Vol. 3
Ch. 4
Empty*
"Eh…" Alu didn't want to assume. Honestly, from the way this girl was talking, Alu didn't actually get the impression it was something dark. It mostly just felt like she was challenging Alu—no—taunting her, to somehow confirm something? Alu felt bewildered. It's true most people would look at those two and think something pedophilic was going on, but as far as Alu knew, their relationship really did feel like it was just one-sided devotion. But that still did beg the question—what was the relationship between this girl and that man?
Elise waited for her to answer. Alu could tell, this girl was expecting something negative. If she was expecting something negative, it didn't make sense to Alu that it was actually a negative relationship in that case. After all, if Elise and that guy …no, she was still a child. Alu frowned.
"Truthfully? I'm worried about you hanging around that older guy," she confessed.
"Because, you find it disgusting too, right?" Elise said, beaming at her.
Alu quieted. Socially speaking, a kid running around with an older man who wasn't related to said man in some familial sense be it legal guardian or otherwise could totally be perceived as you know….sketch. But Alu pursed her lips. What was this girl trying to get her to say? It was like she was being taunted to confirm something? Alu's eyes flickered.
"I admit, I'm unsettled," Alu said, eyeing Elise, frowning. "But that's only because I'm worried about you."
"Because I'm small, young, and look like I'm the vulnerable party right?" Elise replied dryly, looking at Alu, still unblinking. "Honestly, all you self-righteous people are the same. No one considers what if that shoe was on the other foot, you know?"
Alu raised her eyebrows. "Uh. Is it?" She found herself asking, dumbly.
Elise huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "Does it matter? You are holding back what you're really thinking and that is irritating. If you think the kind of relationship I share with Rintaro is gross just say so!"
Alu wondered why this was even coming from, out of the blue. Was this a cry for help? Alu really didn't know. But she definitely didn't want to upset Elise. They were getting some stares from passerby. Alu just grabbed Elise's hand, and pulled her over to some benches away from other people.
"What are you doing?" Elise asked, bewildered.
"Let's just talk where we won't have so many eyes on us," Alu said, stopping near some benches away from the shops and other people. Elise quieted.
"Ah, I see," she said, smiling emptily still, "So you're embarrassed of sharing your opinion in front of others?"
"Not at all," Alu said, sitting on the bench with a sigh, setting the food bag down. "But, I do have to wonder…why this all of a sudden? I wasn't going to pry if you didn't want me to."
Elise glared at her. "Yeah, you were. Why else would you ask me that question?"
Alu sighed. "For clarification? I guess? I mean…you say that he could also be the one being taken advantage of, but from the way things actually look…aren't you both taking advantage of each other?"
Elise blinked. That wasn't an answer she'd heard before. She stared at Alu.
Alu opened her trail mix, resuming eating some. "Either way, you pretty much answered my question with your outburst…so I guess, what I'm trying to say is….if you're not in trouble or anything, then I'm not concerned. It's your business what you're doing with that guy, right?"
Elise growled and she kicked the bench near Alu, and Alu nearly choked on her mix. Where Elise's shoe had been, was a dent. In the actual wood. Alu gulped. This girl was strong—was she an ability user or was puberty really just extra powerful for this one?
"How can you say that so easily!" Elise growled at her.
Alu grimaced. "Well, what do you want me to say?" she found herself getting a bit exasperated.
"No matter how you look at it, shouldn't you be taking me to the police right now or trying to save me?" Elise said, frustrated, waving her arms at Alu.
Elise's plan had been to emotionally manipulate Alu into caring about her and then use that to coax her into joining Rintaro and her at their organization. However, this girl's reaction was making no sense. She was concerned, sure, but she wasn't actually trying to "save" her? That didn't feel like a logical progression at all!
"Uh…if you're actually that upset about it, we can go now…" Alu asked, completely confused by now.
Elise huffed. "No point. It's clear you don't think this is a matter that concerns them!"
Alu stared at her. Okay, now she was beyond confused. What the hell did I get myself into this time…? she asked, sweating inwardly. "If you're in trouble… I'll help you," she said, serious, gazing at Elise with a concerned frown. "But…I need to know the truth. I don't want to cause any unnecessary problems for him if this turns out to be a prank or something."
"Why do you care how it affects him!" Elise put her hands on her hips, looking at Alu, upset. "You're not saying that because you actually care. You also see him as nothing more than a creepy old man that preys on young girls, right!?"
Alu blinked at her. Oh. So this girl was trying to get her to prove some sort of convoluted point? "Er?" She admitted, not really sure where any of this was going. "If that's the case, then you should definitely let me help you…I'm just saying if that's actually not the case…then we shouldn't cause drama where there doesn't need to be any?"
Alu felt a weird sense of deja-vu. She felt like she had heard that line somewhere earlier today… oh right…Ranpo. He'd argued that she tended to overcomplicate the detective process of deduction by getting unnecessary intel before making any decisions versus cold hard evidence that didn't "lie" or something. Alu grimaced. Okay, well she didn't want to assume here either. While Ranpo may be able to take one look at these two and make his Ranpo related assessment, she didn't have that gift. She needed to make sure she was looking at this from all angles. Sure, she had an assumption based on how they interacted with each other in the first place. But, well, it was clear the story she was piecing together from this girl was not the same as the one she initially perceived.
"See! You do judge him!" Elise said, actually pleased to get some sort of answer out of Alu that worked with her argument. "Since you judge him, it's only natural for you to want to protect me, right?"
Alu gazed at her. "That really depends… um… based on what I'm being told… and observing…do you actually need my help…?"
Elise hummed. "Of course! After all, it's natural for someone to want to pity the weak right? Since I'm weak, you—"
"I don't think you're weak," Alu interrupted her.
Elise paused. She looked at Alu, frowning. "You felt obligated and took an interest in me because I looked weak, didn't you?"
Alu shook her head. "Not at all. I mean, to be clear, you were the one who decided to drag me around for the day… but the truth is, I was concerned about you because I felt something off about that man. I'll be honest…I'm…kinda an ability user."
Elise blinked at her. "Oh?" She tilted her head, feigning surprise. "You are?"
Alu nodded, not catching on that Elise was acting. Although with Elise, it was hard to tell what was acting and what wasn't to begin with. She was tricky and manipulative like that—not that Alu knew that about her nature, yet.
"Yeah. I guess you could say, I sensed something about that guy that made me worried about you. Although, seeing you two interact in the candy shop, I'm seriously reconsidering my original impression. Besides, I don't believe in judging something on sight. Judging a book by its cover isn't how I do things. If there is a problem, Miss Elise, I will of course be someone you can rely on," Alu said, looking at Elise, resolved and earnest, "…however, if for whatever reason you and that Rintaro are just… well…whatever you two are…then it's not my business…I mean…are you happy?"
Elise blinked.
Happy? No one had ever asked her that.
"Happy?" She asked, puzzled.
"Yeah," Alu said, gazing at her with a small frown, "you know…does he make you uncomfortable? I don't have all those answers because I've literally only known you for a few hours, but I can't shake the feeling that you and him aren't actually in a 'bad' relationship."
Elise was quiet. Alu should be judging her and Rintaro like everyone else did. Whether they saw them as an overly doting father and daughter or what, when people learned the truth, they always curdled. No matter how righteous they were. "What do I look like to you?" She asked Alu.
Alu tilted her head. "Um… a good kid?" She answered.
Elise's eyes flickered. That wasn't an answer she had expected. She had expected to be told something basic like how she looked, or what gender she was. This was really a strange girl. "Well, if you're an ability user, then I need to tell you, so am I."
"Oh, really?" Alu perked up. "That's cool. What's your skill?"
Elise gazed at her. She wanted to really get this girl on her side—Rintaro was counting on her after all. She needed to get Alu to agree to stay by her side as her bodyguard or something. She made a fist into her hand. That was it! She knew how to ensnare this dumb fox girl now!
Alu just watched Elise having some sort of lightbulb moment with absolutely no context.
Elise looked at her. "More than having a skill… I am the skill."
Alu stared. "Come again?" She asked, dumbly, looking Elise up and down.
She means she's his skill, you dumbass.
Alu blocked Juubi mentally. Didn't have time to deal with his snark.
"I'm Rintaro's ability," Elise found herself explaining.
No, if I tell her too much of the truth, then what if she thinks it's too gross, and I mess up Rintaro's chances to recruit her? Except, she'll find out anyway…what's it matter what she thinks? Rintaro did say we'd capture her by force if we had to.
"I'm his ability…Vita Sexualis… essentially, his energy that he derives from being attracted to little girls…is what I manifest as!" Elise said bluntly, coolly, waiting for Alu to react with a normal reaction. Honestly, who wouldn't cringe at learning that an ability like her even existed? She found herself disgusting.
Elise hesitated, beyond that on what to say next. Alu blinked. "Oh…you're his ability?" She continued to eat, "cool."
Elise blinked. "Don't 'cool' me!" She snatched Alu's snacks, became irritated and threw them on the ground. Alu felt a tear shed at the free food on the ground. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She griped, really frustrated with Alu now. Why were none of her actions adding up? People were supposed to be easy—predictable!
"Ah… please don't waste food, Elise, you'll make my stomach cry," Alu whimpered, looking forlornly at the food on the ground near Elise's feet. Elise rolled her eyes. She was really finding this girl to be almost a bit like Dazai? Why was she having weird deja vu to Dazai-like behavior?
"Whatever, it's just food. You can just get more, right?" She huffed. Why was she irritated that this girl didn't actually seem to react to her existence as immediately off putting?
Alu pursed her lips. "Ah…I suppose," she didn't want to tell this girl she was basically homeless… "So uh…you're his ability?" She said, gazing at Elise. She'd eaten enough at least to get through the day.
"Yes." Elise hesitated. She needed to make up something to get Alu to feel like she had to take care of her! Clearly. Although, this girl seemed oddly sharp as well. Elise knew she had to be careful, as there was still a lot to this girl's personality and character for her and Rintaro to figure out. "I'm…well…I'm his ability, but because of this form… I often… need him to protect me." That was of course a flat out lie. If anything, Rintaro would have been dead long before now if it weren't for Elise, haha….
Alu blinked. "Oh? Is that why he is hovering?"
Elise blinked. "Yes, he does hover…wait. Hovering?"
Alu pointed behind Elise. Elise's head swiveled. Her jaw dropped. Hiding —comically— behind a statue nearby some shops, was Rintaro. He had been apparently following them this whole time. Rintaro I'm going to kill you. Elise fumed, her face turning red. She turned back to Alu, absolutely embarrassed and upset. "I-I didn't ask him to do that! I swear!"
Alu shrugged. "It's fine. He struck me as the type to hover, honestly." She eyed Elise and how flustered she was getting. To be honest, Alu was getting the feeling that Elise and Rintaro didn't have a creepy old man in love with a young girl relationship at all. Sure, outwardly one could see it that way, but it was sort of apparent to Alu that Elise spoke with the most emotion in her voice when it came to Rintaro. Was that really only because she was his ability?
Elise thought Alu wouldn't be as accepting as she was currently, if she knew what her actual connection to Rintaro involved. Or maybe Alu didn't care? But that didn't make sense. Anyone who learned the truth—even his own subordinates, knew that the relationship she and Rintaro shared was unnatural and perverse. This was just how Elise worked. She was a puppet—a powerful one— to be used by Rintaro however he pleased. The world had always been disgusted by her mere existence. She was disgusted by herself. The only person in this world that didn't look at her with disgust…had always been Rintaro.
But why would he? He had created her after all.
"Why do you act like this is completely normal? Why are you talking to me like my existence doesn't disgust you?" Elise flared up, upset now.
"Um…well…to know you have an ability that can manifest as another person…and kinda always have your back…that's kinda cool in my book," Alu admitted, tilting her head at Elise, puzzled by her angry reaction.
"I just said though that I'm an extension of his sex drive for little girls!" She grimaced. "Doesn't that disgust you?"
Alu blinked. She tilted her head again to the other side. "The connotation, sure, but when I look at you, I just see well…Miss Elise. Why would I be disgusted by you, yourself? I actually had fun today because of you." She sounded puzzled.
Why did she sound puzzled, to Elise? She wasn't saying anything like she was kissing up or anything. She wasn't even saying it like she was trying to come up with pretty words that she would think Elise would want to hear. Elise could tell, this girl was being completely honest—and that was honestly even more abnormal to her.
Elise grit her teeth. She didn't have emotions, but confusion was a really good one to describe what she was feeling right now. Before she could retort, or say something, anything, Alu spoke again. "So uh…anyone gonna tell him that he's kinda obviously stalking you right now?" Alu asked, teasing Elise with a grin.
Elise wasn't used to being teased—at all. She looked at Alu disgruntled. "I'll go strangle him, be right back."
Alu gecked. "Whoa-hold on—no need for that!" She put a hand on Elise's shoulder. "Actually… since he's here… why not just invite him to spend the rest of the day with us?"
Elise's eyes flickered. This would be a good way to ensnare her… But she also knew that manipulation or not—if Alu didn't know the nature of the relationship she did have with Rintaro, then it would be just a partnership based on lies and despite everything, Elise knew that Alu was the kind of person who would be easier to catch with the truth than a web of lies. Even if Alu was acting fine now, she would become disgusted with her existence too, just like everyone eventually did. It wasn't her problem. She was meant to bait Alu for Rintaro. That's exactly what she was going to do. It was time to hit the ball into Rintaro's park now. See where things would go from here.
"Sure," she said, smiling at Alu.
Alu felt a pang. That smile Elise was giving her—why did it look so sad and empty?
Alu waved to Rintaro who realized he had been spotted by now. Nervously, he made his way over, looking guilty. "I just couldn't stay away, it seems," he said, guiltily. Elise crossed her arms, pouting at him.
"Well, with that attitude you're lucky that she didn't just up and run away!" She scolded Rintaro. "You know, you're lucky she's got a big heart. Apparently knowing your real nature didn't scare her off! She actually invited you to spend the rest of the day with us! Show some gratitude!" She ordered Rintaro the way you would order a dog to obey a command. Alu seriously was honestly a tad concerned for this man. Though, he oddly seemed completely okay with this treatment. Yeah. No. It was still very weird.
Alu was quiet, as she watched Elise interact with him. He scratched his head, smiling sheepishly, letting Elise boss him. However, he blinked, looking at Alu, surprised. "Oh? You are okay with me spending time with you both?"
"It's better than you hiding behind every corner…in fact…that just makes it more creepy," Alu said, deadpan.
Elise nodded fervently at Rintaro, putting her hands on her hips. "Yeah! Agreed! Stupid Rintaro! Did you really think stalking us was going to end well for you?"
Alu giggled.
Elise blinked, looking at her with some surprise. Rintaro did too, though she was someone that he found was rather enigmatic—-like a certain ex-mafia executive he didn't mention by name. They definitely had some similarities.
"What's so funny?" Elise asked, puzzled.
"Nothing," Alu said, standing up from the bench, and grabbing the food bag. "I mean, I'm just amused, because Mr. Pervy and you, honestly just look oddly in sync when you're together." It was true, without all the laid out context from Elise prior, they did come off as just an odd couple of individuals that could be actually comical to observe.
Elise groused, "See, this is what I'm talking about. A normal person would have taken me to the police already! Yet you're complimenting our weird relationship like…like it's the weather!"
Alu held up her hands. "Ah, sorry, I know I shouldn't laugh. I mean, I know you're his Vita Sexualis, but I just can't picture that when you two talk…I dunno why." Alu shrugged, smiling.
Elise felt her face get warm from feeling self-conscious. Whether it was her reacting based on Rintaro's orders to 'act' like Yosano, or whether she was feeding off Rintaro's own feelings, Elise felt the weirdest sense of bewilderment. "You're seriously not normal!" She griped at Alu.
Alu scratched her head, smiling a bit melancholy, herself. "Yeah, I mean… I told you I'm an ability user too.." she joked, "that's probably why."
Elise rolled her eyes, pouting heavily. "You know that's not it!" She however, was very curious about this girl now. She was just so weird.
Rintaro hung back, observing Elise's interaction with this girl. He was honestly very interested. His interest had been piqued before, but seeing Elise exude this much emotion—and have it be not an act? It was highly unusual. Rintaro smirked to himself, watching the two girls interacting. Yes, things were starting to get very interesting, indeed. And she didn't seem to care one way or another about his preferences…or rather, his presence at all. What an odd girl. He only felt a little disappointed that Alu wasn't closer to Elise in age…ah, that would have been so nice…..
Regardless.
Taking this girl out from under that damn Yukichi Fukuzawa's nose would only be more satisfying if he could just convince her —using Elise— to come to their side…
Alu just laughed again, sheepishly. "Well, you're the weirdest one here cuz you're the one who technically dragged me around for the day without knowing anything about me!" She said, amused, poking Elise on her nose.
Elise wrinkled her nose, going cross eyed before she pouted at Rintaro. "Rintaro! She's saying I'm weirder than you! That's definitely not possible! You're the weirdest one here!"
Alu kept smiling. Honestly, strange as this girl was, she did appreciate the distraction. Yeah, she didn't like that old guy—like at all. He was definitely a creepy pervert. But then he had this weird air that he did actually care about that girl. Still, he wasn't a good person—that much she knew. She wasn't a moron.
But she didn't care about him, anyways. She cared about getting to know Elise. Because she sensed that she was lonely. And sometimes, loneliness can be worse than dying. Alu didn't care that Elise was an ability. Just from what she'd garnered from their time together today, she wanted Elise to feel like she had a right to exist too. Because, ability or not, they were remarkably similar in how the world treated them.
A "monster" and a "perverse" ability being friends? Yeah, it was just out of this world enough to be legit in this city. Alu knew she was most likely being baited to be used. But, she wanted to try to be this girl's friend. Because honestly? Elise didn't sound like she had any. And the thought of leaving her alone with just Rintaro did make Alu's skin utterly crawl. No, she'd show this girl that there was more to life than just serving that pervert. Maybe there would be a way for her to take her away from this man. Of course, that would depend on if Elise even could be separated from this man.
Or wanted to be.
And what about the agency? Alu couldn't ask them for help.
Her heart felt a pang though. She didn't know how she'd face the agency right now. She'd upset the members—and said something pretty damn hurtful to Ranpo—the one who was trying to recruit her…for reasons Alu still didn't understand. Still, she felt bad. But Alu didn't know how to apologize for what she said. At least, not to his face.
She clutched her arm, rubbing it, her eyes flickering, her smile faltering as the image of Ranpo's hurt expression—and the other agency members' angry expressions loomed in her mind. She hated picking sides for this very reason. If she picked a 'side', it didn't guarantee that she actually had a side to be on. Sometimes, being stuck in the middle, was the safest place to be. Awkwardly balancing like she was on a taught tight rope, not falling, not quite, but staying in place to avoid taking one wrong step and losing that delicately self-established sense of balance.
Elise noted Alu's depressed change and she tilted her head at Alu. "What's got you so down? Is it Rintaro? I can get him to go away, if you want?"
Alu shook her head, looking at Rintaro and Elise. "No, it's not him." She wasn't lying. Rintaro wasn't the reason why she was upset. While Rintaro did honestly come off as clearly a two-faced personality, she couldn't place why she oddly didn't really care about that part of his character. She met a lot of people with two faces—multiple masks— maybe it was because she was one of them herself.
"Then what is wrong?" Elise frowned. "Is it a tummy ache? Rintaro is a doctor! He could give you something for it!" She looked to Rintaro, expectantly.
Rintaro came closer, with permission from Elise to approach Alu. "Is it? I am a doctor," he said, tilting his head at Alu, sounding concerned.
Alu shivered. No, though his tone was trying to come off as 'kind' it wasn't the same way of how he addressed Elise at all. There was a definite empty concern when he addressed Alu. "I'm okay, it's not my stomach," she quickly clarified, waving a hand at Elise and him, dismissive. "I appreciate the concern, really I do." She felt flustered by it, more like. She could tell Elise was actually trying to gauge what was wrong, but this man… no…Alu felt her hair raise a little. He was cold.
He felt honestly, a lot like Chief Taneda. Which meant, whoever she was talking to, was clearly an authority figure of some sort. They always carried a particularly cold air about them—but he didn't feel like he worked for the government. This man didn't have boundaries—that's what made him even more dangerous. Alu would have to be careful. Not wanting to tip him off to her real feelings about him, she went ahead and looked instead up to the sky. Ah, it was already late afternoon.
Alu recalled how she told Elise that she didn't judge a book by its cover. This man didn't feel like a book. He felt like an entire thick volume of dark secretive history and if she were to open it up— well— she wasn't sure she wanted to know what she'd find. She was an avid lover of books, but his, was a book she seriously considered avoiding. He just had that kind of vibe. Not wanting to tip either of them off to the fact she kinda knew that something was up with him, she just smiled again at Elise. "Hey, it's getting late. I have to get back," she fibbed.
"Back where?" Elise asked.
"I have to go home," Alu said, pointing in a random direction past Rintaro and Elise. "I'll be seeing you both around maybe, sometime?"
"No!" Elise gasped, and she glommed onto Alu's arm. "No! I want to still play! You can't leave!"
She sounded upset. Alu quieted. Why was this girl so adamant? Alu sighed with a mushroom cloud sigh. However, Rintaro spoke up, sheepish. "Now, now, Elise-Chan, why don't we go ahead and let this lovely young lady go? I'm sure we'll see her around again!"
"I want her phone number!" Elise said, and she looked to Alu with a glare. "Give me your number!"
It was a demand, not a request. Alu found this little girl honestly kinda funny. She smiled apologetically, petting Elise's head. "I'm sorry," she said, "I don't have a phone." She admitted, hoping that she wouldn't accidentally give away that she basically had nothing, was broke, destitute, and technically had no idea where she'd be sleeping tonight.
"You don't have a phone?" Elise's jaw dropped. "What age did you come from? The stone one? Rintaro! Get her a phone!" She pointed to Rintaro, being bossy and bratty. "What kind of phone do you want?" she asked Alu.
Alu sweated profusely. Now she was turning red with embarrassment. This girl was acting like a spoiled rich kid—not some guy's sex drive ability. Actually, Alu didn't see Elise that way at all. Yeah, it's what Elise had said, but the way she talked about herself—Alu couldn't accept that someone sentient like Elise was no more than simply an ability and an ability alone. She clearly had the capacity to think and act like a person. "Um…." Alu waved her arms, flailing. "Please don't! I really don't need one! Miss Elise! Please!"
"But how am I supposed to contact you in the future?" Miss Elise pouted. She put her hands on her hips. "I can't talk to you again without a phone number to reach out to you on, and if we part ways now, I know we may not see each other again!"
Well, she had a point there. Alu glanced at Rintaro. He was just smiling at her, looking meek and well, not at all like some suspicious authoritative mastermind Alu had a feeling he secretly was totally capable of being if he decided to do a 'Surprise Uno' card move… She grimaced. He didn't actually contribute much to the conversation and she wondered if it was because he wasn't chatty or because he was just calculating her moves. Probably both, to be honest.
"I…can't accept, that is definitely something that is too extravagant, especially for someone you just met, Miss Elise!" Alu flustered. "Sir, I appreciate the time of you both," she addressed Rintaro quickly, before Elise could counter-argue, "but I really must be going!"
She turned to leave but suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. She felt her skin crawl, as her eyes peered to see the hand belonged to the man. "Miss, it's not a problem…" he said, voice low and grim. He looked at her with the serious look of a man about to endure the ultimate test of self-sacrifice, "…If it makes my Elise-Chan happy…allow me to do this much for you."
Alu felt very awkward. He looked absolutely determined—like his entire world would be crushed if she said no. He was seriously a real weirdo… "Uh…"
:
:
:
—X—
And that was how Alu somehow found herself in a phone store, with Elise, Dr. Pervert…and well, a brand new cellphone in her hand.
How the hell did I end up agreeing to this again… oh right…I'm really bad under social pressure… Alu grimaced. Well, certain things anyways. It was very apparent that these two wanted to give her a phone to reach her again by. Now she definitely knew something was up, no way people were nice just to be nice—at least not someone like that man anyways. With Elise-Chan, she couldn't actually tell. But well, here she was…somehow…with a brand new purple touch screen cell phone…
"Um…thank you…" she said, completely mentally drained, like a zombie almost, from today's events. "I…have no…idea…how I'm going to pay you back for this…"
"Don't worry about the cost," Rintaro simpered, smiling. Elise-Chan quickly grabbed Alu's new phone and began to tap into it, fervently. He looked pleased as he addressed Alu. "My Elise-Chan doesn't have many people she can talk to freely like you…honestly, the phone is more of an investment…"
"Investment?" Alu didn't know where this was going but she was a bit on edge.
"…Yes, an investment for her happiness," Rintaro finished brightly.
Alu blinked. She squinted at this man. She seriously couldn't figure him out. And she was good at reading people, normally. Ugh, he came off like that damn Dazai when Dazai was trying to be full of riddles… "You sound like an annoying guy I know," she said.
"Oh?" He blinked. Elise-Chan giggled, handing back Alu's phone.
"She's so blunt! I like that!" She hummed. "Look, Alu! Now you have my number!"
Alu grimaced. "Oh uh...yeah.." she glanced back to Rintaro, still apologetic on some level for being rude, "It's…a habit. I tend to kinda say what I think…and uh…sorry…" she looked away, not really looking at Elise, the phone, or the man in question. She felt embarrassed and guilty.
"That's okay," Rintaro said, good-naturedly, "but, I don't think that apology is actually directed at me, is it?"
Alu felt herself freeze. Was this guy secretly a freaking Jedi? She did have Ranpo on the brain, sure, but she had been pretty sure she had been apologizing for calling Rintaro annoying—how was he somehow relating it to something she hadn't even expressed out loud? She sort of almost dropped the phone, quickly catching herself with a gasp and clinging to it tighter.
Miss Elise pouted at Rintaro. "Don't frazzle her, Rintaro! Jeez! You're being a bully!" She began to hit Rintaro gently on his arm, to execute her irritation.
Alu was quiet. Turning away from them both, she just looked at the phone in her hands. Oddly, it was cold and soothing on her fingertips, but it wasn't…it wasn't the hat that Ranpo had given her. Though she found it hard to admit to herself, she had thought that it was kinda cool, how he had essentially expressed that she could be a detective too… But then they had a fight about logic versus heart and she just had to go and use his parents as a low blow to his ego. She sniffled.
Elise quieted, pausing hitting Rintaro. "Alu?" She asked, frowning.
Alu wiped her eyes, with her sleeve. Her eyes were full of tears. That man, creepy as he may be, was very observant. She couldn't deny it to him even if Elise wasn't catching on. "He's right," her voice wavered. "There's…to be honest…there's someone I actually need to apologize to, but the truth is… I don't know…how to find the right words…"
Elise quieted, and glanced to Rintaro for support. Rintaro pursed his lips, but he came over. "Let's go get something to eat for dinner, and we can discuss this more," he said, not unkindly. Alu didn't shiver this time. Oddly enough, his tone this time wasn't fake. She wondered why.
She just nodded, too tired to argue.
Elise glommed onto Alu's arm, helping steer her after Rintaro. "Make sure to find a good place, Rintaro! Somewhere to cheer Alu up!" She said, bossily to Rintaro.
Rintaro just nodded. "Of course, Elise-Chan. Do we want to eat here or go somewhere nicer?"
Elise looked to Alu. "Wanna go eat dinner with us? Rintaro takes me out to nice places all the time!"
Alu's stomach growled like it was a howling animal on the edge of starvation. Alu swayed a little, her blood sugar already dipping from lack of nutrition and calories. "Uh…huh…" She found herself falling. Elise's voice rang in her ears.
Alu felt herself being caught, steadied by that man. She could feel the world was spinning. She groaned, the phone in her hand slipping from her grasp. Elise quickly caught it.
"Rintaro! What's wrong with her? What's going on with her?" She sounded puzzled.
Alu found herself being carried by that man, moments later. He looked middle-aged but he wasn't weak, able to carry her with ease in his arms. Alu was again, oddly reminded of Dazai. She missed that guy. She missed Yosano. She missed that silly guy, Kunikida. She really missed those orphans…and Odasaku. She wanted to stay with them all longer. But after the fight she had today at the agency with Ranpo? There was no way Ranpo would be able to easily forgive her for what she'd said. But she found herself oddly missing him the most.
Well, this was it then. She was going to be carried off by a creepy old guy and his sentient Lolita doll looking ability. She wondered if her organs would be sold or something as her blurry vision made it clear there was a black car they were all getting into.
Well, whatever.
She didn't think that would actually happen, and Juubi would let it rip if they did try to harm her… but this didn't feel like that kind of situation. Alu just wanted to sleep. She curled up on the cool leather seat she found herself on, and tried to speak.
"Sorry…hungry….gonna rest…" she found herself mumbling.
"It's okay, Alu," Elise said, sitting in between her and Rintaro in the back seat of the big black car. "We're gonna get you properly fed. It seems you're experiencing low blood sugar due to being really hungry."
"Yeah…happens.." Alu mumbled. "I'm prone…to low blood sugar…crashes…" she found herself admitting for no apparent reason other than she vaguely recalled Elise saying Rintaro was a Doctor.
"Hang in there, we're gonna get you proper food, okay?" Elise continued, glancing to Rintaro. "She can't go out with this state she's in…let's bring her back with us, and we can feed her at our place!"
Rintaro nodded. While he wouldn't admit it outwardly, he had momentarily been genuinely worried himself. He did have to admit, that girl was rather thin. She didn't look malnourished, but she definitely was thin. She clearly was someone who did not have a stable source of nutrition. Rintaro planned to change that. What luck, he thought to himself, smirking as he looked out the window as the scenery passed by. To think all he would have to do to steal her from Fukuzawa…was simply take care of her like a small pet.
—X—
Panting, Yosano looked far and wide for where Alu may have gone. Finally, she came to the outdoor mall. Seeing a familiar black car, Yosano was going to give it a wide berth. She knew exactly who owned that car.
However, her eyes flashed with horror and shock.
In that horrible man's arms, was the girl, Alu!
Yosano ran as far as she could sprint, but she was too late. The car had taken off. Breathing hard, Yosano clutched her phone. "Shit…" she looked absolutely mortified.
Back in the study, Fukuzawa was meditating when his phone rang. He reached for it in the drawer, fumbling around to grab it. Picking it up, he answered. "Fukuzawa here," he stated, formal.
"President, I have bad news," Yosano's voice was shaking.
Fukuzawa's eyes flickered with alarm. "What is it?"
"That girl…he has her…" Yosano found it hard to speak, hyperventilating.
"Who has her?" Fukuzawa asked, curtly, standing up. He began to move instinctively towards the other room where Ranpo was.
"Mori…Ogai…"
This was the worst possible news. Not that man. Anyone but that man. Fukuzawa dropped his phone with shock, horror clearly etched on all his features. Alu's life was entirely in danger.
A/N: *Bebe Rexha. (She has some really good songs out in her recent album lol.) This song really embodies both Alu and also Elise's inner feelings for themselves.