experience in these games remained standing. Well, more like Yosano and Ari seeing as the others were dizzy and just coherent enough to pass by. Still, with a reward of the money they threw into the pot for every successful drink, Atsushi wouldn't allow himself to lose.
Raising his glass with a semi-shaky hand, the teen smiled lopsidedly at Ari, "N-Not quite Harris-san. I'm still going strong."
The red-head grinned; cheering him on beside the other two agents as he quickly downed the drink. Off to the side, Kunikida, Ranpo, and Fukuzawa looked on with slight amusement at the scene. They were some of the wiser occupants of the café to keep away from the game and retain their image – instead sipping on tea and more refined beverages while engaging in small talk of the day's mission and other topics. For his part, Kunikida found watching increasingly difficult as the state of the agents steadily grew worse to the point he would've stopped the insane game immediately for sake of the organization's image if not for President commenting that it was good to see everyone let loose after recent events.
Still, out of everyone involved, he would have thought one person in particular would join no matter what. Yet he was nowhere in sight, not even in the café any longer. Said person had enjoyed a glass of whisky upon first coming down with the group, but disappeared at some point in time when no one was paying attention. And while Kunikida let out a breath of relief for having one less person to worry about and cart home, he couldn't keep a small frown from forming on his face as he glanced out the window into the darkness.
What could that idiot Dazai possibly be doing now?
Unknown to everyone there, the bandaged agent remained in the building. Well, atop to be precise as Dazai finished his ascent and opened the door leading to the roof. While he found some entertainment in watching his fellow coworkers interact with each other, and the chance of finding more about Jay and Aria was tempting, something pulled him away from the merriment. Not that he wanted to be alone, but that he simply held no motivation in staying. Instead, he felt drawn to the crisp outside air.
And he wasn't the only one.
"Ah, Dazai-kun," Tuck greeted from where he leaned over the railing, smiling softly at the young man, "Come to admire the fresh air?"
"Something like that," Dazai answered casually, curiosity tinging his gaze at the immortal's presence. He could've sworn he saw the man conversing with President and the others as he snuck out. Had he followed? No, that didn't make sense seeing as he was already there. Perhaps he predicted Dazai's destination and arrived first?
A knowing expression crossed Tuck's features as he studied the bandaged man for a few seconds before turning his amber gaze skywards where the faintest specks of starlight filtered through the dense city smog and clouds, "It truly is a beautiful night. I think it'll be one to remember for quite some time."
"Oh?" Dazai mused, coming to a stand beside the man and following his gaze with less attention to the mundane scenery than Tuck himself, "And what makes tonight so special? Because of Aria-chan's great success I presume?"
"Maybe a little," Tuck replied, awe twinkling in his eyes that glowed like a young child's in juxtaposition to his age, "But I think it's more than that. Perhaps a better answer would be that the world itself seems to be basking in a precious moment of peace – as if an unexpected gift suddenly presented itself."
Dazai nodded in agreement, yet his expression darkened minutely. It was indeed peaceful – too peaceful. It grated against his nerves. Peace now made no logical sense, especially after the move the Guild made only a few days earlier. Why? Why did they suddenly stop after such a brutal assault? Were they planning something major already? Yet why risk the loss of momentum? Something didn't fit, and too many possibilities clogged his mind to pick out any solid conclusion.
Unconsciously, he let out a faint exhale. To stop so suddenly after things finally began picking up… It was exhausting enough, keeping up with this three-way war that barely started and found itself at a détente already.
"That's quite the look you've got there Dazai-kun," Tuck's gentle comment pulled the named from his thoughts as he stared quizzically at the immortal, brows rising in mild surprise at his soft continuation, "You're quite young for those thoughts, although in this time and age it isn't particularly rare, huh?"
"What do you mean?" Dazai put on a fake smile despite knowing exactly where the man was going in his conversation. It grated uncomfortably against his skin – the sympathetic look Tuck gave him. Sure most knew of his suicidal tendencies, but something about the way the immortal addressed it felt more invasive than he'd have preferred.
As if the man was peering into his very soul.
Tuck gave a small smile, "Like sees like, I suppose."
At this, Dazai's eyes widened. So Tuck-san too desires death? Quite ironic given his ability. Although… his frown gained notes of pity. What a hell it must be for him – to desire the impossible.
"If I may be so bold," Tuck proceeded, facing the agent fully, "How is it that someone like you ended up in a place like Armed Detective Agency?" His golden eyes flickered to his bandages like a concerned parent, yet the question shinning in his gaze remained there as he added sincerely upon noting Dazai shift ever-so-slightly in defense, smile disappearing from the bandaged man's face, "Don't worry, Dazai-kun. You don't have to answer if it makes you feel uncomfortable. There's no need for you to explain yourself to a stranger like me."
A semi-nostalgic smile tugged up the corner of his lips as Dazai studied the immortal briefly. Something about the man's mere presence made him unconsciously let his guard down, something that equally reassured and terrified him at the same time. And while he managed to shove away the feeling for the most part, he couldn't keep from commenting on the familiarity in the feeling and complacent gaze that met him as he chuckled, "You're quite the mysterious one, Tuck-san. Reminds me a little of an old friend."
"Oh?" Tuck blushed self-consciously as he ran a hand through his hair, "That's quite the compliment. I'm honored to even be compared to someone you hold in that regard, Dazai-kun."
A brief silence descended on them, not so much suffocating as a moment for their thoughts to gather. It didn't bother Dazai. No, what did was how true his comment grew with each second of quiet contemplation. While not exactly like Odasaku, Tuck held many of the qualities that paralleled with the now departed man. Like his nonjudgmental expression that, while containing blips of concern toward Dazai, respected him enough to not pry without permission. And even as a piece of him vehemently rejected him as anything remotely near the possibility of a replacement (the word itself rolling vilely from his thoughts) for Odasaku, he couldn't escape the tug Tuck's presence had on him.
Almost as if his soul gravitated toward the man like a flower to sunlight.
"Say, Dazai-kun," Tuck broke the quiet at last, prompting Dazai to look up at him as his expression grew into a solemn smile. Slowly he pulled his attention from the sky to the bandaged man, speaking in words that seemed to resound like the echoes of church bells in the crisp air, "Would you like to know how your wish may be granted?"
And now we're approaching the halfway point of this 'Introduction Arc' of sorts. Hopefully everyone won't go insane with how slow things are progressing to actual storyline. Fret not though, if you look closely that trickle is steadily building and soon enough things will get fairly hectic. Until then, thank you for your patience with my horridly slow progression.
ArtisticStrayCat: Haha yes, I will say that I adore writing for Jay. Ari and Tuck are nice, but I like my sarcastic blind kid as you will learn more about alongside the others in the not-so-distant future c; Hmm...do they want to leave Yokohama though? It seems to me that their motives are a bit conflicted, huh? Will just have to wait and see where that leads them.
And thank you despite how cringey I get whenever I look back on the title. The Puppeteer is actually a combo of a few villains, one making a small appearance in Psycho Path and the other, ironically enough, in an old Scooby Doo episode that thoroughly creeped me out as a kid (thus inspiring some of his stalker-scary personality traits). At any rate, thank you for your lovely comment and continued interest It means a ton
Hope everyone has a splendid weekend~