Vol. 3

Ch. 13

Get Your Head In The Game

Alu glanced at the boys. They stuck close to Odasaku and Yosano now, letting Alu have the field—literally— to face off Fyodor.

Fyodor just gazed at her. Alu glanced away from him to see the kids safely in custody of both Yosano and Odasaku. "Everyone, get inside," Odasaku said sharply, turning to Ango. Ango just nodded.

"I'll ensure they're safe," he said curtly.

Despite the unspoken issues between the two, both of their priority was the safety of those children. Odasaku—not as childish as Dazai when it came to grudges— merely wanted to focus on the current task at hand. His grievances could be addressed later. Odasaku nodded, allowing Ango to get the children inside.

Turning back to Fyodor, he didn't hesitate to follow Yosano's lead to back Alu up against Fyodor. Now they, stood off, three against one on the small backyard field. Fyodor however didn't seem concerned at all that the odds were against him. Alu glanced to Yosano and Odasaku as they came up on her sides. "There's no time to explain—but whatever we do—we cannot antagonize him anymore than we already have."

Odasaku just wished he'd thought to bring his guns. He realized he had nothing but hand to hand combat against this guy at the moment. Still, it seemed like Alu was going to call the shots here. Yosano just growled, punching her fist into her palm, irate. "I say we give him a proper ass-kicking."

"No," Alu replied sharply. "Beating him senselessly won't mitigate the danger that Sakura is in."

"Where is she?" Odasaku asked sharply, already apprehensive of the answer.

"That man has her," Alu said, not expounding too deeply. She didn't want Fyodor to catch onto her re-write ability. Although it would appear that Ranpo, Fukuzawa and Dazai were aware of that aspect of her power, so far it hadn't actually been too apparent to anyone else. Alu knew it was important to not just blatantly advertise an ability quite like hers. "And our focus needs to be on having him answer for kidnapping her."

Fyodor hummed. "Oh my, you did bring quite a bit of reinforcement. But as Isaid before, I'm not here to pick a fight. I merely want to collect who I came for. I'll let the little girl go free even."

"Fyodor," Alu said curtly, glaring at him. "I can't go with you until that little girl is safe. If you really mean that, then call off your men."

Odasaku and Yosano looked quietly, helplessly, on, wishing they could do more.

"Oh? But you have dear little Yari," he said with laced concern, "If you could return her, then we'll call it even. I'll have her return Sakura—unharmed."

Alu knew it was too good to not have a catch. But, she was counting on Fyodor to be like this. After all, she'd learned the hard way from the three times before that he was not someone who should be trifled with lightly. She pulled out her phone. "Very well. One moment." She called Fukuzawa.

While Alu had been discussing things, the boys had rounded up at the fairgrounds. They were roped off by the local police. Dazai arrived with Ranpo and Kunikida. Kunikida was surprised. "Oh? The police already got here?"

Ranpo hummed. "Of course, we had to clear the civilians from this area. Oh look, there's the president!" He waved in the direction of the president. Fukuzawa was already there, holding the unconscious little girl.

Ranpo dashed over, eager as ever to be by the president's side. "We got our marching orders," he hummed, his glasses not on his face but in his pocket. Ranpo was decidedly finding some excitement from all this. Why, honestly no one but Ranpo would be able to tell why.

"Yes, that little girl is strapped to a bomb in one of those cars," Fukuzawa said, gravely, filling in Dazai and Kunikida. "The local police will keep civilians away, but it is our job to somehow get her and deactivate the bomb."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Kunikida spluttered. "I'm not trained to deactivate bombs!"

"I am," Dazai said matter-of-factly. He wanted to actually engage somehow, so he figured he may as well. "I understand now why I was picked to go along with you." It did make sense. He wasn't afraid of dying and he had the knowledge needed to mess with a bomb. If he'd succeed was another story.

"Well, what are we waiting for! Let's get the child!" Kunikida said briskly, gesturing to Dazai, impatient. Dazai had to wonder with bemusement what it was like to be this uptight man's daily partner. It would take a special sort of person to handle Kunikida, he mused.

"How kind of you," Dazai teased Kunikida amused, as he trotted after Kunikida's brisk pace. "You fear death and so you heroically volunteered me," he thought out loud, amused.

"Of course I fear death," Kunikida said, heading towards the Ferris wheel. "Any sane person would have some reservation about death," Dazai watched amused as Kunikida made his way to the cars, to inspect which one the girl was in. "But the truth is that more than fearing death…I fear failure."

"So you fear failure more than death? Makes sense," Dazai snickered. "You definitely seem the type."

"You're laughing at me," Kunikida said, unamused, but he straightened up, looking at Dazai with a glare. "But it has nothing to do with perfectionism. Death is inevitable. I know it'll come to me one day—one way or another. But what I want to control is what I do with this life that I am living. If I fail to uphold those ideals which I vow to live by, then I have not only failed myself but those I have sworn to protect."

He returned his attention to inspecting the cars but he left Dazai actually without something snarky to reply with for a hot moment. Dazai was actually quiet, letting Kunikida's baritone speech sink into his mind a little. Kunikida was such an odd guy. Dazai found himself smiling a little. In some ways, he was like Alu. In others, he was a lot like Odasaku. But in the end, he was just his own rather interesting quirky existence. Dazai didn't respect others, but he did find himself just a little bit more intrigued by Kunikida.

Ranpo looked to the president. "What are we going to do with the little girl, Yari?"

"Alu said we are to negotiate when she wakes up," Fukuzawa said, with a sigh.

"And Mimic?" Ranpo blinked at the president, with a small frown—the only real sign of concern he expressed in all of this.

"She said they were being dealt with by another ally of hers," Fukuzawa sighed. "She didn't specify. She did say however that her ally would be appearing here shortly. So we have to keep our eyes out."

"Oh no," a familiar unamused voice greeted them from behind. Ranpo and Fukuzawa turned, and saw none other than Mori Ogai standing there, with Elise-Chan, looking otherwise like he'd swallowed a lemon.

"Don't ruin this, stupid Rintaro!" Elise griped at him, kicking his leg. "Alu said we are to provide aid to the Armed Detective Agency!"

Ranpo glanced at Fukuzawa. Fukuzawa looked upset. The little girl in his arms began to stir though. She groaned, and began to wake up. Her eyes flashed. Fukuzawa kept his grip on her and exuded his martial spirit, causing her to struggle but less strongly. "Let me go!" She cried out.

"Yari, please calm down," Fukuzawa said, knowing her name from what Alu had told him.

"No! I have to go back! I'll get in trouble!" Yari whimpered. "I'm already in so much trouble," she teared up, stressed.

"Hey, there's a little girl on that Ferris Wheel with a bomb strapped to her, do you even understand the severity of this situation?" Ranpo asked her, bluntly. He wasn't coddling—not the kind of guy by nature. That and he didn't exactly see the point of sugarcoating anything.

"I just do what Miss Aussy tells me to," the little girl whimpered.

"Well, we need you to work with us for a change," Ranpo said curtly. Fukuzawa would normally scold him, but he was currently dealing with the fact that Mori was right there with his disgusting ability, and that they did have limited time to get to the little girl.

"What do you want from me?" the little girl whimpered, trying to get free from Fukuzawa. Fukuzawa kept holding her, firmly.

"We need you to open a warp hole," Ranpo continued.

"I don't know where the other little girl is!" Yari sniffled. "I don't know! I do what Miss Aussy wants me to…I was told to listen to Mister Odor, and Miss Aussy wants me to find fox girl…" she sniffled.

"Shhh," Fukuzawa said, soothingly, feeling bad about the little girl crying. He couldn't help it. He wasn't good with tears, but well, he was the one awkwardly holding the child. "Uh, don't cry… we're not going to hurt you…"

"Ugh, brats that cry are so annoying, " Elise complained, her hands on her hips.

"Agreed," Mori nodded, but he gazed at the little girl. She would prove useful to him. She had a special teleport ability for portals to existing places, according to Alu. Fukuzawa caught Mori eying her and he glared at him.

"Now's not the time," he hissed, turning his body away with the girl. "What are you doing here, Mori."

"Finished our task," Mori shrugged. "I'm here to offer my support for Miss Alu~ considering our deal."

"Deal?"Fukuzawa asked, sharply. Him and Ranpo looked at Mori.

Mori grinned darkly, a sneer on his lips. "Of course. You didn't think we were helping you for free?"

Fukuzawa had a feeling he knew what this deal was. Before they could continue their standoff— Fukuzawa's phone rang. Fukuzawa awkwardly put the girl down, gesturing to Ranpo to hold onto her hand. Ranpo made a face but he took the little girl's hand.

Yari, not sure what to do at this moment, and feeling overwhelmed, just clung to Ranpo for support more than anything. Without knowing what was going on, or any of these people, she really did feel like just a lost confused little kid. Ranpo sighed, a bit irritated that he was somehow stuck babysitting.

"Yes?" Fukuzawa answered his cell curt. Mori, Elise and Ranpo eyed him as Fukuzawa's expression changed to one of cloudy grim nature. "Understood." He hung up. He looked to Yari. "That was your fox girl— Alu. She's asking that you return to Fyodor."

Yari's eyes flickered. "But why?" she asked, confused. "You're the bad guys right?" She asked, puzzled. "If fox girl says I can go back…does that mean I'm not captured?"

"It would seem so," Ranpo said, patting Yari on the shoulder. "Best to not look a gift horse in the mouth, kid."

Mori glared at Fukuzawa. "Hold on. She's valuable to us if we were to detain her here! Elise, call her and ask her to recon—"

"No!" Elise and Fukuzawa both comically said, glaring at Mori.

Mori felt personally attacked, because not only was his arch rival against him but now his own ability was siding with him! Mori grimaced. Elise crossed her arms, "Rintaro, Alu told us to just trust her!"

"And that's a stupid idea," Mori spluttered. "I agreed to assist, but why would I agree to lose such a valuable pawn over a teenage girl's whimsical desire to free it?"

"It's not up for discussion," Fukuzawa said curtly.

Mori's eyes narrowed. "I agreed to help Alu, I never agreed not to do as I liked," he brandished his hand out, holding small knives in it. "If you don't hand over that little girl, I'll have to take her by force."

Ranpo sighed. Oh great, the adults were having a dick contest—again. This always seemed to happen when these two were in the same room. Ranpo did note how Elise was reluctant to shift back to her ability from—but in the end, Mori's will won out. Elise brandished her syringe, glowing pale blue purple, wearing her nurse outfit.

Uh-oh, was a fight really going to break out here of all times? He grimaced. "If you start this fight, Alu's plan will fall to pieces," he said sharply to both men.

Fukuzawa growled, protectively stepping in front of the little girl and Ranpo. "Go, now!" He said curtly to Yari.

Yari nodded, wide eyed, but she didn't hesitate. She opened a portal. "Elise! Go!" Mori shouted. Fukuzawa whipped out his sword, trying to strike down Mori's ability, but she dodged! Ranpo's eyes widened. He realized what Mori wanted Elise to do!

"Ranpo!?"

Fukuzawa yelled, as he watched with horror as Ranpo tackled Elise—landing in the black hole—before it swallowed them and Yari up.

—X—

Kunikida looked up at the top of the Ferris Wheel. "Damn," he said, looking at Dazai. "She's at the top!"

Dazai frowned. "How are we going to get up there?"

Kunikida opened up his notebook. "We don't have a choice. We're going to climb."

Dazai was going to ask how they'd pull that off with a notebook—but he had his question answered when Kunikida summoned two grappling guns from his notebook. Dazai's eyes flickered with interest. He'd never say it out loud, but that was actually a little cool. "I wonder what other things you could pull out of that notebook," he pondered out loud.

"Don't get any perverse ideas," Kunikida growled.

Dazai straight up giggled. "You really don't have a great opinion of me, do you?"

"You're welcome to change my mind," Kunikida grumped, tossing one of the grappling hooks to Dazai. "The controls are busted, we're going to have to use these to reach the car up there. Hope you're not afraid of heights."

"Nah, I'm not afraid of anything," Dazai beamed. "Except a painful death, rejection from a pretty woman, potentially contracting an STD—"

"Okay, shut up, please," Kunikida cut him off, rolling his eyes, and he aimed his grappling hook gun and shot it, letting it tighten around the pole he picked out. Without a word to Dazai, he took off, agilely and almost gracefully defying gravity as he moved up the side of the Ferris wheel. Dazai was impressed. He was like a monkey.

Dazai smirked. Well, he couldn't be shown up now! He followed Kunikida.

They located the car Sakura was trapped in. Peering in through the window, it was clear that the bomb was tied to her body and she was just sitting on the ground, crying. She saw them and her eyes widened. Kunikida used his gun to smash the glass and he slid inside with ease. Dazai followed. "It's okay, we're here now," Kunikida said, gruff but kind, kneeling near the terrified young girl.

"Who are you?" Sakura sniffled.

"Friends," Kunikida continued.

Dazai hung back, eyeing the bomb on her, more than anything. "Enough chat. Can you summon the tools we'll need to disarm it?"

"Don't rush me," Kunikida glared at Dazai. "We need to tend to the girl too!"

"The girl is on a timer," Dazai pointed out. "How much time do we have?"

Kunikida glared at him but he turned back to check. "Relax, we have…" Kunikida's expression twisted to horror, his words dying on his lips.

Dazai sensed the sudden shift. "Kunikida?"

"Alu said we had an hour count-down. Which means according to our timing she should have no more than thirty minutes left. She—the time has sped up." Kunikida replied, horrified.

"What does that mean?" Dazai came over. His eyes flashed. On her chest, the bomb was supposed to say at least thirty minutes. Instead it said less than five.

"Shit."

Fyodor and Alu stared at each other, calculating each other.

Odasaku and Yosano tensely stood near Alu, still ready to offer any assistance. Fyodor hummed, tilting his head, gazing at Alu. "The time is ticking," he said, amused.

"Patience is a virtue," Alu replied smartly back.

As she spoke, a black hole opened near them, and out fell Ranpo, Elise and the little girl, Yari. The hole closed as quickly as it formed, and Ranpo rolled off of Elise, who had reverted to her little girl form after being separated from close quarters of Rintaro's will. Elise hissed, and smacked Ranpo in the face. Ranpo fell back with a yelp, and his glasses flew off his body and into the grass. Elise glared at him. "You are so annoying!" she stamped on the glasses in the grass. There was a sickening crunch.

Alu let out a noise of agitation. "Miss Elise! No!"

Ranpo however just sat on the grass, eyes wide, staring at where Elise's foot had smashed the glasses he treasured. Alu grimaced. She quickly dashed over. Elise looked at her blankly, but Alu knew the damage went emotionally for Ranpo. "We'll get you another pair," she tried to say to him but Ranpo just straightened up, cold and quiet. It was like he was an entirely different person without his glasses.

Uh-oh. For all her calculations, Alu hadn't calculated for Ranpo's glasses getting smashed by Elise. Ugh. Now things were complicated—more so —than they were before. She needed everyone to work together. "They're just glasses," Elise huffed. "He's the one being a big baby about it."

"Elise," Alu said with a sigh, "that's not… just, please. We have to focus on the current situation. Please don't aggravate our allies."

"He's your ally, not mine," Elise huffed, but she stepped back.

"I refuse to work with that thing," Ranpo hissed. "I'm going back to the president. Forget this."

Alu could tell he was tantruming. She couldn't blame him though. Those glasses had meant a lot to him. She tried to pick up the pieces but he blocked her, instead picking them up himself. "Don't touch them!" he hissed, hostile. Alu flinched. Okay, he was really pissed. Wordlessly, she just stepped back with Elise, back towards Odasaku and she watched as Yosano crouched near him.

"Ranpo," Yosano said, worried.

"It's fine, just leave me alone," Ranpo said, but Yosano knew better. He looked ready to cry.

"Mister Odor," Yari said, trotting back over to Fyodor. "What are my orders?"

"Oh? Hmm," Fyodor hummed, bemused at the spectacle unfolding before him. Whoever these people claimed to be, they really were a disorganized lot. They were almost comical.

"Miss," Alu said, to Yari, "Can you open a hole back to where you just came from? I want Ranpo to be able to return."

Yari looked to Fyodor for permission. Fyodor mused over this but he was curious to see how things played out. This certain level of unpredictability was honestly more fun to work with than he had thought it would be. He nodded.

Yari opened a portal and Ranpo didn't even mince words, just stepped back through it. Yosano looked at Alu apprehensively. "Go with him," Alu said, smiling. "He needs you, Miss Yosano."

Yosano's eyes flickered. "I can't leave you…"

"I know," Alu said, and with a red fox tail, and no warning, she pushed Yosano through the black hole before it shut again. Yosano's expression turned to surprise and she tried to make a sound but the hole closed up, swallowing her.

Fyodor was amused. "Taking your medic out of the equation, not a smart move, I'd think," he thought aloud.

"I don't plan on there being any casualties today," Alu said curtly, glaring at him.

"Oh dear, there are always casualties," Fyodor tilted his head, smiling, bemused.

"Not today," Alu replied, curt. She looked at Odasaku. "You can go inside and assist Ango with the kids."

"What? And leave you here alone with this mad-man?" Odasaku grimaced. "I can't just do that."

"You can." Alu put a hand on Odasaku's arm and looked at him seriously. "Those kids need you. And I don't know what your beef is with that Ango guy—but he does want to help. Please, try to work with him for now,okay?"

Odasaku wanted to protest but there was something about the look in her eyes that made him falter. She was right. He would be useless here. He needed to be with his orphans—even if that did mean dealing with Ango. Still, it wasn't like Ango was going to pull anything right now. "Alright," he said finally, glancing once more apprehensively at Fyodor and Yari. He turned on his heel, and left for inside.

Now, only Alu, Elise, and the other two stood, facing off. Elise looked to Alu. "So what are we planning to do? Rintaro is getting antsy not being here."

"I know," Alu said, glancing at Elise with an apologetic smile. "I need you to trust me. Can I count on you to help my friends?"

"Huh? No way! I came here to help you, not those smelly old men!" Elise complained.

"Aren't you going to ask what the status of that little girl Sakura is?" Fyodor quipped up, intrigued.

"I don't need to ask," Alu said, glaring at him.

"Oh?" Fyodor tilted his head. "I said I'd set her free—but I suppose you'll find out sooner or later the truth."

"I could turn those words right back on you," Alu shot back, crossing her arms. She grinned at Fyodor and for the first time, he found himself a little irked. He checked his phone. His eyes widened at the message that came through on his screen.

Alu spoke up, "I already knew you'd pull something underhanded. But unlike you, I have complete confidence in the people I work with. I knew without a doubt…"

Kunikida and Dazai worked together to cut the wires for the little girl—but the bomb was still counting down. He turned to Dazai. "Get out of here. I'll grab the girl."

59 seconds.

58 seconds.

"That bomb will go off before either of you get out of here!" Dazai said, apprehensive.

"If she is going to die, I won't let her die alone," Kunikida said firmly.

"That's crazy!" Dazai growled.

"Maybe, but I said before, didn't I?" Kunikida smiled at Dazai, resolved, "If I live by my ideals, then I have no fear of dying by them, either."

Dazai grit his teeth. He had to think. He wasn't going to let this idealistic moron get blown up! There wasn't much time left between the bomb going off and them escaping back the way they came. Dazai grabbed the bomb. The countdown continued:

20 seconds.

19 seconds.

"What are you doing?!" Kunikida watched with horror as Dazai grabbed the bomb and looked out of the window to see where to throw it. He couldn't throw it downwards and risk bombing the Ferris wheel or the ground below.

"Just grab the girl and go!" Dazai ordered Kunikida.

Kunikida grit his teeth but he picked up the little girl, letting her cling to his back like a koala. "Hey.." he said, as he leaned out the other broken window, looking back at Dazai. "Be careful."

He left with Sakura, using the grappling hook to swing back downwards.

Dazai smiled a little to himself. These people at the Detective Agency were a reckless bunch with little to no professional planning—honestly Alu would fit right in. He wasn't used to doing something for someone else, but he had found there was something about helping these people that felt right. And, well, Sakura was important to Odasaku so of course he'd do whatever it took to keep her safe.

Alu continued to smile at Fyodor. "I knew they'd get the job done!"

Dazai grit his teeth. There was no more time. That girl was counting on him. Odasaku was counting on him. Sakura and the Armed Detective Agency, needed him to use his head! Climbing out onto the metal landing, he kept his footing delicately as he aimed for the distant water. He wrapped the bomb around the grappling hook and then he swung it, with a fervent energy, and let go of the spinning grappling hook cord at the last second, watching the vest bomb fly with the cord through the air.

3…

2…

1…

Dazai's foot slipped.

Well, crap.

Dazai found himself falling, as the bomb exploded in the air finally going off. Feeling the heat from the blast on some level, he found himself falling to what he surmised would be his death. Well, a form of death anyways. He at least hoped it would be painless. He would hate if there was pain. He had no interest in a painful death.

Dazai closed his eyes, feeling the wind in his hair. Well, this wasn't the worst way to go.

"Hang on, you fool!" A coarse baritone voice yelled at him, yanking Dazai by his shirt collar. Dazai nearly choked.

Looking up with wide eyes, he was honestly surprised to see Kunikida, still shouldering Sakura on his back, using his free hand to hang onto Dazai, and hang from his grappling hook from the Ferris Wheel side. "Just climb to safety, already!" He grunted, and he strained to pull Dazai up to the steel parts of the Ferris Wheel base.

Dazai snapped to attention and managed to use Kunikida's strength to climb onto the Ferris Wheel's steel parts. Grunting he just sat finally on the steel part, catching his breath. Kunikida joined him, still holding Sakura on his back. They had a view of the entire harbor from here. The sun was brightly in the sky by now. Dazai couldn't believe it, honestly. He really thought he was going to die, but this man—someone who barely knew him— had come back to save him?

Kunikida just breathed, and he looked to Dazai. "Looks like we did it."

Dazai blinked. He used "we?" As though Dazai was a part of all this. In a way, Dazai realized he had always been a part of it. Somehow, that girl had managed to push him into being a part of something without saying anything at all. Dazai would laugh but he was still catching his breath. Instead, he just began to giggle. Kunikida looked at him like he was cracked. Which, Dazai probably was.

Fyodor meanwhile narrowed his eyes at Alu. "I see," he hummed, putting away his phone. "I suppose you can gloat since you foiled this particular plan."

"I don't want to gloat," Alu said, gazing at Fyodor. "I meant what I said. No casualties. I want to go with you and Miss Yari…peacefully."

Elise's eyes flashed. "Alu! I won't allow you to go alone!"

Alu giggled, smiling at Elise. "I didn't plan to. I think I'd like it if you went with me, Miss Elise."

Elise quieted, but a faint pink blush was on her cheeks. She looked grumpy and just crossed her arms, huffing as she looked away from Alu. "Geez. Obviously I'll go!"

Fyodor however was perplexed. "You won. Why would you still go with me?"

"I know you are connected to that boy Ryou," Alu said, seriously. "I don't know what your connection is to Miss Austen, but I do want to talk with her again. What I don't understand is what your role is in all this."

"Oh?" Fyodor tilted his head, smirking, amused. "I'm simply the messenger."

"You're much more than that," Alu countered. But she sighed, and started to walk over to Fyodor and Yari. "Regardless, I don't expect you to give me a straight answer."

She held out her hand towards Fyodor. Elise tensed near her, if Fyodor would try anything. Fyodor himself narrowed his eyes, ready for another hit. He calculated on whether to activate his own ability but decided there wasn't a point. After all, she was more useful to him alive than dead. She put her hand on his lower jaw. To his surprise, he felt a warm touch on his jaw—and the soreness dissipated. She pulled her hand back wordlessly.

Fyodor was frozen momentarily. It wasn't even the fact she'd just touched him and he hadn't reacted. It was her eyes. Her eyes unsettled him. They held no contempt. They held no fear. He saw himself as a messenger of God. He had God's vision. So why was hers so unsettling? Was it because he sensed she had a demon inside her? Yes, that must be it. This girl wasn't human. He sensed it from her touch alone. His ability wouldn't be able to kill her—because she wasn't human to begin with.

Yes for a brief moment, he felt it, and saw a silver white fox, with glowing gold eyes filled with blood lust—-lurking in the mind of this girl.

A demon in Yokohama trying to be good? Now there was a good case of irony.

"Mister Odor?" Yari glanced at him. Fyodor felt his jaw. Still, why had that girl healed him? He was momentarily bewildered but he covered that up well, with his usual neutral expression.

"Alu!" Odasaku called out, sliding open the door again, Ango behind him. "Don't!"

Oh, so they'd overheard them. Alu glanced at Fyodor and Yari. Yari opened a portal and as Ango and Odasaku dashed over to try to stop her, she disappeared into it with Fyodor being the last one they both saw—smirking at them like he had indeed won in the end—just as planned.