VOL 2:
CHAPTER 3
Hard Rock Decisions
Alu groaned. Her head hurt. She'd been knocked out but she hadn't even remembered it. How annoying. Coming to, she had some time to assess her current situation as it were.
She was aboard some sort of cargo hold of a rather big merchant ship. She was allowed to stay with the other children, as per her deal with that woman. However, Alu took this time to try to analyze the situation. She had a couple possible plans actually cooked up, but the problem was, there were a lot of armed personnel outside that steel door she and the kids were trapped behind. Even if she did manage to take them out—one stray bullet hitting one of the children would force her hand.
Alu didn't want unnecessary blood shed either. She huffed. Violence wasn't actually her cup of tea, but sometimes it was necessary for the sake of the situation. As of right now, she was hoping to find a non-violent way to at least get these kids out of harm's way. Being on the ship, she knew that it wasn't docked in a harbor at all.
She craned her neck, kneeling on some boxes, peering out of the small steel window to see just a wide expanse of ocean. Where were they, even? She couldn't see land—that was unsettling in itself.
One of the kids, a boy no older than elementary school age, came over to her, holding out Ranpo's hat. Alu blinked. Oh. It had somehow made its way onto the ship with her? Sort of amused, she smiled at the boy, taking it. "Oh, thank you."
"You dropped it," he said, shy.
Alu slid down off the boxes. "I appreciate it," she said and she hesitated before she gave the young lad a pat on his head. He had dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes with milky skin. He actually had freckles over the bridge of his nose too. Like the other children, he wore simple dark grey baggy clothes.
They all wore the same collars still, Alu noted, though none of them were being restrained. Her eyes flickered. The lack of restraints meant that the woman was cocky. She knew these kids wouldn't even try to free themselves. Their hope had already been snuffed out a while ago. Alu knew the only reason she wasn't being restrained was a test. "What's your name?" She asked the boy, conversationally.
Still, despite the situation, it was nice that someone from this melancholy group was finally talking to her. She put Ranpo's hat on her head to see if it would actually give her any special deduction ability. Nope, she felt the same, —l.o.l.—, at least it made her feel like a real detective.
"My name…?" The boy murmured.
"We've been here a while, what's it matter what our names are?" The oldest boy curtly interjected, glaring at Alu.
"No need to be so hostile," Alu sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "I'm just trying to get to know you all better."
"There's no point!" The same boy glared at her. Alu observed him. This kid had light tan skin—lighter than hers—but still darker than a typical Japanese person, piercing dark lilac eyes, and dark hair with a reddish-orange tint to it. He looked to be only a few inches shorter than her.
"Well, what if I make it a point?" Alu brightly interjected, smiling at him.
"Tch," the boy glared at her. "We're all going to be sold anyways! That's how this works! We're bought out by these creeps because no one actually wanted us!"
Alu's heart ached.
This boy—all these children— no child should be made to feel this way, she grit her teeth, balling her hands into fists. "What if I said, I want you?" She said, gazing at the boy.
The boy spluttered, confused. "What? That's not how it works!"
The other kids glanced at each other, and the one near Alu sort of looked downcast at the ground. Alu could kinda tell this rowdy one was the self proclaimed self-spoken leader of the group. "Well, then we'll have to make it work!" Alu beamed at him.
The kid growled. "Hell no! I don't feel like dying!"
Alu walked over to him, still smiling. The other kids sort of stayed out of her way. The kid tensed up, and made his own fists, ready for a fight—ready for anything. Alu made a fist. The kid swung a punch first—acting presumptively. Alu grabbed that wrist, feeling just how malnourished it was— and her anger towards that woman only boiled more.
The boy made a noise of distress—and flinched, waiting to be hit. A gentle fist just knocked the top of his head. He blinked. Alu smiled at him, warmly, reassuringly. "Keep that fire, kiddo," she said, with a smirk.
His face instantly turned red from embarrassment. "I'm not a kid! You're not even that much older than me!"
"Oh? And how old are you, kiddo," she teased, stepping back, sticking her tongue out at him.
"I'm Fourteen!" He flared. "And my name isn't kiddo! It's Tomoe!"
Alu clasped her hands together, beaming. "Nice to meet you, Tomoe!"
The boy, Tomoe gasped. He covered his hand over his mouth, embarrassed and irritated that he'd given away that information to this annoying girl. "I-I —you tricked me!" He spluttered. Alu snickered, amused.
Tomoe growled.
"Well, Tomoe, regardless, it's a pleasure to meet you!" She beamed at him.
Tomoe rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, glaring at her. "Whatever. You being here won't change anything."
Alu sighed. Well, at this current moment, no, probably not. She turned her gaze to the boy beside her. "So what is your name?" She asked again, conversationally. Tomoe didn't like being ignored but he just sat down in a corner, to mope and give her the silent treatment for now. Alu was amused, honestly. Nice to know someone had a fire lit under their butt in this room.
The shy boy blinked. "Um...I'm Ryou," he said, shy. "Um...I'm eleven…"
Alu nodded. "Nice to meet you, Ryou," she said smiling. "You know, I knew someone named Ryou once!" She brightly remarked, rubbing her chin.
The boy looked at her with interest. "Really?"
Alu nodded. "For sure! You know, I think you have a really nice name!"
Ryou blinked at her, but his eyes flickered. The corners of his mouth twitched into a small smile before he looked away, embarrassed. "Oh...um, thanks…"
Alu put her hands on her hips again, turning her gaze to the remaining six children. There were three boys and five girls in total. She'd already met two of the boys...that left the five girls and one remaining boy that she had yet to be introduced to.
The other kids were no doubt late elementary age. Alu took a deep breath. Using Re-write would be pointless here since she didn't have enough details to go on. She wished she'd at least get a premonition to help her out. She could feel Juubi prowling restlessly in her mind but having him come out would ultimately just make things even worse. Not to mention she didn't want all of Japan's government to lock her up as a national threat. She huffed, rubbing her forehead. She needed a plan. Her fingertips brushed the edge of Ranpo's hat. She blinked. Oh…
She took it off. She frowned, just holding it in her hands. Ranpo wasn't someone who did anything that didn't interest him, and she wondered if he was even in this case. Well, she had no doubt that the A.D.A was most likely on her case because of her power. If she was just some average person, they would have left this to local law enforcement no doubt. But these criminals weren't some gang normal police were equipped to handle. Alu's eyes flickered, as she was lost in thought.
What happened to kids like this? Kids without special abilities to protect themselves—did the normal methods of law enforcement even come into play here? Her eyes shifted back to the kids huddled together. They looked malnourished and scared.
Just then, the steel door opened. Alu turned her head, on the alert. Her eyes fell upon the woman as she entered. "Ah, I see you've made yourself comfortable," Ms. Austen hummed, twirling her blue parasol.
"You didn't leave the kids for law enforcement like we discussed," Alu said, curt, narrowing her eyes at the woman.
"Ah, yes," Ms. Austen hummed, "I considered it but then I decided I'd turn them over once we reach my country," she beamed.
Alu blinked. "Huh?" She tried not to sound as dumb as she felt.
"Silly, we're going to the United Kingdom!" Ms. Austen continued to smile, and Alu shivered. This woman was smiling like a spider that had caught juicy little flies in her web.
"Wait—we're leaving Japan?" Alu's jaw dropped.
"Well, yes," Ms. Austen giggled. "I was here sightseeing," she hummed, "and well, it was pure luck that I heard about an interesting little pet to add to my collection," she smirked at Alu. Alu let out a deep sigh. Great, she was a limited edition collectible now.
"I'm flattered," she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.
"You're not from Japan—technically Japan's government has no jurisdiction over what happens to you," she explained, beaming. "And your English is very good though with an accent...tell me, are you from America?"
Alu blinked. This woman was sharp. She tilted her head. "Yes," she finally replied.
Ms. Austen hummed. "I see, well I knew we were sisters! Just like our countries!"
Alu didn't feel anything remotely familial about this woman. She grimaced but she knew better than to antagonize her right now. Her priority was getting these kids to safety. Alu didn't actually know what the U.K.'s government would be like—but at least she could read things in English again. She only knew Japanese because Juubi himself was native to Japan. Which had come in handy in her time in Yokohama.
Alu's heart sank. Would the A.D.A even be able to cross the border to Britain? No, that didn't matter. Alu wasn't concerned about getting them to rescue her—that wasn't their problem. She was more concerned about the fact that Mimic was still at large. Alu grit her teeth. She felt uneasy. Leaving Japan at this time just wasn't an option. She eyed this woman, eyeing her right back, and took a deep breath finally. "I wouldn't mind working with you if our goals can align," she said seriously.
Ms. Austen blinked. "Oh? You're not really in a position to be making demands my dear," she hummed. "You've already made it clear you want these kids to be put into the hands of the law—and put into the hands of the law I can most certainly do if it means having you work for me," she hummed. "However, I have no interest in expounding on this matter."
"Please," Alu said, clenching her fists by her side, looking at Ms. Austen with a serious, no nonsense, expression. Alu wasn't going to beg, but she knew that pride had nothing to do with this.
Ms. Austen quieted.
That's right, a voice began to taunt Alu—and Alu realized it was her own. You know that you're too good to work with her. She's a criminal—you're so much better than that!
Alu quieted. This was coming from her mind—but Alu couldn't shake the feeling that this gnawing in her stomach had only started when that woman had stepped into the room. Alu prided herself in being on the side of good.
Alu shook her head like a fly was buzzing by her ears. Don't be stupid. She's inferior to you. She's a common criminal. What you're doing is worth so much more. You don't need to work things out with her. What's the point? Use her like she's using you.
She knew that Ms. Austen wasn't a good guy but she also knew that she didn't know Ms. Austen's story. And everyone—even bad guys—have a story to tell. How could Alu truly judge her without knowing more?
I won't… I won't use her...I'll work with her… I don't use people. That's not how I do things.
If she was willing to let these kids go at Alu's request—perhaps she was not short of redemption in the future. However, Alu wasn't going to let her personal sense of pride be the cause of alienation from any possible positive outcomes either. Alu knew that she preferred to be on her own, and that she didn't trust people. But, she absolutely refused to let her pride get these children killed.
Ms. Austen continued to gaze at Alu and something in her eyes felt like a glint. Alu couldn't tell since the lighting wasn't great even during the day. However, the gnawing in her mind seemed to recede amidst Juubi's growling.
Ms. Austen started to giggle, covering her rosebud lips with a gloved hand. "Pfft, my, my, you are quite a treat, young lady," she hummed, bemused. "Alright, I'll hear what you have to say."
Alu's shoulders were still tense but she nodded. "I want to stay in Japan, just a little longer," she bluntly stated.
Ms. Austen tapped her lips with her index finger, thinking. Alu didn't know what about, but she hoped that this conversation could somehow be turned to be some sort of situation that worked out in both their favor. "What do I get if I allow you to run around Japan a little longer?" She asked, tilting her head, curious. "Who is possibly waiting for you, there?"
"It's more like...I—" Alu trailed off.
Her eyes flickered.
It wasn't like she was friends with those two guys. Dazai and Odasaku had their own lives. In fact, prior to a few weeks ago, it wasn't like Alu actually knew anything about them. She'd spent her time in Yokohama mostly helping out in the shadows with small matters at hand and trying to learn about Juubi's culture—not that Juubi did anything but complain the whole time about how overly "American" she came off as. Alu realized that it wasn't like she could stop anything bad from crossing Odasaku's path—or the path of those orphans. She'd prevented a tragedy…
But she was about to break one of her own rules: Don't stick around.
No, two rules. Don't get attached.
Alu rubbed her arm, and for the first time, she did feel a little insecure. Mimic wasn't exactly an organization she could go up against. Dazai himself was much more clever. Odasaku had the A.D.A now to back him up. Alu realized she wasn't needed. She had a tendency to stick her nose into things that didn't concern her and honestly, she realized that the A.D.A had only been reaching out to her because of her gift.
There it was…
I'm not needed… that realization dawned on Alu and she felt a small pang. The little girl, Sakura, came to mind. The adults may not need her but what about those kids? Would they forget about her soon enough? Alu gripped her sleeve, her expression looking listless.
She let her arms drop to her sides. Ranpo's hat slipped out of her fingers, dropping to the ground. Ms. Austen just silently gazed at Alu, smiling sympathetically. "Oh my...are you upset about something, dear?" She asked with the concern of someone who was winning a psychological battle.
How presumptuous of you to assume that you, a complete stranger, would be wanted for anything other than your ability… Alu's eyes began to glass over. She felt oddly cold and numb. The voice inside her own mind was her own and it was right. She'd gone ahead and made herself all self important in someone else's story. No, she wasn't a part of their story. She was the editor… someone capable of giving people another chance for a different outcome with her ability… but she wasn't a hero.
Why was she trying so hard to be something she wasn't?
—xxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx—
Fukuzawa sat on a small boat with Yosano and Odasaku. In Fukuzawa's hand was Ranpo's earlier note. His expression was serious, as Odasaku manned the engine so Fukuzawa could focus. Yosano sat near the middle, gazing out at the open water.
The air amongst all three was tense. They hadn't heard from Ranpo in a while. However, they'd gotten directions for how to locate the ship Alu was on.
Fukuzawa squinted, shielding his face from the sun with his sleeve. "I see it!" He said sharply. "It's still in Japanese waters—if we can get aboard we'll be able to find that girl."
"Sir," Yosano said respectfully, "Is Ranpo perhaps already on board?"
Fukuzawa's vein twitched. "He better be," it sounded like a threat. Odasaku and Yosano exchanged concerned glances for Fukuzawa's mental health. Raising a Ranpo certainly wasn't an easy task, Odasaku had learned quickly from his time observing the two interacting at the office.
To say Fukuzawa was stressed was an understatement. He was internally manic. Ranpo could be a number of things by the time he would actually catch up to him. He had even tried to call Kunikida but Kunikida's phone had gone straight to voicemail as well. Fukuzawa was ready to plant trackers in the skin of both his subordinates, privacy laws be damned.
Sitting like a stiff guardian dragon faced statue from Chinese culture, the other two knew it was best to leave him alone for the moment. Odasaku turned his gaze back on the ship. That girl had saved the lives of those orphans—this was at least something he could do for her in return.
He just hoped they weren't too late.
On board the ship meanwhile, a pair of familiar agents were chained to the steel wall on opposite ends facing each other. They were near the back of the ship on some lower level away from the girl.
"I'm bored!" Ranpo complained.
"Good for you," Kunikida growled, unsympathetic.
"Kunikida, do something interesting," Ranpo whined.
Kunikida really wasn't in the mood to be a source of entertainment for Ranpo. His angry expression turned into a sharp toothed lip curl as he struggled with the wrist restraints that currently had him attached to the wall of a prison onboard a ship. "Entertain yourself!" He barked, irate.
Ranpo pouted from where he was tied to another wall. His wrists were also connected by chains sticking out of the steel wall. Around both their necks, they wore unusual collars with red stones in the center. "Ah, well, I guess I could sing…" Ranpo replied, thoughtful.
Kunikida respected Ranpo for his mad intellect—but really, what the hell was going on in his child-like mind at this moment was a mystery to him. "How can you think about singing at a time like this!" He barked at Ranpo. "You not only got us caught, but now we have no idea—"
Ranpo smiled at him, and Kunikida quieted. "All according to plan," Ranpo hummed with a shrug.
Kunikida thought this was a dumb plan—for someone as smart as Ranpo, anyways. He pursed his lips. "Was capture really the most obvious way?" He found himself asking with a sigh, just settling down and sitting cross legged. Not like he could do anything. His notebook had been confiscated.
"Actually, we're not the ones who were captured," Ranpo chuckled, a glint in his eye, a leering smirk on his lips.
Kunikida just stared.
They looked pretty damn captured to him.
—-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxx—-
"..."
What was she doing all this for?
Alu's eyes wandered to Ranpo's hat. Oh right… he was someone who didn't care what others thought. Someone who thought logically to an annoying point of no return. If he were here, he'd probably have deduced how to get those orphans to safety. All Alu had were her words. But sometimes, words aren't enough.
Perhaps it was time for her to move on, after all.
Alu's fingers twitched.
The woman continued to gaze at her, patient.
Alu bent down, picking the hat up. She wondered what someone like Ranpo was like when deducing a case. She wasn't a case though. Her eyes flickered. The A.D.A knew she wasn't from Japan. Even so, they were willing to make an exception for her...because of her ability.
Alu hated this. This woman was no different from the A.D.A. She too only saw Alu as useful as long as she had worth. Worth….
What even is worth...who gets to decide that about a person… Alu thought subdued, gripping Ranpo's hat tightly in her hands. The familiar sound of a whip cracking in her mind caused her to flinch and she crouched, hugging Ranpo's hat to her chest, squeezing her eyes shut. She trembled.
The woman continued to look at her, observant.
I'm alone...no matter what I do...or who I help… I won't ever know what my purpose is…
Alu's thoughts weighed down on her, like a rock compressing on her chest. The other kids huddled, making no move to help Alu.
Then, Alu felt someone hug her.
Her eyes widened.
Looking over her shoulder, she saw Ryou hugging her tightly from the side. "Please don't cry!" He said, upset, eyes watery themselves.
Alu felt the ice around her mind melt just a little bit, this boy's concern reminding her that she didn't have time to feel sorry for herself while there were precious lives of others on the line! She wiped her eyes and she hugged him tightly. She parted from him, straightening up, and she gripped Ranpo's hat, her mood shifting.
What was she doin' feeling sorry for herself, huh?
There were more important matters at stake here!
The world turns!
And she had to remind herself to keep on turning with it!
No matter what!
Ms. Austen's eyes narrowed, she was still smiling but now she was unsettled by Alu's matching smile. Alu put Ranpo's hat on her head, because as long as she had it, she had that reminder to not forget that hope comes from unexpected places, and she looked at Ms. Austen, fervent, a fire lit in her eyes that looked animalistic and determined.
She was only as alone as she allowed herself to feel after all—and in her gut, she knew that she would fight with all the strength she had in her body. "You'll let me, because you're a civilized English woman," she said, confidence returning and melting that numb feeling that had blanketed her brain momentarily.
She threw Ms. Austen's earlier words back at her, grinning ear to ear from under Ranpo's cap.
—-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx—
