Assignment 17:

As The Sun Goes Down The Wolves Come Out To Play

It was not long since Alu got back. Alu looked up at the late afternoon sky from where she sat, in her hotel room. She'd returned to it after wandering around a bit. Surprisingly she hadn't sensed any of the Port Mafia on her tail. Whether or not it was because they were otherwise occupied or to lure her into a false sense of security, was to be decided.

Alu looked at the small blue book in her hands. She sighed. She'd read over its contents so much she had it practically memorized. She pocketed the book into her internal coat pocket. "Sometimes even a writer…has times when they're at a loss for the right words," she murmured to no one.

Alu had a hunch who was driving The Guild to be so damn annoying but she hadn't been able to sniff out the rat, so to speak. She however picked up a piece of paper and her pen. "Time to write a little letter ~to the head of the Port Mafia and the Head of the ADA~."

After she finished she stretched, and began to put the letters into two separate envelopes. Placing them on the desk, she looked at the hotel phone. Her eyes flickered. She wondered if that person would even pick up or if he was otherwise occupied.

She pulled out the slip of paper from her pocket. "Blue Mackerel, huh?" She said, bemused, recalling what name she had seen Chuuya put down this number as in his phone back when she'd sent the cat photo. "You really haven't changed your number…even though it's been four years," she laughed quietly. Her expression was hard to discern. It was blissful, bemused, and sad. Like it longed for something that was no longer obtainable.

Suddenly someone thudded into her door like they were a bull. Alu jumped. "!?" She comically looked at the door.

"Lemme in!" A bratty voice called out.

Alu's eye twitched.

How in the hell…? She opened the door, to come face to face with the big baby detective himself, Ranpo Edogawa.

She'd ask, 'how did you find me,' but she already knew the answer to that. Ranpo was still masterful at deduction even if he had a few minor setbacks courtesy of her, rofl. Although he looked roughed up. If anything besides that he looked perfectly healthy. Just annoying. As he always came off as. He bounded in, and shut the door, before smiling hugely at her.

"Found you~" he said smugly.

Alu detected immediately that he was not alright in the head—more so than usual—lol. "Um…Are you feeling alright?" She couldn't help but hilariously ask, concerned. His face looked like he took a slight beating though there wasn't any real bruising, just a bloody lip it would appear.

"I am great~ But I got really bored playing 'Hide & Don't Let the Mafia Kill Ya', you know?" Ranpo babbled. "And then I thought, oh! I know! That person is doing something far more exciting!"

Alu sweated. "Did you just leave the ADA…because you were bored?"

"Yep!" Ranpo declared, putting his hands on his hips, and laughing deranged.

Alu pursed her lips. "You are so…"

Ranpo beamed, getting right up into her face. "I know all your secrets~" he crowed, grinning at her. He wasn't wearing his glasses as he declared this, so he really must be off his rocker right now, Alu deduced. His hat was gone too. But she wondered just what did Ranpo actually know from analyzing her. This was bad. If he said too much it would mess up—or at least confuse— everyone. And there was one person in particular that Alu absolutely didn't want to give this information to. Not yet.

"Hehehe what do I get?" Ranpo asked, clapping his hands together.

"Huh?" Alu blinked, frowning.

"Silly~ for keeping my silence! I deserve something, right?" He cackled.

"First let's uh, take care of your face…" Alu said, brow knitting together from concern.

"It's fine!" Ranpo whined.

"Just give me a moment," Alu said, rolling her eyes. "Stay." She commanded.

Ranpo pouted but he comically stayed put while Alu went to grab a towel and wet it. She came back to dab at his face, frowning. "Ah! That hurts!" Ranpo complained.

This didn't feel like he was behaving any differently from normal—just really hyper. Hyper for Ranpo was something, Alu inwardly sighed. "Hold still. I'm almost…"

"There's no time," Ranpo said, grabbing Alu's wrist. He grabbed the towel from her and tossed it on the floor. "We're going back to FukukuNeko, okay?"

"…Huh?" Alu comically asked, as Ranpo dragged her, surprisingly strong out of the hotel room and into the hallway.

Near them was a cleaning lady and her cart. The lady was in a room at the moment, but Ranpo wordlessly tugged Alu over to the stairs. "He—-!?" Alu was going to exclaim but Ranpo suddenly put a hand over her mouth. His eyes were serious, despite everything. Alu was confused.

"Don't let him hear you," Ranpo whispered, uncharacteristically serious.

Alu was confused. "Who?" She asked dumbly, despite Ranpo's hand over her mouth.

Just who the hell was Ranpo of all people, running from?

The cleaning lady moved and Ranpo moved faster, Alu comically dragged to the other end of the hall. "Take the stairs," Ranpo whispered. He had her against the wall, peering past her to glance down the hallway they had just been standing in.

"Why are we whispering?" Alu asked, eye twitching. Also why was Ranpo pinning her to a wall? What the hell was going on? Alu was baffled, hahaha.

"No time, go now." Ranpo grabbed her wrist and tugged her off again. Alu really hated feeling like a rag doll being dragged along. The elevator dinged just then. Ranpo shoved himself into the stairwell with Alu, and Alu heard a man's voice—the one that Ranpo had been avoiding.

"According to the detailed descriptions and recent reports that transpired, a woman matching her description is currently residing in this cheap excuse for a hotel. Honestly,~" A man with blonde hair, slick clothes, and a slippery tongue huffed, stepping off the elevator. He was alone.

That man, Alu didn't recognize.

Ranpo dragged Alu down all the flights of stairs. Alu didn't complain. So this is why Ranpo had been agitated! Alu inwardly wondered about the timing. Ranpo's super deduction —hilariously enough—-she hadn't seen it really used 'in the field' before like this. Normally he just used it while sitting at a desk eating junk food or looking at dead bodies…lol. Well, first time for everything, Alu mused.

But that man made Alu feel uneasy.

Ranpo kept a firm grip on Alu's wrist. He was surprisingly strong, Alu noted. He normally looked like a wimpy twig, to be honest. Alu and him made it down to the garage level under the hotel. "?"

Ranpo and Alu snuck away from the direction of the hotel.

Finally, Alu felt Ranpo let go of her wrist. "Hehe, we win this round of tag!" He said gleefully, throwing his hands up in the air like he was five. They were somewhere on a street as the sun began to set. Alu panted because that kid had them actually fast walking for a bit.

"Ah…but what now?" She furrowed her brow at him. Then Alu's eyes flashed.

"!?..."

"Look out, Ranpo!" Alu yelled, and she suddenly leapt with no warning, in front of Ranpo, grabbing his arm and twisting him out of the way of the sudden bullet fire.

The sniper shots came from nowhere—supposedly, but Alu knew better. It was Mark Twain's ability, 'Huck & Finn'. She remembered it from when they totaled the Mafia and ADA members a few days ago.

"Whoa," Twain said, eyes wide from where he was sitting. He hadn't had anyone that had ever dodged a direct hit before—and more than once in the span of under a few seconds? He smirked. "I think I've just found myself an interesting challenge…ah but Boss said not to hit her…" he sounded disappointed. "Huh…and if I think about it…she's kinda cute…." Huck and Finn, his ability, just gave him funny almond shaped eyes like 'focus,' lol.

"Tch," Alu grit her teeth and she knew she had to get Ranpo to safety, somehow. Her mind raced. She ran down a sidewalk with Ranpo in tow, gripping his hand tightly. Ranpo made a comical noise of surprise, eyes wide, but followed.

Breathing hard, they were now far from where the sniper could get a good shot, no longer out in the open. Alu made sure to have plenty of buildings surrounding them. The Guild moved scarily fast. She knew they had to be after Ranpo. "Whee!" Ranpo spun around suddenly, startling Alu. Okay, she knew he could be hyper but….he was acting really weird even for Ranpo. Alu would have said more but she felt Ranpo's pocket vibrating. Ranpo paused, and put his hands up in the air, with a giggle. "That tickles!"

"Answer it!" Alu griped, feeling a headache dealing with him, and she reached into Ranpo's pocket, grabbing his vibrating phone for him. He made no move to stop her. She recognized the number as 'Mister Clucky'. It must be Kunikida. Alu got an idea.

In the meantime, Fitzgerald looked disappointedly around the hotel room he was in. Prior to Twain informing him that the targets were on the move, he had come here in the hopes of having a cordial discussion with the elusive young woman who apparently had the power to brainwash his loyal subordinates. Learning she was also an American had truly tickled Fitzgerald. He simply had to meet this fellow patriot. Twain was tracking them both down now.

He had only given orders to incapacitate the Detective for easier detainment.

However he found nothing further of use indicating any clues about that mysterious woman. Just two letters sitting on the desk. He blinked. "?" One was addressed to 'Mr. Pervy Boss' and the other was addressed to a 'Mr. Neko Swordsman'. Ah, a message to the ADA and the Port Mafia? The labeling was humorous and so American, Fitzgerald chuckled. Fitzgerald curiously ripped them both open because he could be invasive as he wanted, he had money. LOL. He read the contents. It was the same exact message for both.

It read: Kiss, Hug, & Make Up.

"…A lover's quarrel?" Fitzgerald comically thought out loud, taken aback—- hahaha.

Both Mori and Fukuzawa suddenly felt a chill run down their spines consecutively regardless of what they were currently in the middle of doing. They both sneezed.

Tanizaki nervously looked around. It was nighttime now and they were in a car, clearly not going the speed limit, in a race to get to their destination. Kunikida's expression was tight.

"Left here," he barked.

Tanizaki obeyed. Normally people don't like side-seat drivers but in this case, Kunikida's word was law itself. To defy this man would mean instant death, spiritually, lol. Maybe physically in Dazai's case —though he seemed to resurrect well enough times that would put even Jesus to shame haha. Of course, Dazai may as well be the Antichrist as far as Kunikida was concerned. Lmao.

The car skidded down the street, which thankfully didn't have many cars. Kunikida's stress levels were very high for good reason. Ranpo had been missing for a few hours and for Fukuzawa, that equated to a few years and boy, did it show. After Ranpo called Tanizaki—as he'd be the least likely to yell, haha, Kunikida and Tanizaki were directed to originally stake out close to the hotel, and be inconspicuous. That went to hell the moment they saw Ranpo and the strange woman being shot at seemingly out of nowhere.

But Kunikida noted that the woman had defended Ranpo and took off with him. Clearly, she wasn't in cahoots with the Guild. If she were, why would she have put herself at such an alarming risk—better yet— why would Mister Loopy himself put himself at such risk? No, Ranpo may be loopy but Kenji had a point. Ranpo was still Ranpo. Even with a few marbles missing from the bag.

"Got a text, they're on xxxxx," Kunikida said sharply.

"Roger," Tanizaki said, stressed, himself. Man, working for the agency had never been nearly as high-stress as it had become recently with the new member Atsushi Nakajima joining. But, now with Atsushi missing, and Ranpo in mortal danger, on top of Dazai's car accident,Tanizaki knew that if they didn't retrieve Ranpo successfully, that Fukuzawa may just actually lose it.

Tanizaki was so not great when it came to this much pressure. But, he was an agent too, dammit. They had managed to save Naomi from the Guild because of this woman's help. He owed her. He wouldn't run away just because things got tough.

A bright flash of purple beam of light erupted to their right, near some alley a few blocks away. Kunikida's eyes widened. What the hell was that?

However, Kunikida felt his phone ring. It was Ranpo. "Hey—?" He began but he stopped, eyes wide.

Tanizaki looked at him from the corner of his eye. "What is it? Kunikida?"

"Stop the car!" Kunikida said quietly, voice quaking.

Tanizaki pulled over. He looked at Kunikida, expression bewildered. "What…?"

Kunikida wordlessly put the phone on speaker. A man's voice cut in, bemused and foreign accented. "—I see I caught you two in the middle of something, my apologies."

Tanizaki and Kunkida's expressions twisted to something comical at the suggestive nature of that comment. What the heck does that mean? This is Ranpo. But he did run off from Fukuzawa's side of all things…over this woman….Tanizaki and Kunikida were starting to have dumb boy thought, lol.

"It's alright, we were finished anyways," the young woman's voice came in, much closer. It was clear she was holding onto Ranpo's phone. Perhaps in a pocket. "However I'm not sure how shooting at us is exactly endearing, Mr. Fitzgerald."

The man laughed on the other end of the phone. "My apologies, I admit I had meant to merely capture the Detective. I had no intention of harming you, my dear! After all, we're both batting for the same team~"

"Oh?" Alu smiled, tilting her head, gazing at Fitzgerald now. She and Ranpo were in an alley, the wall the only thing behind them blocking any escape from Fitzgerald. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, you're American and I'm American…It hardly seems cordial for us to shoot each other," Fitzgerald said, pouting. "I take you love Japan, I too can come to love it, possibly~"

"You speak as someone who holds very little value for anything not immediately 'useful' to your own agenda," Alu said politely with the grace of a cobra poised to bite.

"Ah, I can come off that way, but I promise you, I have no intention of irreparably harming Japan!" Mr. Fitzgerald protested.

"Maybe start by not trying to blow up another country," Alu deadpanned, putting a hand on her hip. Ranpo meanwhile was quiet, sitting, looking rather lost in thought, and mostly stupefied, on the ground near her. Something had happened but Ranpo Edogawa was unable to compute it at the moment, lol~…

"I would prefer for us to not be enemies," Fitzgerald huffed. "However I've seen what he's worth so I sadly must include him in our little dance."

"Him? He's not worth much," Alu said, raising an eyebrow. "He's a big baby that eats junk food all day and thinks he's better than everyone else because he was born with a big head," she remarked, smirking at Ranpo with a teasing glint in her eye.

Ranpo's green eyes flickered and he pointed at her. "Hey! Don't insult me!" He pouted.

Kunikida and Tanizaki exchanged a glance. Ranpo and this person certainly didn't talk like strangers. The plot thickened. They were both glued comically to the phone now like they were watching a soap opera unfold.

"I would beg to differ," Fitzgerald sighed, tilting his head. "I have an eye for scoping out value in things, be it a person or an object of interest," he said brightly.

"For a man like you, I find it hard to believe you see people and objects as two separate entities," Alu cheekily retorted.

Kunikida had to hand it to this person. They had a sharp wit. Tanizaki was also impressed. Ranpo however, was bubbling with annoyance.

He hopped up to his feet. "I know my worth! I don't need you or Mister Moneybags here telling me what it is or isn't!" He stamped his foot, and Alu could see steam coming off the top of his spiky dark hair.

Kunikida and Tanizaki's eyes widened. This Ranpo—sounded almost normal?

"Moneybags…" Fitzgerald seemed slightly put off by the nickname.

Alu giggled. "Pfft," she gave a thumbs up to Ranpo. "Point. Great burn."

Ranpo blinked. He puffed out his cheeks while dusting himself off. "What do we do now? Mister Moneybags isn't going to just let us go and we're at a dead end…" He pointed to the tall wall of cement and brick behind them.

"True," Alu mused out loud. "I don't have any useful magic tricks to get us out of here, otherwise, I'd have made us disappear~!"

Kunikida and Tanizaki exchanged a quiet glance. But their expressions were serious.

Alu grinned at Ranpo. She had a mischievous glint in her eye. Ranpo's eyes widened. He had no idea what she was thinking. However, Alu reached into her pocket and she pulled out a pen. Ranpo and Fitzgerald gazed at her. "As it stands, my back is against this wall here so I guess you win~lol."

Fitzgerald blinked. "So you'll come with me?" he sounded pleased. Men like Fitzgerald who believe they are invincible often are somewhat stupid when it comes to listening to the little voice in their own mind called a conscience saying 'hey buddy, maybe we should rethink this'...

"Yep, but in exchange you have to let the Baby Detective here go," she said brightly.

"I'm not a baby!" Ranpo complained, affronted. He stood near her however. She handed him the pen. Ranpo pocketed it.

"Well, I suppose I could do that," Fitzgerald stroked his chin.

He snapped his fingers.

Alu's eyes narrowed.

Ranpo felt himself grabbed with no warning by her. "Hey!-" but his voice died as she pulled him out of the way, instead taking the bullets intended for him, into herself, in the small of her back and side.

Ranpo's jade eyes widened with alarm and realization.

Alu groaned, and pushed Ranpo against the wall. She toppled on top of him. Their positions looked honestly questionable at best with how their limbs were placed. Fitzgerald himself being a proper American gentleman wondered if he should peel them apart or just pick them both up as they were-he couldn't decide, comically.

However his eyes had widened with surprise, seeing her put her life at risk for this target. Oh? An interesting development.

"You…" Ranpo's eyes were wide.

Alu breathed hard, gritting her teeth as some blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth. "Ranpo…"

Ranpo's eyes sharpened. He moved swiftly, as Alu moved off of him, breathing hard, on a knee. He straightened up, glaring at Fitzgerald. "Ah, I feel bad about hitting a fellow American, but you should have dodged that and just let the Detective take the hit…" Fitzgerald blinked. "Oh? Remarkably, this rarely happens but it seems… you're worth more than meets the eye, boy. To this person too, it seems~"

"Heh," Ranpo smirked darkly, reaching into his jacket and pulling out his glasses. "I'm worth a lot more than you could ever dream to be," he sneered. He flipped his glasses open and put them on. His eyes opened, to their full 'Daddy' mode activated status. His voice was a deep rumble. There were rare instances when Ranpo Edogawa could actually ostensibly act his age.

"Doubtful," Fitzgerald huffed, eyebrows raising in disbelief. But as he gazed at Ranpo, his voice died in his throat. "...No…you weren't just saying that…" His tone sounded incredulous. "You're not wrong…"

"I'm never wrong," Ranpo's smile was like that of a shark. "Since you're someone that likes to talk about 'worth,' let's make a bet. Want to see a magic trick? If it doesn't work I'll go quietly without trouble."

Fitzgerald was someone who threw money around like he threw his employees-haha. He narrowed his eyes. This person must have an ability. However, Fitzgerald had already gotten the detailed report from his cute little secretary and it actually reported that this particular detective had nothing particularly flashy that would help him get out of a situation where Fitzgerald and Twain were working together to take him down. Fitzgerald figured since he was a gentleman and not a barbarian, he'd at least take this gamble. He had nothing to lose. From where he was standing, the ADA was still losing. And the fellow American was down for the count. "I'm listening," he said, genuinely intrigued by this little japanese person who should not be worth more than an American Tycoon and yet-was -inconceivably so, somehow.

"...In the next ten seconds, I'm going to perform Houdini's famous magic trick," Ranpo said with a dark grin, and between his fingers he held a slip of paper.

Fitzgerald recognized it immediately. It belonged to another ability user from the same side as the detective! Paper that could turn into weapons! But how would it work? Ranpo Edogawa didn't possess the same ability as Doppo Kunikida-right!?

Alu wordlessly grabbed Ranpo again, as Twain's attempt to strike the paper from Ranpo's fingers missed again. Twain was floored. How was this person dodging? But the last one had hit! "Whaaaaaaaaaat?" he said, in a high pitched annoying manner.

"No wonder no one wants to hang with you, your voice is a bit off-putting," Huck said, making a funny face with Finn.

"But, but, dude! She just keeps predicting my shots! Is that her ability?" The youthful man remarked, scratching his head. "Damn, I kinda wanna meet her now. Do you think she'd see me asking her out, coming?"

Neither Huck nor Finn thought that was a good idea, in any conceivable universe, haha.

The paper glowed and moments later the alley was filled with bright light. Fitzgerald shielded his eyes. "We're running now!" Alu shouted, grabbing Ranpo by his wrist and leaving immediately with him through the flash.

Fitzgerald growled, whirling on his heel. "Keep them in your sights!" he said into his headpiece to Twain.

Twain spotted them moving down the street thanks to Huck and Finn. "After them!" he commanded his abilities who had zipped on ahead the moment the flash bomb had gone off. Huck and Finn kept an eye on their targets.

"Over there!" Alu said, pointing to the vehicle screeching to a halt across the way. Ranpo and her made their way to it. Ranpo moved ahead of Alu and threw open the passenger door. He helped Alu into the back seat. Kunikida didn't hesitate when Ranpo gave the order.

"Step on it!" he said.

Kunikida had taken over the wheel and he drove off now. "That…was incredibly risky, and the chance of success was…was monumentally against you both, you know that!" he barked, as he swerved through a yellow light like a bat out of hell.

"Hehe," Alu said weakly, in pain from the two bullet shots to her body so far. One had struck her back and the other had struck her side. She was bleeding. "Kunikida~ is that a compliment?" She managed a teasing grin, though the pain was starting to reach her fingertips now. Ranpo just adjusted so she would be in the least painful position possible against him. It was hard to discern what was going on in his mind at the moment.

"Tch," Kunikida's retort died on his tongue as he realized the state Alu was in. Ranpo himself, had his glasses on, and he just wordlessly had his seatbelt strapped on, gingerly, holding Alu in his arms, his expression serious. "You're both damn lucky you made it out alive…"

"Luck had nothing to do with it," Ranpo said, his tone deeper than he usually exposed it to be. Tanizaki breathed hard, as he finally let go of the position he had his hands in.

"Gave them the good ol' switcheroo slip, faking you two running off while just concealing the real you in place so the enemy would run off without realizing you'd never left…clever," he said, with a thumbs up. He looked over his shoulder and saw the state Alu was in. "Oh well, crap. Uh, I'm Tanizaki…" he awkwardly said, with a wave meekly to Alu. They had already met but they hadn't really had the chance to actually have formal introductions.

"Hah…name's Alu…" Alu finally confessed, before she passed out from the pain in Ranpo's arms.

Kunikida grit his teeth. "Hang in there, dammit!" That was the closest to caring about a complete stranger that could potentially still be a huge threat to them that Kunikida Doppo could muster. At least it was some progress in his character development.

Enjoy a BSD side theatre to make up for my long rant last chapter lol

Bungou Stray Side Theatre: "Under Pressure"

Mori waited with baited breath.

He wasn't going to admit it but he was a bit excited.

You see, despite the current pause to annihilating the ADA placed on him through the interesting tentative alliance to that one irritating pest that he wouldn't be able to eradicate until after the conclusion of the Guild War, his Port Mafia Executive Chuuya Nakahara had managed to at least study her mysterious power up close.

Chuuya entered the room, with the report bound, and dropped it onto his boss's desk, politely. Mori took it casually, not wanting to show any indication that he was internally raving to get to reading it the same way a rabid fan waits for the next release of their favorite author's book.

"Here you go, boss."

Elise-Chan peered over Mori's shoulder, pouting because he was working and not paying attention to her. "Rintaro! Let me see!" she complained.

"Darling Elise-Chan, I will share with you the results in just a moment, now allow me to read them," Mori whined, wanting to reassure his precious ability that his undivided attention would soon return to her absolute cuteness momentarily. Chuuya just stood back, polite. He was used to this doting for years by now.

Elise pouted, and grabbed the report from Mori's hands comically, floating up into the air with it. Mori let out a noise of absolute surprise, comically, even his outfit emanating a shocked reaction as though it was alive.

Chuuya pursed his lips. This was not the appropriate time to want to laugh.

Elise ruffled through the pages and then she wrinkled her nose like an angry french bulldog. "Applies pressure that is different from anti-gravity but holds similar force. Can be executed without contact. Is not something that can be seen by the naked eye." She dropped the papers comically back onto Mori's lap.

Mori was a doctor. He read the report, and wrinkled his own nose, as he and Elise shared a comical look of disgust. "So… her secret skill is that she can suppress you with the power of her 'breaking wind'?"

Elise-Chan just looked at Chuuya like someone who utterly pitied him. "You lost to someone who uses flatulence as their secret skill?"

Chuuya's expression was comically tight. "Her power isn't passing gas!"

It took a bit of hysterical convincing for Chuuya to redeem himself in their eyes that day.

And clear up the misunderstanding.

Lmao.

A/N: I'm not great at these side theatres but stay tuned for more shenanigans next time!

Also I originally planned for Fyodor to be in this chapter as the cleaning lady but I couldn't stop laughing at the idea and ended up scrapping it because it was stupid ... but you know... I guess that's just how a man like Fyodor 'cleans himself up' ...or some other reeally bad cleaning humor.

*bows off stage like a dsyfunctional deer tangled in its own legs.