Trigger Warning: Slight pedophilia, mentions of forced death and insanity.
It started after operation Mimic, that one of Port Mafia's most controversial had been a relapse, the Echo sector, a formerly large scale sector of extremely gifted child soldiers make up Mori's shadow ranks, known solely answering to Mori's demands, which may often lead to dirty work. The sector was formerly occupied by at least 50 soldiers, before Mimic and after a mass terrorist explosives exploded along Mafia warehouses, only three survivors were documented, before a new wave of child soldiers were placed in the sector. Presently, there are 8 members, known their immaculate team work and assimilation within Yokohama. Echoes are frequently solitary in collective operations executed by the Port Mafia and do not go into combat unless in dire need those who are on duty are seen wearing a dark grey sleeved jumpsuit with a high-collar and a hood, along with choke collars that monitor their activities.
Yukino had always known about Echoes, being under Chuuya's tutelage had made sure that she encountered them often, if not indirectly.
It had been just after Mimic and Dazai's escape from the Mafia's clutches, where she met him. The first time that Yukino had noticed him , it had been nothing but a fleeting glance. It had been quite late in the evening and Chuuya and his protege were starting to walk home. It had been an unsettling feeling, that feeling you get when someone stares without battering an eye. A part of her, hoped it had been Dazai, but he left a few weeks ago, far away from the Port Mafia and the memories of Mimic at least. It had been clawing at the back of her mind and it seemed as if the tiger felt that too, as she urged her to turn her head. Yukino spared this person a glance fluttering her eyelashes downwards to hide her own focus. It had been a dull spark of recognition, Aldous Huxley, a boy of 15 years that she had seen lash out on others in rage, he had a rising temper she noted. His eyes clashed with her heterochromatic ones, dull recognition flashed in his eyes of brown like the mud one sees after rainfall. To her surprise, had his eyes of muddy brown been littered with small flecks of gold as the setting sun spread its light towards him.
However, he was also the reminder of her own fate, the little girl was to be transferred the Echo sector next week at the lastest, meaning Yukino would leave Chuuya's side, they never talked about it , because regardless of her desire to stay with Chuuya, she was to be sent into the force.
"Yukino? What's wrong?"
Yukino turned towards Chuuya who seemed to be rather confused and looked towards where Huxley was. She turned back, but when she did, Aldous Huxley had already disappeared from her sight. Yukino turned back to Chuuya before once again before shaking her head slightly.
"Nothing."
Yukino didn't see him until a week after our small interaction.
Mori had called Yukino up to his office and had proceeded to introduce her to a familiar face, along with a foreign one. She had been 11 years of age at that time, Huxley had been at least 4 years her senior, at 15. There's was this saying, 'Don't judge a book by it's cover'. Yukino pride herself in doing just that. Never underestimate thy enemy, never overestimate thy enemy, and meeting Aldous Huxley the second time was like a ripe explosive that was ready to explode if he hadn't already.
He had a pair of lungs. A really good pair. He was yelling, shouting profanities, the lot. He was unafraid she noted, unafraid of Mori, had no respect and all you could see was that same balanced smile on Mori's face with amusement and a sense of fondness lurking in his eyes.
"WHY DO I HAVE TO DO IT?!"
"IF SHE'S SO FUCKING GIFTED THEN JUST MAKE HER AN EXECUTIVE!"
"WHY AM I BABYSITTING THIS KID?!"
"# !%*$$# #!"
Yukino couldn't help but think of Chuuya and Akutagawa, in this situation. Like if Chuuya and Akutagawa had a child with an American surrogate mother and then proceeded to make him the most angsty child that the world could allow. That would be him. Don't argue.
The black tiger flicks its tail side to side in blatant irritation, giving a little growl before turning away from the scene in her mind. The one-sided yelling had yet to cease and Yukino finds her attention directed towards a young woman awkwardly standing towards the side, peering downwards, shoulders slouching. She honestly didn't seem all that much, but Yukino couldn't say anything, that womanvcould've been a wolf in sheep's clothing. All Yukino could really see was her frizzy mousy hair that was tied into a short pony tail with red ribbon. She was rather tall, perhaps near her adulthood.
By the time, Yukino had drew attention away, Huxley had already quietened down, but still remained red from anger. Mori had his stare fixated onto the new comer, before making a little open- handed gesture towards .
"This is Nakajima Yukino-chan, a new recruit within the Echo sector, she was formerly under Nakahara Chuuya, with a Fraternal Ability, 'Beast Beneath the Moonlight', a transformation ability and into a black tiger."
A Fraternal Ability User, was an occurrence only found in siblings of different sexes. It functions like a normal ability, before a extended amount of time as it will slowly consume the owner's health. But that type of user itself was rare, in fact, majority of Fraternal Ability Users wouldn't know they had an ability, because their abilities would unconsciously activate themselves until the user's body couldn't uphold their gifts eroding away into husks.
"Nakajima-chan here, is present for her first mission, like a try out of course. Although it would be just you three, Atwood is still recovering from the incident. Its such a shame." Mori droned in a faux depressed tone.
Yukino looks in the corner of her eye to see the girl had already looked up, with a European features set on Mori, she had a rather sharp features, that one would think of nobility, with eyes of glistening marine, even with her pursed lips, she had looked rather pretty.
"This is Charlotte Perkins Gilman-kun, an American- native with the ability 'Yellow Wallpaper', she can send her foes into a sense of mad delirium and hallucinations of garish yellow wallpaper."
She turns towards Yukino, her face softens into a maternal look before giving me a small friendly wave. Yukino nods her head stiffly before bowing sightly.
"This is Aldous Huxley-kun, another American- native with the ability 'Brave New World', he can conjure pressure fields which can cause physical entities to implode on itself. The barriers are inconsistent and can only be controlled through extreme anger or grief."
Huxley does nothing but gives the newest recuit, a hard stare, which she responded by bowing slightly in greeting.
"As you know, Echoes are the shadow ranks of the Port Mafia, a fundamental workforce that upholds core values of the Port Mafia at whatever cost, protecting and executing the wills of the Port Mafia. Most importantly, as Echoes you only answer to me, any form of failure will lead to public execution done by myself in the eyes of those in this particular work force."
Mori's smile instantly sharpens, taking out a file to give to Huxley which he takes and flicks through before seemingly gripping the file tighter in silent anger. Mori takes no heed and ignores Huxley's turmoil.
" I want you three to retrieve some things for me from Nori-san, one of the heads of the Japanese Yakuza, we're generally on great terms but he seems to demanding more and more these days. If I remember correctly, he seems to have a soft spot for little girls."
The office had dropped 10 degrees after that, as Huxley and Gilman had their eyes trained on the ravenette, dread filled Yukino's stomach and clenching her hands curled into small fists.
"Nori-san must not be killed. He is one of the Mafia's only allies within the Yakuza. Failure will be dealt with something worse than death. Do you understand?"
They nod numbly, before Mori tells the newest Echo to step forward and places a vibrant red kimono and oboko shoes in my hands, although it had been quite a beautiful kimono with woven pale pink peonies and oboko with vibrant red straps that would essentially raise my 155 cm of height, Yukino couldn't bring herself to admire it.
Mori gives a closed eye smile.
"Right then, off you go."
When nightfall came, Yukino had found myself at the reception at the main Port Mafia building, wearing exactly what Mori had given her, with okobo shoes with red straps that jingled its bell within the shoe as she walked. Yukino found herself hating that bell, as every step meant her inevitable fate, it had jingled delicately as if it were mocking her dire situation. The girl hated it. She felt rather numb and as she saw Gilman and Huxley walk through the doors in their over-size high collar jumpsuits and hooded, dampened her mood even more.
Each step came with unease and dread and although Yukino wanted to stop, her body had gone on autopilot, walking causally along the secluded alleys, the bell just didn't stop, ringing into her ears. the new Echo didn't want to know where she was going, nor did she want to know, keeping her head down, she trudged along before bumping into Huxley as he stopped but he never spared her a glance. Looking up to see a sign in neon lights, she found herself in front of a pub.
Huxley grabs harshly onto Yukino's wrist, pulling her in, the overbearing smell of alcohol wafts its way into her nose and she scrunches her delicate face. The boy walks over towards the bartender, giving him an identification of some sort and the bartender guides upstairs into an area of suffocating smoke, into a private room. The room had been even worse as smoke hung like a heavy fog across the room and at a closer look it was much like those of fancy hotel rooms one would see on TV, draped in a dingy royal red, along with golden accents, it seemed that through overuse and smoke dulled its appeal.
In the middle of the room had been a paunch man sitting lazily on a fainting sofa, he had been covered in dreary blue robes and a fat cigar in hand, smirking and dragging his eyes towards the children, lingering his eyes onto the youngest addition, that was until Yukino shifted towards Huxley.
"What are little lambs lingering here for?"
"Mori-san sent them here, Nori-sama." the bartender bowed in unease.
The Yakuza man gave an amused booming laugh, before dismissing the bartender and settling on the Echoes.
"Has Mori-san lost his touch? Sending mere children to a man's lair, its almost endearing, especially with the little girl over there."
Huxley purses his lips but seems to manage in keeping calm.
"I'm sure that an infamous Yakuza head like yourself knows that Mori-san needs those files you have possession, Mori knows material wealth is but a civil matter to you. We have taken account of your preferences in female partners, so Mori-san has sent a female that fit your personal criteria.
This is Sa-chan, 11 years old and is as pure as one can get."
I looked at Huxley, Sa-chan had not been my name.
Yukino had the missed feral smirk and gleaming eyes of the older man, but Huxley did not, as he pushed her lightly towards the man, clenching his teeth tightly. She stumbles a bit before walking stiffly towards the man, stopping at an arm's length distance.
He takes my hand with his pudgy hands and lifts it to inspect with his beady eyes, stroking the back of Yukino's hand that making her almost rear back.
"So small and smooth, like a doll's hand..."
He looks up at Yukino, and the little girl stares back with dead eyes.
"Sa-chan needs those files right?"
She could only nod in obedience and in return he takes the files from the table next to the sofa and pushes it against her chest roughly.
"Sa-chan should bring those back to her friend quickly, I'm not a patient man Sa-chan."
Yukino turned to give it to Huxley who takes it with gritted teeth, Gilman had her fists clenched and gave the younger girl a pitiful look. Huxley bows stiffly before leaving.
"We'll be in the hall. Mori-san needs her out by 11."
Nori-san only grunts in response, Yukino didn't want Huxley or Gilman to go, but despite her turmoil, they had left. The man pulls her obi away and Yukino struggle in defiance, my protest was ignored as he starts to touch me, and each caress and linger feels like fire searing into her skin. But her struggle starts to die down as she become tired and all Yukino could hope for was nothing too extreme. He avoided private areas but runs his leg among her thighs, Yukino didn't want to think of his lingering presence anymore.
Instead, she focused on the smoke, it made her mind hazy and she hated it, Yukino found myself listening things that she hated about the overwhelming smoke, his burnt cigar, everything she could think of. Her mind even drifted into the past, just to escape his unwelcome touches. She thought of my brother. His uneven haircut, his kind yet frightened eyes, really, anything. But when his hand falls to her backside, Yukino open opens her mouth to scream in protest.
He suddenly pushes me off and his hands flail around in panic.
"DON'T TOUCH ME! DON"T TOUCH ME!"
Yukino could only stare in shock as Nori-san threw frantic punches in the air, Yukino, herself was tipped over by his movement, falling on her butt. The door opened and Gilman runs to Yukino, wrapping the kimono around her, tying the obi in a flimsy knot, whilst Huxley takes the oboko. Although Yukino tried to ask them about what had happened Huxley silenced her.
"Run now, we'll tell you later! "
They rush outside, adrenaline running through their veins, before hearing a gunshot go off. We run, with Gilman's hand latched on the younger girl's wrist, tugging her along, stopping in front of a small unit of soft tan, Huxley fumbles for for his keys before pulling Yukino in as the door is opened.
Huxley pushes Yukino into the bathroom before leaving her to stare at herself in the mirror, her hair was tangled into a mess and the kimono was barely together with Gilman's flimsy obi knot. Huxley comes back with a set of over sized clothes.
"Wear this."
Yukino had ended up wearing a grey shirt and checkered boxers and forced to sit awkwardly on one of Huxley's brown plush chairs in the living room, with Huxley situated across, Gilman had not been present.
"Where is Gilman-san?" She asked.
"She's giving Mori-san the file and a recount of the mission." Huxley curtly answered.
"What happened there? "
Huxley gave the girl a look, before relenting with a sigh.
"That was Gilman's ability, 'Yellow Wallpaper', it gives people hallucinations of garish yellow wallpaper. "
They stay silent for a few seconds before Huxley continues.
"It's said that there is a demon woman lurking behind the walls of the hallucination, although I've never seen it before, its said that it's one of the scariest things you'll ever see. I've seen people driven mad from it. "
Frankly, Yukino felt a sense of relief but a dare not show it, instead she looked outside the window, thinking of the the American woman. Huxley and Yukino both knew the consequence of their actions on the mission. They tried to not think about it but soon dread had overcome them. They knew she couldn't lie, not to Mori at least. Trying to convince ourselves at this point, they stared at each other in silence before Huxley speaks up.
"She'll come back."
She never came back.
The next time they saw saw the American woman, it had been 4 weeks later, Mori had summoned them all to his office along with Atwood who Yukino had been acquainted a few weeks back. When they had entered, their eyes widened in panic and fear at who was laying wailing on the floor.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
Her bushy brown hair was matted and tangled into a crazed state, her eyes of oceanic blue dulled and clouded and she seemed to have lost weight into a skeletal figure. She was driven into insanity.
"I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY! I SHOULD'NT HAVE-"
Mori continued to ignore her, facing the other Echoes with a tight smile, taking his gloved hand and digging into her hair, pulling her body upwards. He grabs a gun from his desk forcing it against Gilman's head.
"This is what happens when you fail a mission."
The Echoes couldn't brace from it and their internal screams for salvation were silenced before they could even come out.
"I'M SORRY! I'M SOR-"
Gilman's body hits the floor, like a husk, blood drenching her hair.
Mori gives a dismissive wave.
"Make sure you don't fail next time ok?"
The children trudged out the office in a airy daze, before Atwood breaks down with silent tears .
Yukino says nothing in return as she was faced with painful reality.
The fact that she never got to thank Gilman and her ability for saving her. It would haunt her forever.
And that this had been the true nature of the Port Mafia.