Assignment 22:
Alu stood, looking out at the ferris wheel on the other side of this dock. She was outside right now. She had to get some air. She took a deep breath. And then she yelled.
"You're such an idiot!" she said to no one, just yelling at the water from the railing she gripped tightly. "Osamu!" she hollered.
"Normally I'm the only one who complains that viscerally about that guy," a voice commented, from behind Alu.
Alu's eyes widened. She whirled to see Chuuya Nakahara-randomly- standing there, his hands in his pockets, frowning at her. Though he did sound a bit bemused as well. Alu's eyes darted around instinctively to see if he was alone.
Chuuya caught this, and inwardly thinking that this person has a sense of self-preservation after all, just held up his hands.
"I'm not here to mess with you," he said bluntly. "Boss has agreed to the temporary Alliance," he added gruffly.
Alu blinked. "You uh… came all the way to tell me that?" she deadpanned, her eyes still scanning around Chuuya's general vicinity.
"Seems you are aware of the danger facing me actually entails," Chuuya remarked with a sigh, but he tilted his head. "Although, I only came over because you were yelling that guy's name and I wanted to know why."
Blunt and direct.
Alu sighed. "Let's just say, he and I are on two completely different pages-no brochures…ugh, what's a better term for 'not on the same page at all'?" she griped at Chuuya.
Chuuya pursed his lips, bemused even more so. Dazai had pissed this person off? Well, that was not surprising. Actually, this could work to the Port Mafia's advantage. She was someone who had no designated single alliance. It was clear she was playing both sides of the ADA and the Port Mafia. But, there was no reason to not try to get in her good graces. Especially since her 'not ability' was something that was only proving to be increasingly more intriguing. While Mori didn't have elimination off the table, he was someone who clearly had interest in other alternatives for this person's life besides merely ending it.
A person that could make Rashomon 'heel' and apply some strange 'force' to Chuuya of all people, and yet exemplified being a pacifist who did not wish to fight the Port mafia definitely meant that she was someone worth keeping under observation, at the least.
"He, uh, not agree with something you said?" Chuuya found himself politely asking. Getting any dirt on what the ADA was up to would be most helpful to his Boss.
"More like he went off and did something completely selfish and stupid and I just want to strangle him! Not only that but the ADA condones that level of underhanded behavior apparently! I mean, sometimes things need to be kicked up a notch to gain the advantage in war, sure, I get that, but this is a war that only concerns a few groups, not the entire country! What he pulled is not something I personally can see as so easily forgivable." Alu gripped the railing so hard that Chuuya was concerned it would snap like a twig from her vice grip. It didn't, but the implication was there.
"Dare I even ask?" Chuuya raised his eyebrows. She seemed to be rather chatty and Chuuya preferred not having to beat the answers out of someone. He was someone who preferred civility which was ironic considering he enjoyed using his fists to do most of the talking when it came to picking fights. Chuuya tended not to actually instigate the fights. Hilariously enough, people just naturally tried to throw the first punch at him before he could even have a decent conversation. This person was a nice little breather from how Chuuya's conversations usually went.
However, Chuuya's voice died in his throat. His pale blue-gray eyes widened.
This other person had a few silent tears that rolled down her face. Wow, she was so pissed she was crying?
She sniffled, wiping her eyes profusely, turning her face away but Chuuya had already seen the damage. It was so typical of freaking Dazai to make a girl cry. Chuuya should not even be surprised. But for some reason, seeing her tears—from someone who was formidable even to the Port Mafia, was still a bit alarming. Just what had Dazai even done this time? Chuuya knew that intel for the Port Mafia came first, and he wasn't going to let some tears from a strange woman suddenly make him falter in his resolve to extract information from her.
Definitely not.
He wasn't concerned. This was an opportunity. Yep. Just an opportunity….
Chuuya had a funny expression on his face. He was not used to handling a girl's tears—or anyone's for that matter. Alu spoke again. "I know you and I are on a tentative alliance and you have better things to do than listen to me complain about that guy," she said.
Chuuya's expression was hard to read. But he finally closed his eyes. She wasn't adamantly stating herself to be an enemy of the Port Mafia. He huffed, scratching his head. It was not like he'd met someone else with just as much dislike for Dazai as himself who wasn't actively trying to bomb Dazai or something. She was irritated and upset clearly, but Chuuya got the sense that she wouldn't actually ever try to kill Dazai. Maybe. He knew he wanted to strangle Dazai constantly, but this girl's frustration with Dazai felt like it was actually on a similar wavelength to Chuuya. "That guy is a known culprit when it comes to breaking a girl's heart," he said with a sigh. "I don't know the details but whatever he did… he's not worth the tears."
Alu blinked and she rubbed her eyes, grumbling. " Hah! He wishes I was crying over his dumb ass!" She huffed, putting her hands on her hips now, and frowning at Chuuya. Chuuya began to sweat like a decent man would when they realized they said something perhaps inconsiderate but didn't quite know what that was.
"So your relationship with him…this is me asking out of morbid curiosity more than anything else," Chuuya confessed with a grimace, gazing at the young woman. The nature of Dazai's relationship with Alu was just as much of an enigma as the girl herself. Dazai didn't have any lady friends and the only one who technically counted was Yosano though they were apparently only colleagues more than anything who worked together.
"You want to know how I'm acquainted with Osamu?" Alu sighed, wistful, her hands siding into the pockets of her pants.
Chuuya noted how she used his last name. It didn't sound like it was formal to be polite—more like it was formal because she was irritated. Interesting development to note. She clearly had a strained relationship, whatever it was. It was actually kinda nice to have someone who also couldn't stand the guy, for a change. Even if she wasn't exactly completely trustworthy. He just nodded.
Alu sighed, gazing out over the water. She watched the Ferris wheel in the distance. There was an amusement park nearby. Home to Yokohama CosmoWorld, a must see attraction. "It was a dark and stormy night," she began.
Chuuya listened intently, a bit inwardly surprised she was just telling him but hey, he wasn't going to jinx this. Dazai's natural talent for pissing off women that he jilted one way or another, ironically, was working in Chuuya's favor, for once.
Alu could tell Chuuya was comically hanging onto her every word, and continued to speak, seriously. "All was quiet. Nothing was stirring. Not even a mouse," she continued. Chuuya didn't interrupt her. Alu realized with some amusement that Chuuya hadn't caught on that she was messing with him just yet. "And all the children were asleep in their beds."
Chuuya furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait…children?" The terrifying notion of multiple tiny chibi Dazai(s) just made Chuuya record scratch. His face turned to comical horror and Alu realized he was getting the wrong idea but finding this oddly too funny to let slip, she just continued on, enjoying Chuuya's rather hilariously dense moment.
"They dreamed of sugar plums dancing over their heads," she continued, poetically.
Chuuya reminded her of a cuter orange Orangutan ape in a fedora, with his current facial expression, and she pursed her lips, turning away so she wouldn't laugh. Biting her lower lip, she tried to continue, though her bad mood felt oddly lifted just by conversing with this overly serious mafioso. "The storm outside was alarming but the inside of the home was quite charming, the stockings were hung by the fireplace with care," she continued.
It was at that point that Chuuya hilariously caught on.
"In the hopes that, Saint Nicholas would soon be there," a friendly voice interjected, and immediately, Chuuya went defensive guard dog, growling at the new addition. Alu paused, stomach twisting, and she really didn't want to talk to this person right now. Of course he had figured it out and tagged along with her hilarious attempt to mess with Chuuya. Maybe under different circumstances she would have welcomed this. However, her momentary good mood felt like it evaporated like mist.
"You…" Chuuya glared at the other man, who just waved with a smile, his right arm in a sling.
Alu had to wonder how she'd been found so quickly. Then again, it was not entirely surprising considering they had Ranpo back to normal. He may have deduced where this guy could find her. Alu's expression twisted as she looked at the water. She had not parted on the best terms with the ADA and no doubt they updated him already, so why was he acting like they should both be getting along like nothing transpired between them in the first place?
Alu could feel her emotions crashing in her ears as she stared at the water again.
Alu furrowed her brow, about to leave the ADA to go check on something. "Oh, you didn't give me the name yet," she said, turning to look at Ranpo over her shoulder. "Who was the agent that Osamu went to see?"
Ranpo huffed. "Some guy named Ango Sakaguchi."
Alu's smile froze on her face like a codex that broke while taking a photo. She just let go of the door handle for a moment. "Oh? That car accident was pretty bad," she frowned, concerned, voice level, "what makes you think he'd be in any state to help at this time?"
"Oh that?" Ranpo frowned. "That was part of the plan," he revealed with a dismissive shrug, eyes closed but on Alu now. Fukuzawa remained quiet and just gazed at Alu. He was aware that she was not happy with this news.
Kenji kept quiet as well, just gazing at Alu and Ranpo like the little kid who walked in on an adult argument and was wondering if they should just slink away.
"Not that it particularly matters," Ranpo continued, dismissive of this bombshell he just dropped on Alu, "…our plan will only work at this point if he cooperates, although Dazai is confident that his plan to get four-eyes into our corner will work with some of his persuasion skills."
"You planned for the car accident?" Alu's tone of disapproval and disbelief was apparent.
"Don't look at me like that," Ranpo huffed. "Dazai theorized that The Guild would be watching and he didn't know how they would attack. He just adapted to the situation is all. This is war after all," Ranpo said, matter-of-fact, "We need all the eggs in our basket as we can."
"So Dazai took advantage of the car accident, how?" Alu wrinkled her brow, a bit confused now and bewildered.
"Simple," Ranpo said, wagging an index finger at Alu, arms crossed from where he stood now, in front of Fukuzawa's temporary work desk. "With agent Four-Eyes out of commission, Dazai plans to use that unfortunate luck to offer Yosano's healing skills in exchange for a way to save Kyouka-Chan. He already got this approved by the president and it's a pretty solid plan. As long as the other guy makes it, that is."
Fukuzawa grimaced. Ranpo had a way of being cut and dry to insensitive when it came to analyzing situations.
Alu just let the news slam into her like a freight train. So that person—who looked like battered hell, had been Ango Sakaguchi? She hadn't even recognized him. Her expression of guilt was turned away from Ranpo. Ranpo's green eyes opened and he gazed at Alu, brow furrowed. "I see," Alu kept her voice level, but her tone spoke volumes.
Dazai himself had an injured right arm, no doubt from the impact of the accident. But something didn't feel right.
Fukuzawa sighed, deciding he had to try to salvage things so she wouldn't misunderstand Ranpo's less sensitive way of handling sensitive information. "Dazai is aware that Kyouka-Chan is in a tight spot with the government. As it stands, drastic measures are the only way to ensure that we are able to get that girl back."
"Right," Alu said, with a head nod, eyes closing for a moment. "Makes sense," she mused, less angry than Fukuzawa inwardly thought she was, "so in order to get some upper hand on the government, it was time to turn to juggling a life for a life, is that it?"
The anger came down like a thunder clap.
Fukuzawa's eyes widened as his steel eyes gazed at the angry glare directed at him and Ranpo. Ranpo frowned, and held out his arms, blocking Fukuzawa from Alu's immediate piercing gaze. "Hey, hey! It was a joint decision! Are you even listening? Lives get juggled all the time in war, that's life! Besides, Dazai has been keeping tabs on the other guy and says he'll live—mostly, and as long as we utilize Yosano's medical skills then our connection to the big brass is all but assured!"
"Do you even hear yourself?" Alu's voice was a low crackling thunderclap of burning wood snapping in a fireplace.
Ranpo growled, agitated himself. "You know that drastic times call for drastic measures! There's no way we were going to get another opportunity like this to get some leverage on the top brass in order to turn the tide against The Guild!"
"What the hell does that even mean?" Alu's expression was unmasked rage. "You should be working with the Division of Unusual Powers, not using their lives as bartering chips! Wait…even if it was a bad car accident…the air bags should have taken most of the impact," Alu's eyes flickered.
"Dazai had to do what needed to be done for our survival in this war," Ranpo said, almost coldly and without an apologetic chord in his tone.
That's when Alu realized with horror just to what extent Dazai had 'sacrificed' for the team. "He cut the airbags on Ango's side…" she deduced.
The others were quiet. They did not deny this.
"That…absolute fool." Alu clenched her fists.
"What else would you have suggested?" Ranpo scoffed, haughtily, "The brass plans to execute that girl and Atsush-kun vouched for her to join the ADA instead. In terms of where we stand currently in the war with The Guild, and with a ceasefire unofficial at best with The Port Mafia, we have no choice but to look out for our own. Atsushi has been abducted by The Guild. Kyouka-Chan is in the breeze. Right now, Dazai is the best one equipped to get us back onto level playing ground with the other two superpowers."
"War or not, you had the chance to literally pick any other method to ask for assistance," Alu replied, trembling. "You couldn't have just asked in a non-lethal environment, or offered some protection in exchange for his help? You had no reason to go to such an extreme for his aid! You had to stoop that low to threaten his own life? Aren't you both on the same side?"
"Hey, hey," Ranpo defensively narrowed his green eyes at Alu, frowning. "It's not like you were present to come up with anything better," he countered.
Their mutual glares crackled like physical lightning between them.
Fukuzawa was silent but he could tell that Ranpo and Alu were volatile. He wanted to speak but the look she shot all of them made his voice catch in his throat. She was beyond furious and it showed in those eyes that seemed to suck one in. Fukuzawa found he couldn't look at her. Ranpo was defiant and more confident though so he was glaring back with his own green eyes, with haughty defiance, into those light brown honey ones.
"It's not my job to be your agency's morality pet," Alu snapped, though she had a feeling that the role may actually be something Atsushi would be suited for…but he was still very green himself. He seemed the type to be easily swept up in the plans that already existed in this agency. Alu opened the door frustrated, her back to Ranpo. But she looked over her shoulder.
"We don't have the same luxury as you do in being 'impartial'. Sometimes the truth hurts," Ranpo said, sharply and surprisingly sombre. " This is about our own lives being at stake. You may not agree with our methods but they get desired results."
"Desired results?" Alu glared right at Ranpo. "Manipulation and underhanded tactics are expected perhaps against someone when they are threatening your life. But that person was not threatening any of your lives. Your current behaviour only makes you more like The Port Mafia."
"No, we're most certainly not anything like them," Fukuzawa curtly interjected, a bit disgruntled that she was not understanding or rather refusing to see their tense position. Her words held weight, but he wondered if Kunikida had been correct in his blunt statement that she lacked 'field experience' when it came to threats like this that required more drastic measures to be taken. "We needed an advantage, and Dazai has secured us one that may save that girl's life and help be key to ending the war with The Guild. Sometimes sacrifice is a part of what it means to go to war. There are times when simply talking things out is not the best way. We don't have money or power on our side. We are the weakest link. This was the only way."
"There's always a better way," Alu thundered, glaring at them. She was so angry that the door handle crunched in her grasp. She grit her teeth, feeling her rage bubble up like soda pop. She took her fist and she slammed it into the wall next to the door. The entire wall trembled, as an indent sized crater of her fist was left behind as she pulled her knuckles away.
Everyone flinched.
"I want to believe you are the balance between the three organizations, The Underground, The Government, and then your Armed Detective Agency, president Fukuzawa …but I guess I was wrong. There is no balance. Perhaps…there never was to begin with. Right now, with improper methods of communication, you are only participating in self-assured mutual destruction, even without The Guild to bring that fact to light."
"Hey," Ranpo's brow creased and he pointed at Alu, haughty. He didn't like how she was taking a jab at the president. Fukuzawa didn't respond, but he was wearing a tense expression. Feeling protective of Fukuzawa's feelings, Ranpo declared pompously,"Thanks for the lecture. But allow me to remind you that it's not like you were here planning alongside us. We do what we have to in war in order to win. That's just how it is."
Ranpo glared at her now, and they looked like they were having a stand off of mental wills.
"You're supposed to be smart, able to look at something from all angles-and everyone praises your brain but you know what?" Alu's glare shuts everyone with a brain up. Ranpo, ironically, was immune. Alu grit her teeth and she just teared up from the barely restrained fury in her physical features. "Ranpo…you're still such an…idiot!" she yelled.
Ranpo's eyes widened as he jolted, from the shock of being called something that didn't belong in the same sentence, much less hemisphere as his own name.
But her words hung in the air, and she left, shooting an intense glare brewing with tears.
It was hard to say what even normally childish tantrummer Edogawa Ranpo was thinking.
The water in front of Alu's vision was a smooth lull, the sunlight reflecting off of it and leaving many reflective bright shapes glinting in the water that danced like lily pads.
Alu inwardly wondered if she could just leave the general vicinity and have it not look suspicious. But considering Chuuya was already growling like an angry Ginger Pomeranian, and that person was clearly here to talk with her, she figured she should at least see what he was here for. She had no doubt he could handle Chuuya if she did leave them to duke out their boy rivalry love-hate thing. They weren't on a ship this time, but Alu had a funny feeling that this area would be blown up by their 'Soukouku' anyways.
"Well, this was a nice chat. See you around, Chuuya!" She brightly said, waving to Chuuya before turning on her heel to walk away.
"But we were telling Chuuya how we met! We shouldn't leave before at least finishing our story, right? Wouldn't that be rude?" Dazai simpered, with a cheerful smile at the sizzling smaller coral colored-head. He couldn't help but enjoy the fact that at least Chuuya was in the dark like him in this aspect.
"I know she was messing with me!" Chuuya barked. "Hey, if you don't want to tell me, fine I can take a hint!" He griped at Alu.
Alu sensed Chuuya was actually a little hurt. She paused. "You really want to know how we met, Chuuya?" She asked, crossing her arms, leaning against the railing.
"You won't tell me and now that he's here, I think I'll be taking my leave," Chuuya growled, glaring hostilely at the unphased taller bandaged mummy of a man.
"Yeah, I thought it would be funny to mess with you, I'm sorry…" Alu admitted, and Chuuya twitched, shooting her a look. But his glare faltered. She looked sad.
Even Dazai, despite his carefree smile, could tell that something was going on. Of course, Dazai knew it had to do with him and was inwardly a bit mixed on how to handle this melancholy behavior she exuded.
"Tch," Chuuya wasn't used to someone tormenting him and then apologizing after. She reminded him of Dazai in some aspects and yet in others she was admittedly more evolved. But, rather than reminding him of Dazai, she stood out from him. "I have to get going anyways," he lied, sensing that Dazai had his own plans for this reason and not wanting to stand between Dazai and his prey—because that was a terrible idea for anyone with common sense— he turned on his heel, hands in his pockets to leave.
"I see," Alu looped her arms around Chuuya's arm. "Then, in that case, take me with you!" She said brightly.
Chuuya's eyes bugged comically. "Huh?" He asked as eloquently as a clueless bird who couldn't figure out they'd just run into glass.
Dazai pouted. She must be angry if she is choosing Chuuya to hang out with over me. This is far worse than I thought.
Dazai doom faced. This was just another thing to blame the government dog, Ango Sakaguchi for incurring upon Dazai's bad fortune when it came to trying to get along with this person. She was clearly angry that the ADA had put that guy's life at risk in order to gain an advantage in the war. Honestly, Dazai knew it was a sketchy idea but it was one that would yield results. Clearly this person did not agree with his methods to protect the ADA, but honestly, that was a conversation he knew would make things only worse. Oh well, he'd have to rip open that scab…all scabs heal eventually once you're done picking at them…or they leave scars. He had a feeling their conversation could go easily either way.
Alu tugged Chuuya with strength, dragging him comically away from where Dazai stood. Dazai wanted to follow so naturally, he did. Looping his uninjured arm into Chuuya's free one, he beamed at Alu. "You know if you have something to say, you are welcome to just say it~"
Alu smiled back, tugging Chuuya closer towards herself. "Maybe I don't want to talk," she retorted.
"You know, communication is important," Dazai chided, breezily. "Your words, not mine, though I am inclined to agree with your logic!" he added cheekily, knowing he was poking a ginger bear and a beehive but not caring which mauled him first.
"Oh wow, you actually pay attention once in a blue moon?" Alu quipped back, heatedly, sparkly smiling at Dazai so bright it blinded the both of the boys, lol.
"Can you two please have this discussion without taking my arms off?" Chuuya griped, looking comically like a tug-of-war rope between the two irritated brunettes. They both shot him such a look that Chuuya was honestly less a Port Mafia Executive mafioso in that moment as he was a survivor of their weird battle of wills. He shrunk comically, which didn't take much effort, being as short as he already was.
For once, being short was proving to be a blessing in disguise. That admission was going to his grave with him.
"I'm willing to talk about my reasons for why I chose to protect the ADA through morally ambiguous means," Dazai countered levelly, his adobe muddy glint making his eyes glimmer like two polished blood stones. Alu's own honey eyes glinted like an open flame running free in a forest. Chuuya's sense of self-preservation warned him that if he interfered he would possibly be obliterated by their glares alone. Yeesh, these two could pass for siblings even. Somehow that was a worse notion.
Terrifying.
"Alright then," Alu acknowledged, suddenly agreeable, with a shrug, letting go of Chuuya comically. Chuuya found himself freed and would have celebrated but Dazai dropped him comically too in the next second and Chuuya landed on the ground unceremoniously on his poor face.
Hilariously enough, he had the distinct survival instinct to just play possum until their spat was resolved.
Dazai tilted his head at Alu. He was a bit taken aback at how quickly she switched gears but then again, she was a woman, and he already knew that they could be a land mine to navigate on a good day. Alu had a cool expression, but she stepped back, with her hands in her pockets.
Alu waited.
Dazai, it would appear, had the floor.
Now he just had to approach this delicate subject without setting her off. Not a problem. Dazai was known for being pretty handy and that involved in his ability to diffuse bombs or set them up to blow up under Chuuya's car. Honestly, he goes either way, lmao.
But first, he gave Chuuya a look to leave. Chuuya didn't need to be told twice. But as he was scrambling to his feet to leave, Alu spoke up again. "No, I want him to be privy to this."
Dazai and Chuuya were both momentarily surprised for different reasons.
"You know, this seems rather private and personal, I should just go," Chuuya said comically the most polite he'd been in front of Dazai since like…ever.
"Chuuya, you don't want to be rude and ignore her request, do you?" Dazai smiled at Chuuya with the same enthusiasm a shark smiles at its lunch.
Chuuya gulped.
