Vol. 5.
Ch.2
A Dance of Crimson Passion That Reflects Even Shadows
Dazai was quiet and surprised. He hadn't expected Odasaku to think of something like that—he'd had a few hunches as to why Odasaku had switched but he thought they pertained mostly to him feeling guilty about how Ango had been helping and him wanting to take the burden of the girl joining onto his own shoulders somehow. It had been an admirable thought but not a course of action that Dazai saw as having a point—ergo—-pointless.
But this? Odasaku was going all incognito, totally spying on a former friend—colleague— of theirs to gather actual information on what the Division of Unusual Powers' plans were for the girl. Sneaky, sneaky. Dazai found himself a little less cranky though he thought it was incredibly impulsive and dangerous for Odasaku to do this without at least consulting him. He frowned, still pouting a little.
"You could have warned me beforehand," he huffed.
"I'm sorry…it wasn't premeditated," Odasaku confessed. "I kinda surprised myself actually…when I thought of it," he admitted, his cowlick twitching on his head a little bit, bobbing as though in guilt.
Dazai watched it bob, lost in thought. He wanted to touch it and see it unfurl like it had a life of its own. Relaxing a bit, Dazai just waved a hand, deciding he'd go ahead and have a drink after all since he was in a better mood now. "Regardless, just be careful…. We don't know what Mr. Traitor is capable of," Dazai murmured, with a sigh, resting his arms on the counter and gazing at all the alcohol on the back wall, lost in thought.
"You're right…probably," Odasaku said, quietly, "…on some level…I do think…he feels…guilty…" Odasaku trailed off. It's true, Ango was at war with himself and Odasaku had only caught a few glimpses during their past conversations. Odasaku just wished Ango trusted him and Dazai enough to talk to them like they were friends who were valued… had he valued them? Odasaku couldn't know unless Ango was honest with them, but that would require Ango to be honest with himself, first.
Dazai couldn't shake the girl's reaction to touching Ango the other night from his mind. Neither could Odasaku. Both men were quiet as their drinks were delivered to them by the bartender. Odasaku took a sip of his drink, gazing at Dazai. Dazai sensed Odasaku wanted to say something but was struggling to find the right words. Dazai envied that a little actually. For him, shooting off his mouth was like breathing air. It came naturally and without second thought. But it also reminded him that his thoughts were a tumbleweed in his mind and if he didn't say what he was thinking in the moment it would be like denying those thoughts existed to begin with. It was, in short, complicated how Dazai's mind worked.
Odasaku meanwhile was thinking about Ango and the girl, Alu. "Dazai…did you learn anything more about the girl?" He asked, quietly.
Dazai gazed at his glass, poking the ice into it with an index finger, lazily. "Mm, I learned her bra size," he cheekily joked.
He glanced to see Odasaku's slight blush of shock and he pursed his lips. This guy really just believed what came out of his mouth at face value and that was dangerous—when it was someone like Dazai. He let out a puff of laughter, for the first time since the tense air between them dissipated, and grinned at Odasaku's flustered face. "I am, of course, joking," he said, chuckling, tilting his head at Odasaku.
"With you, it's hard to tell," Odasaku bluntly stated, sighing and sipping his drink again, looking away.
Dazai giggled. "True…" he surmised, in good humor. Dazai quieted down, thinking about what he actually knew about the girl. Despite his best attempts to do some sleuthing, there was a lot he realized he still didn't know about her. However, enjoying Odasaku's innocent nature, he hummed, "I did learn something about her, actually…"
"What?" Odasaku looked at him, perking up. Even his cowlick stood to attention, twitching on his head like a funny little alien antenna although another term for it could be "ahoge".
"Yeah… I learned that she's…" Dazai drew it out for dramatic effect, amused at how Odasaku was so obviously hanging onto every word, "…out of this world," he said cheerfully.
Odasaku pouted, looking disappointed. "…"
Dazai giggled again, at Odasaku's expression. For someone with a tough past like Odasaku's, he never quite lost this child-like innocence. Dazai found that fascinating. "In this case, I'm not actually joking," he hummed, looking at his glass again.
Odasaku furrowed his brow. "But Dazai….that's…I mean, wrapping my mind around the existence of demon fox spirits is one thing…but… this…? Are you sure she's not messing with you?"
Dazai paused. He hadn't actually stopped to consider if she was messing with him. But, the way she said it at the time, so matter-of-fact… he couldn't shake that she wasn't lying. He shook his head, "…she was telling the truth…" he said, quietly, serious and his honesty left no room for actual doubt.
"I see," Odasaku sipped his drink some more, lost in thought. Odasaku still wanted to do something for the girl in exchange for everything she'd done for him and orphans. But learning she wasn't from their world? Odasaku needed a drink.
"I do know she's having a bit of drama with the Armed Detective Agency," Dazai brightly said, poking the ice in his glass. Odasaku looked at him with concern. "It would seem that she left Yokohama," he hummed.
"How do you know this?" Odasaku asked, frowning. Dazai must have been keeping an eye on her, he surmised.
"I thought of keying a motorcycle of someone I find distasteful in both company and fashion," he hummed.
"…Chuuya was there?" Odasaku asked, with a frown.
"Yep," Dazai said, subdued.
Odasaku eyed his best friend, worried. He didn't really understand the relationship between those two. They both hated each other and yet ironically seemed to work really well together. Still, Odasaku was glad that Dazai had a friend his own age… well, Dazai would deny Chuuya was friend material but Odasaku couldn't help but feel like Dazai was animated around Chuuya in a similar way he was animated around himself.
"So is she with Chuuya?" Odasaku asked.
"Probably," Dazai hummed. "I have him blocked so I wouldn't know," he cheekily added.
"…why is Chuuya —no, why did she leave Yokohama?" Odasaku was concerned. Dazai seemed oddly unperturbed and that bothered Odasaku. Didn't Dazai also have an invested interest in the girl?
"That is what we're going to find out," Dazai said cheerfully, grinning at Odasaku.
Odasaku blinked with confusion. "Huh? Us?"
"Yep," Dazai said, pulling his phone out and looking through his messages. "I have a feeling…."
Dazai…
Dazai's eyes flashed and he looked up from his phone, looking around, bewildered. "?"
Odasaku watched him, concerned. "Dazai?" He asked.
"Oh," Dazai sighed, "it's nothing."
He thought he'd heard someone calling for him.
Dazai… I wish…
There it was again. But it didn't feel like it was coming from his mind. Dazai looked around, and nearly fell out of his seat. Startled, he looked with wide eyes at the ghostly figure before them. Outlined in blue and silver, was Alu, gazing at Dazai.
"Dazai, you alright?" Odasaku asked, frowning.
"Do…you see this?" Dazai said, quickly composing himself and pointing in Alu's direction, glancing at Odasaku. Dazai wasn't afraid of ghosts—but he'd also never had to meet one so…this was an experience.
"Uh…" Odasaku politely declined asking his friend for clarification since it wouldn't make any sense anyways. "I don't see anything," he said.
"Oh…" Dazai looked back but it was gone. That momentary ghost…wait, what did that mean? Dazai suddenly had a bad feeling. He had a feeling all afternoon but he knew that girl could take care of herself on some level and it wasn't like Chuuya was incapable… annoying but useful. Dazai groaned.
"Uh, so you were saying something about us….going to the girl?" Odasaku tried to redirect the conversation, definitely concerned now about his friend's —odder than usual— behavior.
"Yeah, we'll have to go…" Dazai got up from the bar, putting his money down on the counter with a sigh. The girl wasn't with Chuuya at the moment. Dazai knew his source well considering it was Mori Ogai. Dazai really wanted to cease all contact with that bastard but that would have to wait until after the girl was safe—since Mori was the best lead when it came to tailing that girl on the daily it would seem. Dazai grimaced.
Dazai knew that Fyodor was no one to take lightly…Especially since he was trying to capture that girl. Although, Dazai had a feeling Mr. Traitor from the Goody Two Shoes Affairs department wouldn't allow that easily. It's tough being popular, Dazai mused. That girl was a magnet for trouble it seemed. He looked at Odasaku, business-like. "I'll fill you in on the way," he said, moving to the exit. "You coming?"
Odasaku nodded, quickly putting down some money himself and he got up to go with Dazai. "Okay, but if she's not in Yokohama…where is she?"
Odasaku trailed off, coming up the steps behind Dazai and his eyes widened with surprise. There, standing and cranky, was Kunikida. "Our handsome knight in shining armor is here," Dazai said, teasing Kunikida who tapped his foot, unamused.
"You're late!" Kunikida growled, pointing to his watch.
"By a minute," Dazai said, bemused.
"We are on a schedule as it is!" Kunikida growled, glaring at Dazai. "Your dawdling could cost us this entire mission!"
"Uh," Odasaku felt sorely out of the loop here. "Mission?" He asked, dumbly.
"I'll fill you in," Dazai said, cheerfully, gesturing to where Kunikida stood, tapping his foot impatiently like an inconvenienced nanny.
"You mean he doesn't even know what's going on?" Kunikida huffed, exasperated. "We asked you to fill him in before we got here!"
"We?" Odasaku continued to ask, unable to help himself. He glanced at Dazai. Dazai just kept smiling.
"Come on you slow pokes!" Someone brattily called from down the street corner. Odasaku looked up at the familiar voice to see Ranpo, waving his arm impatiently, gesturing for all of them to hurry it up to where he was.
Odasaku followed, honestly confused and bewildered.
Dazai seemed completely calm and Odasaku had no doubt that Dazai had been a part of planning this meet-up far in advance. "We're coming," Dazai said, cheerfully striding towards Ranpo with Kunikida at his heels like an angry chihuahua ready to bite him if he said or did anything distasteful.
"I did keep telling him to hurry up," Kunikida barked, apologetic to Ranpo.
Ranpo shrugged. "It's fine, it's fine~" he hummed, and he turned on his heel. "We'll go to the meeting spot since it's close by! But let's not dawdle, alright?" He sounded bossy and honestly a little leader-like to Odasaku which surprised him. Ranpo usually came off as lazy and a junkie—unless motivated by the president— so this was an interesting side to see. Still completely in the dark, he obediently just followed the others, staring at Dazai's back and honestly wishing he had the ability to be as naturally involved as Dazai seemed to be with these people.
Odasaku felt a small pang in his gut. He did miss the Armed Detective Agency. It had felt for the first time, like a place that wasn't merely business. But with The Division of Unusual Powers, he felt a bit trapped, even if he was trying to be there for a somewhat noble cause. Odasaku sighed inwardly. He didn't want to complain. This was for the sake of trying to keep that girl safe. In fact, he wondered if this meet-up had to do with the girl.
"You're correct," Ranpo said cheerfully from the front, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose, glancing at Odasaku from where he hung back as Kunikida took the lead in directing them. Ranpo fell into step beside Odasaku, allowing Dazai and Kunikida to plow the way ahead.
"Did you contact Dazai to get him involved?" Odasaku couldn't help but ask, surprised.
"Heh, you're pretty sharp with deduction yourself," Ranpo said, with a small boyish chuckle and grin. "Don't be so hard on yourself…you're a part of this just as well," he said with a hum.
Odasaku's heart clenched. This boy could tell what he was thinking without him saying anything and yet, it actually made Odasaku just a little happy to hear Ranpo say that. He thought there'd be definite resentment for him leaving the Armed Detective Agency but it would seem Ranpo and possibly the president held none of that. Was this what it felt like to have allies…no…friends?
Odasaku smiled, feeling warm from the bottom of his heart. "Thank you," he said softly, just loud enough for Ranpo to hear.
It'd been a while since she'd been in this place with the white door. She gazed at it, listless. What was this ominous feeling? She wanted to open the door and get it over with but her feet felt like bricks. Was this still the dregs of Jane Austen's ability, "Pride and Prejudice" at work? She wasn't sure and she couldn't be certain.
Yet here she was, standing before this door once more. It often came to her when she closed her eyes, but she hadn't opened it. Even now, she didn't feel like she could. Looking around, she sensed that while her physical form was unconscious, she wasn't being harmed—yet.
She took a deep breath. "Juubi…"
"An attack so soon, can only be the work of that Russian man," Juubi said, curtly, sitting on his haunches, near her. His fox form was small, the size of a typical house cat.
"Agreed," Alu sighed, wondering what she would do once she woke up. She could escape, but she wanted answers more than anything. Getting close to the children, especially Ryou, was just proving more and more impossible. Stubborn to a fault, she strongly felt motivated to try to change Ryou's course before he continued to be on this path of destruction and violence. She could practically hear Ranpo's lecture to let it go but that just made her more compelled to prove that Ryou wasn't a lost cause.
Alu took a deep breath. She was still upset with how Juubi manipulated her earlier, but she wasn't a stranger to how Juubi was. Her only regret was that she hadn't been able to stop him from going as far as he had when he'd encountered Fyodor. She felt strongly that she needed to prove her own worth and strength, and Juubi honestly cast a long shadow over her efforts.
B-Thmp.
She felt her body pulsate.
"I stand by what I did. You may hate me as you wish, but I won't be fooled by humans as you are," Juubi haughtily defensively replied.
"I don't hate you," Alu said immediately, gazing at Juubi with a sad smile. Juubi hated that smile. He felt frustrated. No matter what he did—even trying to kill before— she always said this afterwards. He wanted her to hate him. She needed him but it was better if she stopped trying to be so… her. This wasn't sympathy, or pity, or even kindness. He couldn't describe this feeling that she shared with him, but even though she resented his presence at times, never once had she ever indicated she had ever hated him. She didn't even fear him. He didn't know which was worse.
Their past was a complicated one to begin with, but he knew that at the time they'd made the soul pact, that her desperation had been what had caused him to even be capable of binding himself to her in the first place. That had been years ago.
Not many people knew her real age—only Juubi. But she wasn't that old, barely out of her teen years now in all reality.
She attempted to shoulder things on her two shoulders, even now. Juubi knew that staying too long in this world would cause unnecessary attachments. But the longer she was here, it seemed the more wrapped up she was becoming in the lives of those she was trying so desperately to mend.
Ugh, they were supposed to save some orphans and move on, dammit.
Juubi growled with apprehension, not liking that he couldn't manipulate her body at the moment to let himself out. She was using a large portion of her soul energy to subdue his attempt and unfortunately, she was not weak when it came to her own spiritual will.
Alu's eyes slowly opened. She sensed Juubi's restlessness but chose not to address it. She knew they had a complicated pact and that he was moping. She would deal with him later. For now, she let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting in what appeared to be a garage? Glancing around, she realized there were a few beat up cars—a mechanic's garage? A motorcycle, dark purple and in the process of being fixed up was propped at a workstation to her far left. This was not a small garage. She surmised it was an actual company building.
Not a place she typically considered the normal for a kidnapping considering it was on a public street, she wondered if it's location was perhaps more remote than she first assumed. A few thugs were huddled playing cards to her right. The leader, Charley, was nowhere in sight at this moment. Alu made sure to feign she was still unconscious, carefully picking out her surroundings from half-lidded eyes.
Her pockets were light—they'd taken her phone and Chuuya's wallet. She took a shaky breath discreetly. The cold air was nippy and she felt it on her skin like a frosted bedsheet. The thugs talked amongst themselves, laughing and pushing each other as they played at the table. Alu craned her neck to try to assess any possible exits.
She honestly expected to see Ryou or Fyodor and wondered why they were waiting so long to show up. Finally, deciding to speed up this process, she looked at the chair she was tied to. It was a thick wooden chair, but she took a deep breath, knowing what to do. She had her wrists and ankles tied to it but she let herself fall backwards, resisting the instinct to keep her body upright. Falling back and slamming the wood against the cold concrete flooring, she felt her teeth rattle from the force—-but it was enough. The back end of the chair split from her abnormal strength and though her back was sore, it was worth it to get her arms free. Her feet were a different story—and now the thugs were well aware she was awake.
"You!" One said, coming quickly over to her, apprehensive and holding a crow-bar.
Alu sensed the other thugs coming to her and she wasn't going to wait like a princess for a knight in shining armor to come save her. This wasn't the first time she'd been captured and had to get herself out of a pickle. She was bound with that same webbing so it was harder to pull apart than rope or even chains. She couldn't claw it easily and with her hands behind her back, her legs were still glued to the chair legs. Bending backwards she swiped, her nails long and slightly claw-like, sending sharp slashes through the butt of the chair, cutting it and the chair legs—webbing and all— up like sashimi. Now her legs were free and she fell over, in an attempt to balance herself with her hands behind her back still despite her newly won mobility.
"Don't let her get away!" One of the thugs pointed something at her.
Something whizzed through the air and Alu's eyes flashed pink. She dodged it barely. Darts. They were trying to drug her with tranquilizer darts. Their desperation meant only one thing—the boss wasn't in.
Alu grit her teeth. Dammit, she needed to get information on who these thugs were working for. She had an idea but she wasn't one to do baseless accusations. Her eyes narrowed at these thugs. Other than their leader, she didn't sense any sort of strong potential in the ways of an ability. Usually ability users had a certain vibe to them, but these guys all seemed like normal street thugs. However Alu felt their leader gave off an abnormal impression. She couldn't place it immediately, but she knew that Charley was no ordinary ability user. With webbing strong enough to keep her movements limited—even with Juubi's sharp claws, this spider woman was on a different level.
What Alu wondered was where she was currently. Could she be communicating with whoever had ordered her to be attacked? Alu's eyes quickly adjusted to the limited lighting of the room, and on the table, she spotted Chuuya's hat perched on the table where the thugs had been formerly gambling amongst themselves. Alu sensed that hat was important somehow to the short-tempered red-head.
Humans are always chasing senseless drivel…
You're the one who went back to the ship for it—you made that deal with him.
Heh. True. Even when you're unconscious it's annoying how I can't seem to hide my dealings from you.
I only got the general gist of your conversation with him. But still, what I don't understand is why you did that for him. What do you possibly gain?
I gained a new toy to play with, Juubi darkly replied and his raucous cackle made Alu's ears twinge. She sighed though. Lecturing Juubi—especially at this moment— would be pointless. For now, she wanted to at least get Chuuya his stuff back.
Freed finally from her web bondage, she easily took out the thugs who launched themselves at her with their guns and crowbars. Catching a crowbar easily in her palm and twirling, she knocked out a few of the thugs. When the bullets rang out, she sucked in her breath and kicked up the gambling table, letting the bullets tear into the fabric as it crashed to the ground.
"Shit!" Someone shouted in a panic. "We can't kill her! We're supposed to subdue her!"
"She's a maniac! She'll kill us before anything else!" Someone else argued.
Alu clutched Chuuya's hat tightly in her hands. "She's just a monster, we have to put the safety of ourselves first!" Someone else said, darkly.
A monster?
Her?
Of course.
Alu pursed her lips, wanting to call out this person. She glared, "That's like the pot calling the kettle black," a saying that meant one hypocrite to another. How was she a monster when she-like them- had to worry about her own safety?
Without warning, the door broke off its hinges, slamming into the person who had spoken in the most recent outburst. With a cry of alarm and pain they thudded to the ground, knocked out from the force of the blow. Alu jolted along with those who remained standing, as a lean figure stepped casually through the door frame.
"Took me long enough to find this hell-hole," a familiar growl emitted from the young man as he put a hand haughtily on his hip.
"What…are you doing here?" Alu asked, dumbstruck, eyes widened with surprise.
"What's it look like? I'm here to get you to safety," was the snarky red-head's reply, his grey-blue eyes glaring at her from the bridge of his furrowed nose. His lips curled into a sneer as he cracked his knuckles looking at the apprehensive ones who remained standing. "Now, who wants to get their ass kicked first?"
