CHAPTER VIIII

"Every corner light touches is shadow"

Ranpo blinked in confusion. "Hah? Why not? You don't have any real prospects, your place is a hole, and you don't even have a real source of income, right?"

Alu felt that analysis like stabbing knife arrows in her gut. This kid...really had no tact. She glanced at Ms. Yosano and the president as though to affirm if this was the boy's normal attitude and their expressions made that confirmation valid. She sighed, looking at Ranpo. "You know… snooping through someone's private life is a bit unsettling. What are you, some kinda stalker?"

Ranpo frowned, tilting his head. "Stalker? I wouldn't say that. I just figured out where you live from the poor way you dress," he said brightly. "I mean, from there finding your place was easy!"

Alu squeaked. "Wait! You went to my home?" She yelped, eyes wide, jaw dropping open.

"Home?" Ranpo repeated, puzzled. "No, no, I went to your stye."

Alu threw a pillow at his face. Ranpo yelped landing on his butt. Alu rubbed her face, and feeling agitated she got out of the bed. "I can't with you," she grumbled at Ranpo's general direction, suddenly irritated.

"You don't make yourself endearing when you talk like that," Ms. Yosano sighed, shaking her head at Ranpo. "Enough, don't stress her out, Ranpo."

The president continued to eye Alu without speaking. Alu found that more unsettling than anything. They say actions speak louder than words, and she couldn't quite gauge what was on his mind from the stiff way he was just standing. "I'm just saying, it'd be really dumb for her to go back to nothing when she can actually do something worthwhile like work with us," Ranpo remarked, tossing the pillow back on the empty bed now, shrugging. He bent down to pick up his hat and patted it and then proceeded to put it back on his head with a frown.

"Well," the president finally said, gazing at Alu who was looking at the clothes on the chair. "Will you consider it?"

Alu was quiet for a moment. She didn't want to be a burden to these people. Knowing that they were helping those orphans and Odasaku was enough. She felt uneasy. She couldn't explain it but she liked being in the shadows—not in the bright light of center stage. She knew if she joined an organization as flashy as this one that she'd eventually lose that air of surprise. She kind of liked not being someone everyone knew.

Not that these people were super well known, but she could tell that they were all tied to this city's history somehow. Whereas...she was just a wanderer… like always, passing through. She gazed at the white long sleeved t-shirt, long black pants, and simple dark grey trench coat laid out for her. Ms. Yosano had picked out something simple for her. It fit her style. She blinked. There was a new bullet proof vest and pants as well. Not wanting to seem ungrateful, she nodded. "I will consider it," she replied finally.

"Well, that's the same as saying, "I'm goin'ta run away as soon as you're not looking,'" Ranpo interjected, appearing next to her, arms crossed.

"Will you stop overreacting to my words," Alu said, huffing.

"I'm not. I deduced as much from your character," he shrugged. "While you were asleep, I had plenty of time to assess you from every angle."

Alu slowly turned her head. You could practically hear the head creaking like a foot stepping on a loose board in an old house. "You...watched me while I slept," she repeated, her voice dropping, dangerously low.

"Uh, duh," Ranpo shrugged, tilting his head at her. "How else was I gonna use my skill, "Super Deduction?"

"I'd rather you not run away," the president sighed.

Alu felt guilty. "I wouldn't run away while I owe a debt!" She glared at Ranpo. "Even if I decide I can't join, I will at least pay you back for taking care of me for these past few weeks."

"Yeah, we know," Ranpo shrugged, and putting his hands behind his head, trotted over to the president's side while he spoke. "I found all the journals you have been keeping for the past year with tabs of the stuff you stole and the amount they cost so you could pay them back when you had money."

Alu's face turned red from embarrassment. Oh great, now they knew she was a thief too! She wasn't proud of it! But she had to eat too! She glared at Ranpo feeling uneasy. She didn't like this kid's ability to just know everything from looking at her. How could she possibly plan anything if he was going to blab it to the president? She was starting to get a headache. "Yeah, so what?" She growled, grabbing the clothes. "I'm a thief, so that's a good reason not to ask me."

"Ranpo didn't mean that," Ms. Yosano sighed. "I apologize, he can come off rather blunt, but he just meant what we were all thinking, and that's that you clearly care to pay back any debt you owe," she walked over to Alu a bit. Alu drew back, a bit wary. Ms. Yosano paused.

"It's up to you, what you decide to do," the president sighed, finally. "Just know that the offer is there for when you've made your decision."

Alu did want some time to think about it. She glanced to Ranpo and Ms. Yosano. They were all staring at her. She looked down at her clothes. "May I have...just a few days?" She mumbled, self conscious.

The president nodded. "Very well, in the meantime, due to the situation with Mimic going silent, I'm going to assign someone to keep you safe," he added, turning away.

"Wait,—huh?" Alu blinked. "I don't need protection!"

"Well, if you don't have it, you will end up a bloody mess again," Ranpo piped in helpfully. Alu really wanted to smother him with a pillow. She looked at him, eye twitching.

"It's already been decided," the president said, "you are still a child yourself, so protection is a must."

Alu groaned. She couldn't tell them that even though she looked like a teenager she actually could adjust her age depending on her mood thanks to Juubi's age manipulation ability. No, the less they knew about her extent of what her fox could do for her the better. Besides, she didn't exactly advertise Juubi's abilities. And she wasn't in the mood to do so at this moment. She frowned. "Is this really because of Mimic or something? They're not actually after me. You know that right?"

Ms. Yosano played with her hair, brushing it back behind her ear as she sighed, putting a free hand on her hip and gazing at Alu. "Considering the show you put on a few weeks ago, it's actually very likely you're on their radar," she stated, matter-of-factly. "Them, the Port Mafia, most likely any illegal operation looking to get their hands on a nuke of an ability which you have."

Alu grimaced. Well, she could pretend to hope that she hadn't just alerted a bloodthirsty bunch of weirdos to her existence. She sighed, looking again at the clothes. The president left the room in the meantime. Ms. Yosano and Ranpo were who remained behind. Alu didn't like the way Ranpo eyed her —with or without his glasses. He was mostly interested in eating his gummy bears at the moment though. He looked to Ms. Yosano.

"I'm gonna head back to my desk, make sure she doesn't make a run for it, 'Kay?" He munched, unblinkingly at her.

Ms. Yosano nodded. "Got it. I'll bring her to the office once she's dressed."

Ranpo nodded and left the room, finally leaving Alu alone with Ms. Yosano. Alu fiddled with the clothes. The fact the agency knew where she lived made her really uncomfortable. She'd have to find somewhere new to live and somehow get past Ranpo's super deduction ability. She groaned.

Somehow, she felt like the agency was actually more terrifying than the Port Mafia. She wondered how she hadn't noticed that before.

Ranpo stared at the president. They were in the president's office with Odasaku. The children were currently in another room keeping themselves occupied with one of the other agency members and the nice secretary girl, Kirako Haruno. Ms. Haruno wore dark turtlenecks, with glasses, olive green eyes, and curly short to her neck brown hair.

Odasaku gazed from the president to Ranpo. He had his arms crossed, leaning against the wall away from the door, Ranpo entered through. Ranpo shut the door, and he looked still towards the president. The president sat at his desk, and interlaced his fingers, resting his chin on his hands. "Well?" He asked, patiently.

Ranpo nodded. "She's definitely not from this known world—at least, whatever she is...it's not human."

Odasaku was quiet, but his thoughts wandered. Why had someone like that girl taken such a vested interest in some random orphans? This bothered him. Yet, she clearly had nothing but good intentions when he saw her interact with them. There was no way he could believe easily that she meant them any harm. Just wasn't in the question.

"I need to know, Ranpo...is having her join this agency...in the agency's best interest?" President Fukuzawa continued.

Ranpo was quiet but he fiddled with the bag he was eating the gummy bears from before he walked closer to the desk, responding. "Well that depends, do you want a flaky employee?"

Odasaku quirked a brow. Huh, she sounded like someone else he sort of knew. No, it wasn't that Dazai was flaky, but he couldn't help but sense some similarities between those two. He couldn't quite place it, but that girl oddly reminded him of Dazai—she was reckless like him. "Hold on, if she doesn't say yes, then what will happen?" He didn't deny the slight concerned tone that crept into his voice.

The president looked to him, and tilted his head. "Don't worry, we have no intention of pursuing her if she doesn't wish it," he said calmly, before his gaze glanced back to Ranpo. "What do you think we should do, Ranpo?" He said this with confidence in Ranpo's ability to assess a situation accordingly. It was why Ranpo was his right hand when it came to running the agency. Despite Ranpo's childish behavior and inability to understand normalities of everyday living, when it came to deduction, there was no one quite like Ranpo.

Ranpo nodded. "I think we should test her," he said bluntly. "If we ask her outright, she'll find a way to get out of it. Don't tell her it's a test. Just let her go and then I suppose, go from there." He shrugged. "I mean, it'd be really dumb to not have someone whose clearly hiding a power like hers on our side. My concern is that because she doesn't know which side to choose that there's always the chance she'll choose a path that isn't in our favor."

President Fukuzawa nodded. That was his concern as well. He'd never seen a power quite like hers. At least, not since he'd sense that power of Chuuya Nakahara from three years ago. Of course Mori got his hands on a 'god' of destruction. Typical Mori. President Fukuzawa grimaced. If he got his hands on this girl, no, President Fukuzawa's eyes narrowed. "Ranpo, do you know if at any point, if she'd be capable of harming us?"

Ranpo was oddly quiet with that question. Odasaku and President Fukuzawa gazed at him. Ranpo finally pursed his lips. He scratched his head. "That's such a loaded question," he finally complained. President Fukuzawa blinked, surprised by this childish whining response from Ranpo. Normally Ranpo would be very direct and blunt. He tilted his head, gazing at him.

"What's the answer?" He asked, patient.

Ranpo scratched his head, and he took off his hat, fiddling with it. Finally, he put the hat back on his head. "No matter what, she's neither."

Odasaku blinked, now, confused. "Neither?"

Ranpo nodded. "Yeah, you know, we see things as black and white right? She's like the grey area. Even though I can predict possible outcomes due to her nature, I can't actually pinpoint what she will actually do."

President Fukuzawa sighed. "I see, so you're saying...she's still moldable?"

Ranpo shook his head. "No, that's actually not it at all. Lemme explain," he cleared his throat and he stepped closer to Fukuzawa, and pointed at something on the ground. Fukuzawa and Odasaku looked at where Ranpo was pointing at the ground.

"What are we looking at?" Odasaku couldn't help but feel a bit stupid. All he saw was the carpet.

Fukuzawa clearly didn't see anything special either and he frowned at Ranpo. "Ranpo?"

Ranpo clicked his tongue. "Listen, Prez, what I'm saying is, she's not like us. We're solid, we have the ability to be both the light and the dark side of humanity. She however, is neither. She's the shadow."

Fukuzawa and Odasaku glanced at each other, both men processing what Ranpo was saying. Odasaku scratched his head, frowning. "So, you're saying, that this girl can't be either a good guy, or a bad guy, but something in the middle?"

Ranpo nodded. "Yes, she's volatile and unpredictable," he looked at President Fukuzawa seriously, his green eyes opening for the first time since the entire conversation began. "If need be, there's always the possibility,—"

"That we'd have to fight," President Fukuzawa said softly.