Assignment 13
Reading Between The Lines is Understanding The True Message
The bud in his ear that had been used to listen in on this conversation that transpired with Chuuya and the young lady, had been taken out by now. He just played with it in between his fingers, thoughtful now, standing at the edge of a train station. He had been deployed here at Fukuzawa's orders upon the information he'd relayed to the others at their base.
This person…was truly remarkable…or had one hell of a death wish. Dazai didn't know who she was but he supposed he'd have to stick on Mother Earth a little longer just to find out. He'd consider holding off on dying for now—if not to see Chuuya more flustered when he tormented him about the cat photo. Hehehe.
Meanwhile, he and Atsushi were posted at the train station recently. Kunikida and Tanizaki were on their way to thwart the Mafia's plan to let Steinbeck and Lovecraft kidnap their secretaries Naomi and Haruno-San.
Thanks to that person, Dazai knew that Kunikida and Tanizaki were able to get to the secretaries in time. But he inwardly sighed now, lost in thought.
He knew Mori-San.
Mori-San would retaliate against what this girl pulled with a vengeance.
But her conversation with Chuuya had also left Dazai with much to think about.
Dazai's expression was hard to read.
"Dazai-San?" Atsushi tentatively asked, gazing at Dazai. Dazai looked serious. But he blinked and beamed at Atsushi.
"Ah, I was just thinking," Dazai said brightly.
"…About what?" Atsushi was scared to ask.
"…About how unfortunately painful it is to die by being hit by a train. Can you imagine?" He shuddered.
Atsushi was concerned about his mentor.
Some time passed. It was uneventful. Atsushi watched as Dazai began tormenting a poor dog, denying it the dog treats. "A formidable opponent has presented itself, alas! I will thwart you!" Dazai giggled, holding out a hand to the fluffy dog who just wagged its tail.
"What? Want some of these?" Dazai shook a bag of dog treats, with a mischievous smirk.
The dog barked.
"Very well, since you asked so nicely…" Dazai squatted and he beamed. But he opened his hand and there was no dog food. The dog looked utterly floored, ~lol.
Instead, Dazai began to eat them, just giggling like a troll, walking back over to Atsushi.
"You really don't like dogs…" Atsushi commented.
"Ah, dogs are far trickier to handle than a person," Dazai joked.
He sat next to Atsushi, popping dog treats like candy now into his mouth. Atsushi did have to wonder just how internally messed up his mentor had to be—resorting to eating dog food of all things. Atsushi's thoughts however, wandered back to their current state with the The Guild War.
Both sides had started the war because of him after all.
"So, good news. They got to the secretaries in time. They're on the next train, headed our way, right on schedule," Dazai said brightly.
"That's a relief," Atsushi murmured. "Do we even stand an honest chance of coming out of this three way war—alive, preferably?" He found himself asking, afraid of the answer.
"We are the weakest link, at this point. The Mafia has the best advantage." Dazai analyzed, not helping Atsushi's stress.
Atushi looked ready to cry. "We're so doomed…"
Dazai continued to talk. "Ah, we do have a way to turn this around…in a manner of speaking." Dazai blinked and held up three fingers. "We have about this many…"
"Three…?" Atsushi asked, depressed but at least marginally optimistic.
"Three hundred," Dazai concluded, cheerful.
"Three-hundred?!" Atsushi's jaw dropped comically. "Are those our odds with that weird woman helping us?"
Nope, those were our odds without her," Dazai said brightly.
"Then…with her?" Atsushi furrowed his brow.
Dazai smiled. "With her involvement, I'd say we have about over 9,000 the original possibilities," he said with a beaming smile.
"S-seriously!? You got all that from just talking to her once?" Atsushi was amazed at how intuitive his mentor was. Dazai was an odd person but he really did have a good head on his shoulders—Atsushi's eyes comically traveled to the dog food in Dazai's hands—sometimes, he amended, sweating comically.
"…Atsushi-kun, I can tell a lot about a woman from talking to her only once," Dazai smugly said, smirking a disturbing grin. Atsushi didn't want to touch that with a ten foot pole. He shivered.
"At least…our odds are slightly better even with what's going on with Ranpo-San," Atsushi said, with a relieved sigh.
Dazai looked at a piece of dog-food between his fingers. He was in his own thoughts. He crumbled it now between his fingers, as he spoke. "War is a living thing, remember that. Just one shift in the wind can change the entire direction of a victory into entire folly. That's why, it's in who gathers the most crucial information that 'winning' is truly key…"
Atsushi thought about the greasy old man that had helped him win against Montgomery. Was he really the head of the Port Mafia? If so, why had he helped Atsushi back then? It would have been best to let Atsushi fail. That old man would have easily been able to beat Montgomery, Atsushi had no doubt. He had taught Atsushi the strength in not running away and in finding the logical solution, no matter what. But, at the same time, that girl had also mentioned something interesting.
'Heart trumps Logic every time.'
Mori-San believed in a logical solution to any problem. But that person…believed in getting to the 'heart' of any matter was key in shifting the tide in an outcome.
Mori-San was clearly someone that Dazai-San despised. Atsushi just didn't know what had happened between those two. It wasn't like it was his business anyways. But, to get information on a plan by The Port Mafia had indeed helped turn the tide for them.
It was thanks to that person. That mysterious woman. She was helping them. She had thwarted Mori's plan to find out where Fukuzawa was hiding with the other agents. She had gone out on a limb to actually find out what Mori's plan of attack was next. But what was her motivation? She had no real ties to the ADA. She knew of them though, and it was apparent that she cared about them and their well-being.
Even Dazai-San trusted her —though to what level, Atsushi didn't know.
Of course, Dazai-San had trusted Atsushi after only just meeting him and knowing nothing about him prior to their first night together when Atsushi was revealed to be the Man-Tiger that had been rampaging around Japan for the last two weeks prior to being picked up by Kunikida and Dazai of the ADA.
But they hadn't done anything to deserve her help. If anything they had accused her of being with The Guild or even The Port Mafia. They had taken her kindness and scorned it, initially, according to president Fukuzawa.
Ranpo had insisted she was neither good or bad. Even in his loopy episode. It shouldn't take one loopy high detective to convince them though. They should have been able to draw this conclusion that she was a good person without needing to be told twice. That person…was incredibly strong, helping people without actually expecting something in return. It was an unbalanced sort of exchange. Even Atsushi's own stake in the ADA had to do with him owing them for taking him in. But that person?
She just did it because she wanted to help.
"You're right," Atsushi agreed, but he was lost in his thoughts. Inwardly, he was questioning his own instinct to jump down other peoples' throats without taking a moment to understand where they were coming from. He felt guilty.
"Obviously," Dazai huffed. "Ah…but, Mori-San is someone who is the embodiment of rationality. He is cool and commanding, like a math equation already solved. "We may think we have the upper hand…but there's no doubt, he is still planning one step ahead of us."
As Dazai spoke, Naomi and Haruno-San made it onto the train. They looked for seats, bumping into a small child by accident.
"Oh dear, I'm sorry!" Haruno-San said.
"You're sorry? No need to apologize, I'm the one who's sorry," a young boy dressed like a Lolita, holding a very ugly creepy doll, tilted his head, just staring at them, his pupils had one star and one circle.
Dazai meanwhile stared at the sky. The clouds creeped along. But something was gnawing at him. No, someone. That person. She had been on his mind and it was ironic it wasn't for a reason like 'attraction'. No… this person was in danger. Dazai knew Mori would try to have this person killed for getting involved.
His eyes narrowed. Even Dazai struggled with coming up with a plan sometimes, but then again, he was Dazai Osamu, plan-spinning extraordinaire. He would come up with something. He couldn't let her steal the show! Hehehe—
He looked next to himself when he heard Atsushi sniffle.
"Whoa, what uh…what's happening right now in that head of yours?" Dazai humorously asked, bad with others' feelings, including his own.
"I feel like a terrible person…" Atsushi admitted.
"The Guild obsessively trying to kidnap you is hardly your fault," Dazai sighed, knowing Atsushi was guilt-tripping himself as he always tended to do about being a burden.
"T-That too," Atsushi mumbled. "But. I mean…about something I said to that woman."
"Hm? I'm sure you can apologize," Dazai shrugged. "Or she could hold it against you forever, hehehe, you know the saying, 'hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn…"
Atsushi had tears dripping down his face as he just sat there, quiet.
Dazai inwardly felt his stomach churn. Was it the dog food or this suddenly very awkward situation he found himself in? Probably both. "Uh…just curious, what did you say?" He asked, lightly.
"She…against Montgomery she had asked me a question…I had been angry with her because she actually didn't help during that fight. She was just there 'for her writing' or something— so I accused her of not caring about real people and instead just caring about her own work instead," Atsushi admitted. "But…I think I misunderstood her."
"What was the question?" Dazai asked, genuinely curious.
"She asked… 'Do you think that someone who takes lives has the right to write about the lives of others'?" Atsushi said, voice tight.
Dazai's expression froze.
A man with red hair, blue eyes, stubble on the chin, gazed at him. They were in the rain. Sirens were in the air. Dazai was dressed in a black suit, bandages over his right eye. This man just walked away from Dazai's outstretched hand as Dazai cried out.
Atsushi didn't catch it. He was just looking at his own hands.
"How…did you respond?" Dazai asked, tone light, though internally, he was suddenly on crumbling ground.
"I told her that was a loaded question…and it was Mori-San who asked her what her answer was…" Atsushi admitted.
He glanced at Dazai, seeing Dazai's expression of genuine interest—and something that Atsushi honestly couldn't discern.
He blinked.
It was rare for Dazai to pay this much attention without being distracted. Atsushi didn't want to be rude and stop so he continued. "She said, 'To me, they're one and the same'…or something along those lines," he said, looking away.
The dog sat on the platform, just tilting its head at Dazai and Atsushi with a sad pitiful whine. Dazai ignored it. Atsushi continued to talk. "At the time, I thought she was selfishly choosing her writing over real people but now…" Atsushi's voice broke. "I realize she values human lives both within her work and outside of it on the same level."
Dazai looked away, his hand slipping into his coat pocket. He squeezed something tightly in the palm of his hand, his fingers trembling around the shape of the object concealed now in his trench coat pocket. He didn't speak. He stared at the train tracks, expression indiscernible as Atsushi continued. "…"
"She gets involved because she cares even if the outcome isn't one that is desirable. But that doesn't mean she will fight someone else's battle for them…" Atsushi's voice quivered, the tears falling unbidden now.
Dazai closed his eyes. He said nothing.
"She didn't get involved because she trusted in my own strength to win. I just was too blind to see that. I was too busy feeling sorry for myself and placing an unreasonable expectation on her to solve my predicament for me." Atsushi held his face in his hands, trembling now. He felt so incredibly guilty. For how he had treated that person at the time. He had expected her to take care of his problem for him. That wasn't her job though. He hadn't realized it until after her involvement with saving those secretaries. She helped when the circumstances actually reasonably called for it. Because it was at a point where it was out of the ADA's own hands to handle on their own.
And perhaps on some level because she acknowledged that with Ranpo handicapped, it left the ADA in a predicament of their own creation by not trusting her when she had warned them—with good reason, funnily enough—to not to have Ranpo use his super-deduction on her.
"Dazai-San…I hate to admit this, I feel so guilty…but I saw you in her so I expected her to fill your role and fix things without even stopping to consider her own feelings on the matter."
Dazai was uncharacteristically quiet.
This boy analyzed that person's words from just a bit of self-reflection. He had been internalizing this revelation within himself for a while now. Dazai could tell. Comparing that girl to himself though? My, what a compliment…or at least an interesting first impression she had left on that boy. No doubt, based on what Dazai gleaned from her mannerisms with Chuuya and Mori, she was remarkably similar to Dazai in some ways. So…it wasn't just his imagination? Good, because Dazai didn't make things up.
Meanwhile, Atsushi was remarkable in his own right. Even if he was still a bit too blind to see it. But there was a reason Dazai had picked him up.
Immediately, Dazai's stomach clenched. "Ah, Atsushi-kun, it would appear dog food is not meant for people," Dazai declared, in pain, holding his stomach and holding up the bag of dog food. He gave Atsushi a grimacing smile.
"…" Atsushi had no words, haha.
Dazai ran off to find the toilet, leaving Atsushi to wait for the girls. Sigh.
Moving out of the area, Dazai felt his legs weaken. He leaned against a wall, that person's answer in his mind playing on repeat. Dazai put a hand over his eyes. "Ha…hahaha…." His body shook. "I wonder…what would you have said…if you had met that person…" he said softly and wistfully to no one. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a box of cigarettes. The label: Bar Lupin.
Closing his eyes for a moment Dazai felt a breeze rustle through his hair. "…I agree, we simply must meet that person again."
Pocketing his box, Dazai regrouped and trotted off down an alleyway. He sensed he had been followed for a while now, so he had —naturally—- thrown the pursuer off the trail once he left the train station. But now, he went onto an easy enough to follow path, ending up in some back alley. "You can come out, no one is watching!" Dazai said, his usual dark humorous demeanor replacing that moment of uncharacteristic mood shifting.
Immediately, his pursuer appeared like a phantom. It was an androgynous assassin, spiky hair tied back, a few loose strands framing their face. Wearing a bandage mask over their nose and mouth, they were dressed in clothes meant for lithe movement. Now they held a concealed blade to Dazai's throat.
"Oh? Why hello, Gin-Chan!~" Dazai smiled, not even concerned. While she wasn't the woman he felt like meeting at the moment, it was so nice to know he was still popular with the ladies. "You've grown since we last met."
"So, you knew we were following you?" Another woman's voice spoke sharply. It was familiar. Regrettably, it belonged to Akutagawa's fangirl hench-woman, Higuchi. She pointed her gun now at Dazai, expression hard.
"I did design the Mafia's surveillance tactics*, so it was hardly a surprise," Dazai said indifferently. "Let's cut the small talk. What's your business with me?"
"Is this gun enough business for you?" Higuchi retorted menacingly.
Dazai's eyes glinted.
He just smiled coyly.
—-
The security detail was rather light.
Definitely not what Alu would have expected for the ADA, considering just who it was they currently were holding onto in detainment. Regardless, she supposed she shouldn't complain. She'd changed her shirt and cleaned up a bit on her way over, and it sounded like it would be a bit before the ADA actually returned to visit this person.
It was the opportune moment to strike.
That is…strike up a conversation!
Alu knocked on the door formally, she stood outside of it now.
"Come in," a woman's voice called.
Alu opened the door. The woman in the kimono was in a simple room. It had a dresser, proper bed, no window, so definitely still a bit like a cell. But, not the worst. "Oh wow, it's like being in a three star hotel," she commented blinking, looking around.
The woman with strawberry blonde hair, and dark eyes, immediately summoned her ability, 'Golden Demon', her expression hard and distrustful.
Alu held up her hands. "Hold on, I get that you like to go stab first and ask questions later in the mafia, but seriously, I just wanna talk!"
"You know," Kouyou said, smirking darkly. "I was getting rather bored sitting here. How nice of you to volunteer yourself…"
She gestured at the tea set up on the table next to herself, comically enough. "For tea…" she deadpanned. Her ability disappeared, leaving the two women alone.
"…"
"…."
Alu could sense the Killing intent coming off this woman. She really didn't like her, for the small reason of just breathing…haha. Alu sweat-dropped. But she noted that if Kouyou was being allowed to have something like tea and the door was unlocked, that clearly Dazai had done his magic and ensured her cooperation to not go on a rampage. Her cooperation had to be because he promised her something in regards to Kyouka. Good for him.
Alu scratched her head. "Ah, I wouldn't mind some tea but I'm kinda in a hurry. Can't stay long or the ADA may come back."
Kouyou blinked. "Oh? They don't know you're here?"
Alu sensed she was plotting something. "Sorry to dash your hopes about me being 'free game' to slaughter,'" She deadpanned, bemused, "…but I'm not target practice either."
"And what makes you think I want to kill you?" Kouyou asked, lightly.
"Well for one thing, your K.I. is off the charts," Alu said, quirking a brow. "You conceal it well but you don't trust me far enough to stab me. I understand but, I just wanted to come in with no secrets, that's all~"
Kouyou quirked a brow, bemused. "You are sharp…the mafia could use someone with your stature," she remarked. "Who are you and what is your relationship to the ADA? Are you another member?"
Alu blinked. Oh, Kouyou was confined here. She wasn't aware of everything Alu had gotten up to—lol. Not a bad thing. Considering her boss wanted to murder Alu for interfering, hahaha. Alu knew this was the only window she had to make a good impression on Kouyou. "I'm an ally," she admitted. "I actually came here on behalf of one of their members."
"Oh? A messenger?" Kouyou sighed, bored, sipping her tea now, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Go on then, what's the message? Is it Dazai-kun? Is he setting a time for us to "play" again?"
Alu made a funny face.
Kouyou pursed her lips. "Ah, you know, that man has a way with women," she continued, sighing blissfully.
Alu held up a hand. "Please, say no more. I'm gonna barf otherwise." Her disdain made Kouyou actually bubble up with laughter. Not many women were put off by that man's natural 'charms'. But this person? She seemed immune to them, and almost disgusted? Now that was interesting.
Kouyou giggled. "You…don't like Dazai-kun, it sounds like?"
"Ah, more than dislike, I just find him to be a lot to handle," Alu deadpanned. "Men that are full of themselves are so not cute."
Kouyou laughed.
Alu blinked.
"…You sure are honest, and yet you're also very aware of the silver tongued snakes that exist in the world…you have a good head on your shoulders, admirable," Kouyou said, bemused.
"Thank you," Alu said brightly. "You're kinda chill when you're not obsessing over Kyouka-Chan yourself!"
Kouyou froze. Her eyes widened. She remembered what Kyouka had said. There was a woman, other than her…a 'better' woman who had convinced Kyouka that the light wouldn't burn if she stood in it instead of falling into the shadows where Koyou's protective loving embrace could catch her.
Immediately, Golden Demon stabbed the spot where Alu's head had been seconds before. Alu dodged, with a hilarious yelp, bumping against the dresser. "W-Wha!? What the heck!"
Kouyou comically crackled. "I see…so you're the one…filling my sweet Kyouka-Chan's head with lies?"
Alu sweated. "H-Hey, okay, let's just calm down. I know we have different parenting styles but no need to murder me over it!"
"You…" Kouyou thundered, like an angry terrifying force of nature, as her Golden Demon raised its blade again to strike Alu at her feet.
—
A/N: *Claims he came up with the surveillance tactics himself…sure…okay boy. Let's just assume you run the whole effing PM and you've been doing so since you were 14. They had tactics before you. It's called shoot and stab everything LOL. You're not that original…?
