Vol. 3

Ch. 10

Never Be The Same

Dazai glared at Mori. Mori continued to gaze at him, just smiling smally. Elise protectively moved to block the path of Dazai's shot. Mori hummed. "Oh my, is that any way to greet your benefactor of these past four years?"

"You know why I'm here," Dazai said with a snarl. "You tried to use Odasaku—I won't let you do the same with that girl!"

"Mm," Mori tilted his head. "I do have to wonder, why that girl? What? Does she have some use for you? Oooh, could it be that you're in love?" He smirked coldly at Dazai.

Dazai didn't flinch. "It's not something petty like that." He growled. "She's got her own life to live, and she doesn't need you in it!"

Mori began to chuckle. Then he began to laugh. He sounded like a cheap Saturday morning cartoon villain, to be honest. Even Elise was embarrassed and she rolled her eyes, glaring at him. "Will you pretend to have some class?" She hissed at him.

"I'm sorry dear, I'm just so tickled!" Mori giggled maniacally. He slowly rose from his chair, smirking at Dazai, bemused. "You see, Odasaku—as you cutely call him— is someone you've known for years. it honestly makes sense that you'd end up feeling something for him, but that girl? You haven't even known her that long. Why so adamant? What does that girl even possess that makes you want to throw your caution to the wind like this? It's not like you to get angry easily. You tend to have a cool head normally….why do you think I made you one of my Executives?"

"None of your business," Dazai said, coldly. "Now, are you going to stand down or will I have to put a bullet in you."

It wasn't a question.

Mori merely grinned. "Oh, I'm scared. Elise-Chan, shield me, won't you?" He smirked glaring at Dazai, taunting him to pull that trigger. "I don't condone you messing with my darling Elise-chan's pretty body but it can't be helped…."

Something glinted, flying right at Dazai moments later. Dazai moved to dodge and then felt sharp stabbing pains all over his stomach and waist. Dazai's eyes widened in shock as something stuck out of his side. Looking down, at the blood pooling, eyes wide, he realized he had just been stabbed with five of Mori's small scalpels. The rest clattered around them to the ground.

He saw red.

He fired the gun.

Bang!

A door slammed open behind them but too much was happening for anyone to care.

Elise moved to block the bullet from hitting Mori.

But something else moved quicker.

Mori, Elise, and Dazai mirrored the same expression of horror as the sound of a bullet slamming into flesh and a pained cry alerted them all to the addition of another party. This party moved quickly, pushing Elise out of the way, and took the bullet in their right shoulder. With a groan of pain, they held it, and all three stared, stunned.

"A-Alu!" Elise cried out, shocked. She dashed to Alu's side where Alu collapsed to a knee, breathing hard in front of Mori's desk.

"Are you okay, Miss Elise?" Alu asked, panting hard.

"I'm fine! I can't get hurt!" Elise said, bewildered. "You shouldn't have done that!"

"Heh," Alu grimaced, smiling at Elise. "Like I'd stand by and let a friend of mine get shot!"

Dazai just stumbled back a step or two. No, no he didn't mean to shoot her! That bullet was meant for Mori! Feeling a sick sense of deja vu to when Ango had shot Odasaku—he realized the shoe was on the other foot.

"Stop it…" Alu's voice shook, and she grit her teeth, and she straightened up, glaring at Mori and Dazai. "Just stop being such children for two seconds, please!"

"Oh? See Dazai, she chose to save my darling Elise-Chan over you, that is a good choice," Mori taunted Dazai, grinning like a snake.

"Dazai was being reckless… but I trust him to know what he's doing," Alu said, snapping at Mori. She straightened up, glaring at Mori. She looked over momentarily at Dazai, eyes flickering. "It's my fault though. I didn't stop the knives in time."

"That's not your fault!" Dazai said, upset. He pulled out the damn little knives, and breathed hard, a hand over his wounds now, feeling the warm blood seeping through his fingers. "What the hell are you doing here, though?" He shakily moved towards her.

"I followed you, duh," Alu quickly moved over to him, and looked at his wound. "Hold still," she said curtly. Dazai didn't object. She placed a hand on his bloody wound and a blue light emanated from her fingertips.

Mori watched, intrigued. Wasn't her ability a fox? What was this girl doing now? Oh yes, a multi-gifted? Those were only speculation and fantasy…until now, Mori mused. Yes, that girl was truly desirable. He wasn't going to give her to anyone. He had already lost Yosano to that damn agency, and he wasn't about to let this diamond in the rough go either.

Dazai's wound healed, and he breathed hard, rubbing his side. Alu stepped back, and she forced the bullet out, wincing in pain, using her fox power. It clattered to the ground, and she put her hand over her shoulder now, breathing hard, and through the stinging in her eyes, healed herself.

Mori just observed all this, grinning like a fat snake.

"You idiot!" Alu slapped Dazai in the shoulder with her fist. Dazai winced. "What the hell! Coming in here guns blazing like you're some wild west super hero? Are you nuts!"

"Probably," Dazai grimaced, rubbing his arm.

Alu huffed. She turned to Mori and Elise. "Sorry about him. He's my idiot big brother."

"Oh? Dazai neglected to mention that you two were related," Mori's eyebrows shot to the roof. Elise's jaw dropped.

"Wait! You two… are related?" She sounded horrified.

"So is that why you're so protective?" Mori giggled. "No wonder you came at me like a bat out of hell!"

Dazai looked to Alu, wondering what she was doing. She looked at him and he knew instantly that the best thing he could do right now was shut up and let her do the talking. "We're not blood related," she clarified. "But, he's an important person to me so …please excuse his reckless behavior! I'll atone on his behalf whether it's owing you a favor—or something!" She clasped her hands together and bowed awkwardly before Mori and Elise. Dazai blinked a few times.

"W-wait, why are you apologizing?" He said, alarmed. He didn't want her owing that bastard anything! And certainly not because of him!

"Oh? What a caring little sister you have," Mori hummed, resting his chin in his hand. He was honestly amused by this whole situation, more than anything.

"You shouldn't apologize," Elise said, coldly. "It's not your fault that guy is a moron who charged in here to attack Rintaro!"

"Now, now, Elise-Chan," Mori hummed, "If the little sister wants to atone for her big brother's shortcomings…who are we to deny her that lovely opportunity? AFter all, the normal penalty for coming for my head is death, isn't that right…Dazai-kun?" He said the last bit with taunting emphasis on the honorific.

"You're such a bully," Elise complained, and she stamped her foot, huffing at Rintaro now.

"Alu, stop," Dazai said, sharply, looking at Alu, demeanor agitated and serious.

"No," Alu shot back, glaring at him. "We're here because you thought you'd "nip" the problem in the bud!"

Elise blinked. "Wait, you're here…that means…. you know who Rintaro and I are?" She asked, belatedly.

Alu looked at her and Mori. "It was kind of obvious, I knew already on some level you weren't law abiding," she said, raising an eyebrow at Mori. "Your costume and your lack of morals when it comes to young children were sort of a dead giveaway."

Elise felt odd. She just lowered her gaze before she began to laugh. The others looked at her. She sounded a tad more cracked than Mori and that was saying something. "Well the charade was fun while it lasted!" She said, giggling. "Now that you know who we are, you shouldn't waste our time here! After all, Rintaro and I are very busy! We only talked to you because we want you to join us! If you're not going to, you may as well just leave, right? Just don't forget to take the trash out," She commented humorously, and she pointed to Dazai.

Alu nodded. "I know, and to be honest, it's an offer I'm willing to consider."

Mori's eyes widened. He made a small noise of surprise in his throat. Dazai did as well, though his noise of surprise was far less enthused. Elise just clasped her hands together, beaming at Alu, being energetic. "Oh wonderful! You hear that Rintaro! She's going to play with me every day!"

"You'll consider working here?" Mori asked, for clarification. Oh, what a wonderful day and it wasn't even over yet. He knew this morning was a sign of good things to come!

"I won't allow it!" Dazai said sharply, stepping between her and Mori's hunter hawk eye gaze.

"You can't stop me from choosing what I want to do !" Alu said, crossing her arms.

"You're still a child! Use your head!" Dazai snapped.

Alu grit her teeth. "Oh and you're any better!" She shot back, angry now, and hurt. "You joined this man when you were a child yourself! Don't go telling me you're so much more mature!"

"I didn't care about the consequences then!" Dazai snapped. "Of course I joined! I was a child!"

"No, you joined because you thought,hey, let me get some perspective on life by following a pedophilic doctor around and end peoples' lives for fun!" Alu shot back. "I'm sure I'll find the meaning of life when I just take it from others!"

Dazai looked smacked. He hadn't told anyone this, no one except Odasaku—-his eyes flickered. Ah. He remembered now. Back in the original timeline he'd bumped into this girl! She must have overheard them...

Alu breathed hard but she covered her hand to her mouth. Oh shit. She'd snapped again. Why was it that she always had to go and say something incredibly insensitive. She had to be more level headed than this.

Mori just watched these two bicker. It honestly was like watching a pair of siblings really go at it. He smirked. He enjoyed this little show. And others wondered why he prefered children. Quite honestly, it was because youth was always just so entertaining and hot blooded. It was just a pity they had to grow up. It took the magic out of honestly breaking them, himself. Elise just gazed at the two fighting and she looked to Rintaro, as though not sure what to do. Mori just smiled at her and put a finger to his lips, as thought to say, we'll just observe for now.

"Look, I know I have messed up," Dazai said, clenching his fists, looking at Alu with desperation and hurt, "I get that! I hurt others and honestly, I have to wonder if I still even care about anyone in this world or if I'm going through some motions of just not wanting to be completely in the dark! Yeah! I killed people! So what! They were all bastards! I worked with this bastard because I wanted to find the answer of being alive for myself! I'm a disassociated piece of shit! Still!" Dazai grit his teeth, and he felt himself bubble with feelings he couldn't even put into words, looking at this girl. "I won't let you go down that path! Not for me! I won't let you work for this man because that's not…that's just not an option! Okay!"

"Dazai," Alu said, and she hugged him.

Dazai trembled. But he didn't fight it. He tentatively, awkwardly, let his hands just relax at his sides, shoulders sagging, letting her hug him, but not entirely sure if he had a right to hug her back. "I won't kill him," Dazai murmured, sulking. "Let's just go."

Mori smirked. "Oh? What makes you think I'll just let you walk out of here alive?"

Alu stepped between them and she looked square on at Mori. "You'll let him walk away without harm because if you don't, then I'll take you and the Port Mafia down, myself."

Her eyes glinted, gold, like a fox.

Mori felt a shiver of excitement down his spine.

Elise was quiet, though she just stared blankly at the proceedings.

Dazai's eyes widened. This girl had balls, but honestly, he could respect that. He didn't typically need anyone to stand up for him, but he could tell this was about more than just him. Mori however began to laugh again, honestly amused at everything in this situation. This was all proving to be so exciting.

"I see," Mori hummed. "I do want to be on your good side, Miss Alu….so I'll let this slide…this time. Do not fault me for self defense. The next time he attacks, I won't be able to make any promises."

"That's all I ask," Alu said, and she bowed respectfully. "Thank you, sir."

Mori and Elise blinked. They weren't used to being addressed so formally by someone not working for them and this girl didn't address them out of a sense of servitude or even fear. Mori just smiled. "Perhaps, as a welcoming gift to the Port Mafia, I should give her a coat like the one you have, Dazai," he said, humming with a smirk at Dazai.

Dazai trembled. He wanted to hit this man. He wanted to hit him until his skull collapsed and caved in onto his brain. He grit his teeth. "Oh that," he said with a cold smile to Mori. "I burned it."

"Oh?" Mori huffed. "You know, despite this little farce, you are welcome to shape up and reconsider your absolvence from this organization. My doors are always open for you." He smiled at Dazai good-naturedly. "I do just have that one little condition of not trying to kill me.~'

"I find it distasteful to wear the coat given to me by the same man who tried to have Odasaku and his orphans, murdered over a legal license," Dazai said, smiling with the flowery smile of a man with vines and thorns promising to choke all in his wrathful path.

Alu looked at him with wide eyes. "What?"

Dazai looked at her, and his smile remained. "Oh, that's right! I didn't have a chance to tell you. This bastard took advantage of Odasaku's ability since it is like the leader of Mimic's and he decided to use the orphans to lure Odasaku into a suici—"

THWACK.

Dazai's eyes widened.

Elise's eyes widened. She looked over her shoulder. Her face was pale.

Alu's hand was at Mori's throat. "You bastard," she snarled, shaking now, the force of her landing on his table causing it to crack clean down the middle, the wood groaning under her force and finally giving way. Alu's eyes were a swirl of red, orange, yellow, like staring into the flames of hell itself.

Her voice sounded deeper and more rough—almost like she was no longer human.

Mori wasn't into older girls but oh if she had been twelve what a sight she would have been to face! He felt himself shiver just from the thought of her being younger and just as fiery. Mori just blinked at her, and he grinned like a man who didn't fear death, merely had drinks sometimes with it. "Oh? Does this mean the interview is over?" He joked, as though everything just now had just been a job interview for Alu to come on board.

Alu breathed hard. Those kids. Those poor kids. This bastard…if only he wasn't linked to Elise—-Alu's eyes flashed and she hopped back, as Elise's giant syringe came between them. Leaving Mori sitting in his chair at the crumbled remains of his desk, Alu avoided this form of Elise with the nurse outfit and giant syringe from connecting her blows.

Mori beamed. "Ah, sorry I had to ask Elise-Chan for some coverage. A doctor can't afford to damage himself too badly~"

"Let's get one thing straight," Alu said, glaring at Mori. "I'm considering joining so that I can continue to be close to Miss Elise. I don't care about you or your shitty backwater agenda. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact you and her were connected…I'd send you to hell for what you put those kids through!"

Mori blinked. "Huh? What did I put them through? But dear, you're the one that foiled that plan… as far as I know, no harm came to them…because of your personal intervention?"

Alu realized she'd slipped up. OF course this Mori hadn't witnessed or even experienced the plan as it had originally unfolded in his favor. Dazai grabbed her by the shoulder and his eyes flashed when he saw the expression on her face, the slight fanged snarl, the eyes. Dazai knew she was losing control of her emotions even without it being stated. She honestly, looked how he felt anytime he was thinking about Mori Ogai since the incident. Dazai wrapped an arm around her, and pulled her close to himself, Alu found her face buried in his shirt. She let out a muffled noise of surprise and bewilderment. Her palms were sweaty, her heart was pounding in her eardrums, her breathing was labored. She was upset. Dazai however seemed intent to hide her in his coat almost comically, while Alu had a mini-meltdown.

She felt his ability activate. And she was grateful. If he wasn't here she may actually lose control of her power. He was canceling out Juubi. Alu realized what he was doing. She tried to force herself to calm down. Calm down, calm down….I can't lose control here.

"Alu has the ability to see the future," Dazai said with a cold smile at Mori. "She sensed the danger—that's how she was able to prevent it. And good thing too, or you really would be dead right now."

Mori whistled. "My, my, my, a little fox of all trades it seems," he tilted his head, amused, crossing his arms. His desk was destroyed but oh well. It wasn't something he couldn't replace. Though, he would prefer that future interactions not include his desk getting totaled. Being a leader was so difficult sometimes.

"We're leaving," Dazai said and he just grabbed Alu by the shoulder, gently steering her away. The remaining mafia men raised their guns but Mori nodded to Elise. She trotted in front of Dazai and Alu, as though a silent message to those —who hadn't been beaten the hell up by Dazai—, who would otherwise have tried to intervene with them leaving.

Dazai was quiet. He ignored Elise. As long as it meant that no harm would come to Alu, that's the only reason he was tolerating that abominable ability's presence. Once outside, he didn't give her a second glance. Not that it mattered. She faded away leaving just him and Alu.

Alu was still breathing hard. She couldn't seem to calm down. She was seeing red. She was so upset. That man, that monster had been willing to hurt those children for some legal license? That's why they lost their lives?

Alu's eyes had resumed their normal honey-brown color but they were sad and listless. The light in them seemed dim and Dazai just silently hugged her. Alu trembled and she began to tear up. "I know. It's upsetting, but you need to calm down," he said, not unkindly.

Alu knew he was right. She forced her breathing to mellow out, and just punched his side weakly. "I lost my cool. I'm such an idiot…" she mumbled, ashamed, her face burning now from embarrassment.

"You stopped me from completely losing mine," Dazai said, quietly, and he ruffled her hair, gently. "So thanks for that."

Alu looked at him with wide eyes, faint traces of dewdrop tears still clinging to her eyelashes. "I'm sorry…for what I said to you…" she sounded guilty.

Dazai was quiet for a moment, but he just took her by the arm and gently steered her away from the building. "You're the first person to ever be that frank with me about it…honestly it kinda put a bit into perspective…" he admitted, and Alu fell into step beside him, no longer needing to be steered.

"Still…" Alu grimaced. "Why did you have to go and pick a fight with that guy so late?" She punched Dazai in his healed side. Dazai wheezed. That punch hurt. She was angry. Not that he could blame her.

"I guess, I panicked," he said finally, crossing with her over the bridge from earlier.

"You? Panicking?" Alu smiled, wry. "You don't need to protect me, you know." Alu stopped walking.

Dazai paused, and blinked. He had his hands in his trench coat pockets, but he looked over his shoulder at her. "?" He tilted his head at her.

Alu's eyes flickered.

She clenched her fists at her sides. "Dazai, if it's true that he led the leader of Mimic to Odasaku and those orphans… then I have no choice. I have to infiltrate the Port Mafia."

Dazai's eyes flickered. He frowned, and he turned towards her. He knew what she was saying. She wanted to gather information and she was willing to put herself in the lion's den to do so. "No," he said flatly.

A silence hung over them. Crickets chirped and moths flapped around the lamp post lights like dancers on a stage. A few cars passed by, basking their frames in the silhouettes of the oncoming traffic.

Alu looked out over the water. "A bridge needs two sides," she said softly.

Dazai eyed her, lips drawn in a thin frown.

She looked back at him. "I don't want to be one side or the other…" she looked at Dazai, a determined look in her eyes. "I will become the bridge itself."

Dazai didn't really know what she was getting at. "You can't expect to join the Port Mafia and not get your hands dirty," he said, frowning.

"I said I'd consider joining," she corrected him, holding up her index finger. "However, I've decided that's not the only organization I'll take under consideration."

"You can't go around joining a bunch of agencies," Dazai rolled his eyes.

"Sure I can," Alu said, causing Dazai to stare at her like she was growing hallucinogenic mushrooms out of her head. Honestly, that would make more sense than what she was proposing.

"Hear me out," Alu continued, putting her hands on her hips. "I already know that due to my multiple talents that organizations both upper and under ground would both start to come after me. But the thing is, that Pervy Doc knows more about Mimic than he even informed you about. Additionally, if I do take up the Armed Detective Agency's offer, then I'll have an ally there…of course," Alu's eyes flickered and she groaned, holding her head in her hands. "After the way I left things with Ranpo, I don't think I can go back to that agency…." She whimpered.

Dazai was quiet. "If you had to choose, which one would you go for?" He asked, genuinely curious.

Alu was quiet. But she smiled sadly at him. "To be honest, I'd probably choose neither."

Dazai gazed at her. "But if you could choose," he asked again. He could tell she was avoiding giving an answer. It wasn't that she wouldn't choose either. It was that she was afraid to just make the choice to even just pick one.

"Why does it matter?" Alu chuckled dryly. "Dazai, I'm a wandering spirit so to speak. I can't stay too long regardless of where I go. I'm pretty sure I'm getting roped up into more than I even planned to be since I didn't leave after changing the outcome for those orphans."

"It matters to me," Dazai said, and he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's late. Let's talk more about what you're going to do tomorrow. I have a feeling you'll run off and do whatever you like even if I say why that's a terrible idea."

"Of course I will," Alu said, and she smiled at him with a small sheepish grin. "I'm your little sister, after all. Not following common sense is something we share!"

Dazai paused. Then he let out a small laugh. "Pfft," he turned away, smiling, closing his eyes. "You're such a kid," he teased.

"And you're not much more mature yourself," she countered. "You said so yourself~ Mr. Eighteenie."

Dazai liked her teasing.

Dazai swore to himself that he'd ensure that she would not come to harm at the hands of Mori Ogai. She was definitely the type to throw herself in front of a bullet for either side because for her, it wasn't about sides.

Dazai's eyes flickered.

He'd never met anyone quite like her. He admired her optimism but he was worried that she would eventually find out the hard, cruel way, that reality was not like the ideal world she envisioned. He didn't want to shatter her hopes. For some reason, he oddly found them a little refreshing. So many people he came across had no vibrancy to them, they were dull and rusted, but she was vibrant and full of odd surprises. His eyes flickered. Honestly, she reminded him a little bit of Odasaku. If he had been born into a better life, would he share her optimism?

"You must have led a good life up till now to have so much faith in others," he found himself remarking, walking next to her as they headed back to his place.

Alu paused on the steps before she turned back to look at him from over her shoulder as she had walked ahead of him. "Yeah," she smiled at him warmly. "I am grateful for the life I have. That's why….I want to use it to help others know that theirs are still worth living."

Dazai's heart felt funny. If he stuck close to her, could he actually maybe understand what it meant to live, even just a little?

—X—-