Vol. 1

Ch. 5

Alu had decided she'd go off and find Chuuya but at that moment, a black car had pulled up to the bar casually. It was a black car with what Alu assumed was bullet proof everything. Out of the car had stepped a tall man in a suit and black hat with sunglasses. He had light blonde hair and he honestly looked like a taller version of Chuuya. That's when Alu made the obvious distinction that maybe this was the 'Paul Verlaine' that was supposed to be dead, according to Chuuya. But why was he here at the bar?

Alu strained her hearing to try to catch the conversation.

"I'm just the informant," Verlaine said calmly to the others.

Pianoman frowned but sighed with a huff. "You can't be too careful, what's the message?" he pried.

Verlaine spoke. "You are wanted at an important meeting with the boss, himself…Ogai Mori, in regards to certain matters regarding Arahabaki ."

The other men tensed, silent. Had they been caught after all for digging around Chuuya's records? They glanced at one another. It was hard to tell what any one of them was thinking. However, one thing was clear. They did not regret what they had decided to do on Chuuya's behalf.

"Oh, it looks like you're short a member of your group?" Verlaine commented, nonchalant, as he looked around, noting that there was indeed someone missing. Pianoman knew it was a good thing Chuuya wasn't there because this messenger would be dead for making an unintentional height comment.

"He is doing something at the moment," Albatross said, frowning at the nosy messenger.

"I see, perhaps give him a call, and let him know the situation?" Verlaine said patiently. "I will wait."

Doc glanced at the others.

It wasn't unusual for a messenger to have to witness the follow through of a message being delivered. Finally, Pianoman called Chuuya. They exchanged greetings and began to chuckle for a moment over the 'girl' in Chuuya's life.

Verlaine himself was momentarily intrigued too. It would be a pity that he'd have to kill this special girl. No, if Chuuya was to be liberated it had to be from all ties. He only needed his brother's love, nothing else.

Pianoman hung up as Chuuya hissed on the other side of the phone, chuckling.

"Are you done?" Verlaine asked daintily.

"Yeah, we'll get to cleanin' and go see the boss," Albatross groaned. "Man, I really am not looking forward to it."

"You don't like work anyways," Pianoman quipped at Albatross.

"So noisy, it's no wonder Chuuya-kun cannot enjoy himself," Verlaine lamented with a sigh, all pretense of being a mailman ceasing the moment Pianoman relayed that call to Chuuya.

As he leaned against the door to the bar daintily, he was met immediately with five armed —and on edge— mafiosos.

"Oh I'm sorry, but your only role is to die now," Lippmann said like a prince, bowing to Paul Verlaine, all while concealing his guns behind his back, ready to pull the trigger and whip them out at a moment's notice.

"Please," Verlaine said with a small smile. "Don't shoot the messenger."

"Cocky bastard," Albatross glared.

"Everyone thinks they can just come in as they please today," Iceman complained, quietly irritated.

Oh shit. What if these people killed Verlaine? Alu grimaced. She'd have to do something to stop that. She knew he was an assassin, but she couldn't believe that he was also Chuuya's supposed Big brother. Why would his big brother be out to kill him? There felt like there was more to all of this than could be explained. Chuuya had even stated that Verlaine's wish was for Chuuya to grow up with a normal childhood—how did that make Verlaine the villain here?

Still hiding near the building, tried to inch closer now. She was still out of sight.

Tch, dammit all. There was no way she could just stand by any longer. Alu felt her chest B-THMP. She put a hand over her heart. Huh? She felt a presence on her mind. Alu closed her eyes.

Juubi.

He wasn't there in person.

But she could still feel it.

His spirit.

Because.

His spirit was also a part of her own.

She opened her eyes, determined, eyes a dim pink set of rose gold pupils. It was time to move.

Her heart pounded, but Alu had been in many harrowing situations before. Honestly, as long as she could utilize what she could of Juubi's power, she knew she'd come out maybe possibly not totally annihilated. She grimaced. Okay, she had to live long enough to find Odasaku and the orphans, why was she bothering with this crap?

She thought of the baby Chibi Chuuya in a ponytail.

Ah, if she died, at least she saw something nice, she put a hand over her heart, swooning. She shook her head. No, no, I need to focus! Chuuya 1.0 with his own hot ponytail was entering the establishment and casually closing the door even as Alu crept towards it.

This street was eerily silent.

Tch, Dazai must have armed guards somewhere hiding, Alu thought to herself. This street was too bare. It must be a staked out territory of the mafia…where certain local businesses would rather do business than wind up dead or something, Alu thought with a mushroom cloud sigh. Really, the more she was digging into the world of the mafia the less she was liking it.

Of course, Elise and Chuuya had made it okay.

Her eyes flickered.

Before she could continue being distracted by her own thoughts, the sound of abrupt gunfire rang out, shattering the windows of the bar. Oh shit.

Alu dropped to the ground immediately, instinctively, as a rain of bullets showered overhead. Dammit! These guys were too freaking trigger happy! Alu wriggled like an angry worm on the sidewalk under the shattered window as the bullets ceased almost immediately.

This was way too dangerous, holy crap. No, she had to talk to Paul.

Suddenly, a crushing force like nothing else she'd experienced crushed on Alu's body, slamming into her. But that force was coming from the inside of the cafe. Alu could barely breathe. This was all Verlaine. His power.

It was also anti-gravity.

Alu knew the only reason she wasn't an aftermath was because of Juubi. But she found she couldn't move. Couldn't budge. Couldn't lift a finger. She grit her teeth. She couldn't do a damn thing to help.

If this is what losing to fate felt like, Alu was bent on defying this outcome. But try as she could. She was nothing more than a blade of grass bending to the storm. She could feel Verlaine's cold indifferent calm. Yes, when someone used an ability Alu realized she could sense the emotion at the time it was unleashed. Not only that, but Juubi made his presence known in the back of her mind once more.

There still had to be time to change this outcome, she struggled.

Bthmp.

C'mon.

Bthmp.

Move dammit!

Alu strained, nose to the ground , muscles straining. But it was like having a whole city block pressed on her. Alu found she couldn't do a damn thing. And just then, she felt it like a stabbing series of sharp swords. The souls, departing from the body of the hosts. Her spiritual powers were back, though watered down to a puddle.

But, a puddle would have to somehow do against Verlaine.

Would he even be able to be reasoned with if she tried to learn his reasoning and change his mind? Did his mind even have the capacity to want to listen to an opinion that wasn't only his own jaded soul's lament?

Alu felt the force stop as quickly it felt like it had come. It was like someone just took a deep breath. Only one. Wobbling upright, she peered through the broken window, gritting her teeth to assess the damage and finally act.

But, as she gazed inside, her eyes widened with horror. In a matter of mere minutes, five super powerful mafiosos were nothing more than strewn apart decorations in a blood soaked room. Alu's blood ran cold.

Dead?

Were they all…?

She didn't sense one living soul.

And Verlaine's soul… felt like something else.

Alu felt a silent scream bubble in the back of her throat but found her legs wouldn't move. The door clicked open just then. Out stepped Paul Verlaine. He adjusted his cuff links, with a sigh, but saw the girl sitting in front of the door.

Alu begged her legs to move.

For something to work.

This man looked surprisingly innocent. He didn't even come off like a thug. His cold ice blue eyes gazed at her, almost white in hue against the sun. "Oh? Pardon me…did I startle you?"

He was a foreigner, from his accent. A foreigner, which she already surmised, but unlike herself he was here to make the city run in rivers of its own blood.

He extended a hand as though to help her up.

Alu found her voice. Somehow. "You…you killed them all?"

Paul Verlaine blinked. He looked indifferent. "They were in my way," he said simply. "Your ability… is impressive to withstand that level of pressure. That is fortunate."

He sounded detached and concerned at the same time. It was an odd combination but Alu got the feeling this man was more than a typical human. On some level, he was actually arguably worse than whatever little piece of shit Dazai was going to end up being to deal with in this timeline universe.

"I… have really high endurance," Alu thought on the spot as her explanation, not wanting him to detect that she too, wasn't just a typical human. "I was passing by but I didn't realize…what was going on. " It wasn't that she didn't know this was Mafia territory. She just genuinely hadn't realized what a shitstorm was going to go down here.

It showed on her face.

"Normally I would have to dispose of you. You, however, are a civilian. I can tell from the way you are looking at me. Your eyes lack the mafia stain, or that of any other organization—so you are not associated with anyone, as far as I know. You should leave here."

Alu wondered how this person had managed to gauge so much just from the shit stupefied look of horror on her face. Oh, that was probably it. Of course, who wouldn't look at carnage and immediately wonder what the holy hell happened?

Okay maybe there were people—or demon foxes like Juubi though he didn't count—- that would do a happy dance but not Alu.

Ugh, she knew she'd seen a lot of things but it didn't make experiencing it suddenly an immunity thing. There were times to be numb sure, but well, at this current moment, Alu felt this strong instinct to just live.

This man was an assassin. Of course he was targeting Chuuya, and Chuuya was in danger. If he made quick work of those five, just how the hell did Chuuya survive before now? Alu didn't remember Paul Verlaine at all from when Chuuya was 18. He must have been dealt with by Chuuya and Dazai, was all Alu could conclude.

Speaking of which, where was that smarmy bastard? Alu almost expected Dazai to pop out of the pile of corpses, with streamers. Jeez, he would and that was the terrifying part. Alu felt sick to her stomach.

Paul Verlaine took her by the arm with a small sigh—almost like he cared— and Alu found herself hoisted to her feet. Wobbly, she breathed hard, as Verlaine let her go. "C-Chuuya," Alu mustered finally, and she gripped Verlaine's sleeve. "Why are you trying to hurt Chuuya?"

Verlaine paused, for the moment.

His expression held momentary surprise. Then he tilted his head. "You know Chuuya-kun so well you don't even use honorifics?"

Ah.

That's right.

Alu sweated. "No, I'm uh, just really bad at remembering honorifics," she said, sheepish.

"Oh," Paul Verlaine mused. "I see. Are you close?"

Alu blinked. She knew of him but she didn't know if he actually liked her. And to boot she was back in the past anyhow— so this Chuuya definitely didn't know her. "Ah, no, you could say I'm more like a secret admirer?" She said, putting a finger to her cheek and blinking cutely.

The other party just gazed at her. Alu wondered if she shouldn't have tried to make a joke in front of this assassin. "I see, so at this time…you still have no value to him?"

Alu eye twitched. "That's rude," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "I'll have you know, I am plenty valuable to a lot of people!"

Paul Verlaine blinked.

Then he just smiled. "Ho, I see…"

Without elaborating, he took his gaze off her, as though she was no longer of any interest.

He stepped back, then he snapped his fingers as though remembering something. Alu watched him just casually go back into the bar and pull out the corpse of one of the members. He just casually flipped open the trunk of his car, procuring the body there. The man in question no doubt had a pretty face but it was clear that he was killed—from the inside out. Blood stained his clothes but he had no amputation injuries from the outside.

Alu stared.

This man made Dazai look like a damn angel.

Holy shit.

She trembled. Though she used humor to throw shade on unpleasant situations, she couldn't help but be concerned about Chuuya in all of this. "Why are you trying to kill Chuuya? Aren't you his older brother?" She asked loudly, as Paul Verlaine opened up his driver's side door. Being in Japan, it was actually on the right side, so in this instance, facing the bar.

"…You know about my relationship with Chuuya-kun?" Paul Verlaine's liquid calm tone did nothing to calm Alu's sudden sense of dread.

Uh oh. Should she not have said that? Well, it was probably confidential information now that she thought about it—- belatedly. Oh crap.

Alu sweated. Her instincts told her to run like hell even if this guy was incredibly hot he was clearly also a complete mental bar unlike sweet Chuuya. Ugh, clearly this guy got the screws loose in that family. Although if he was an older brother Alu theorized he may be a clone too. Ugh, her head hurt.

Maybe she would just leave this to Dazai.

"Uh, lucky guess? Cuz you both have ponytails?" Alu meekly stepped back with a grimace smile as she tried to inch her way carefully out of this terrible situation. "You're both so handsome~" she added even though she knew flattery wouldn't get her anywhere.

"Lucky guess… coincidence… I think not."

Alu felt a terrible weight just then on her body. Alu felt like she couldn't breathe. But, with the elegance of a swan and the grace of an artist, Paul Verlaine wrapped an arm around Alu's waist as she lost feeling in her legs. He smiled at her as he pulled her into his car.

Stranger danger alarm bells were going off.

Alu tried to speak but Paul Verlaine casually just strapped her in by her seatbelt. "Stay there okay? We are going to pick up Chuuya-kun, now. I want to confirm the nature of your relationship with him so as to avoid prematurely ending your life." He spoke as though he was being so damn thoughtful.

Ah, shit on a stick.

Somehow Alu was roped in after all. Dammit Dazai. Stop reading about creative ways to die and do something, Alu internally screamed, as she just smiled, face pale, sweating profusely, sitting in the backseat of the car of the assassin who just took out five strong ability users of the Port freaking Mafia like child's play. Not to mention he had one of them in his trunk.

She hadn't been back an hour and she already screwed up a quiet return.

"Chuuya-San! You mustn't get into that car!" Adam called out worriedly.

But Chuuya couldn't hear him. No, he found himself unable to speak as he stared with wide eyes at the girl sitting in the back seat of the car as the mailman opened the door.

"Who is that?" Chuuya asked as Alu found gravity literally making it difficult to breathe or speak. Dammit Verlaine! Cheating piece of crap! She glared at Verlaine, a clear indication to Chuuya that something wasn't right.

The mailman had come to collect Chuuya for the meeting with the rest of the flags. Or so he claimed to the unsuspecting boy who wouldn't be unsuspecting for long. "Oh? I am delivering this one. She is another 'message' so to speak," Verlaine coyly said, remaining calm and unassuming.

Alu didn't like the way he worded that. Not one bit. Anyone who glorified the mafia or assassins clearly didn't know the creepy as shit stuff they got into.

Without saying anything, he stands silently, waiting for Chuuya's decision.

While it's not uncommon in the mafia for people to be 'messages' sometimes, it still made Chuuya sick to his stomach. Whoever this person was, clearly wasn't here for a joy ride. But, it wasn't Chuuya's business. He closed his eyes. Maybe in a different life he would have called out bastards like those that could be found in this organization but then that would be the pot calling the kettle black. There was no such thing as black and white for Chuuya. No, the world had always just been a monochrome grey.

"Were you told the reason I was called?" Chuuya asked finally.

"Not very much," he says, shaking his head. "However, Pianoman, Albatross, Doc, Lippmann, and Iceman have all already been called for the same reason. They are waiting at a different location."

"Them too?" Chuuya scrunched his brows. "They did say they had some sort of call over the phone. What else?"

"Just one." The messenger lowered his voice. "It has to do with 'Arahabaki'."

Chuuya frowned.

After he observed this mailman for a few seconds, Chuuya nodded. Very few people still knew about Arahabaki and Chuuya's link. This man had no reason to lie. "Alright. Take me there."

He headed to the passenger seat.

The mailman adjusts the angle of his hat slightly before nodding, and gets inside the driver's seat.

Alu would squirm or kick or something, but Verlaine's anti-gravitational forcefield on her entire body feels crushing. She knows that if he wanted to, he could pop her like a party balloon animal. Alu tried to warn Chuuya with her eyes, but he was deliberately avoiding her gaze. Dammit, Chuuya! She wished she could kick him.

As Chuuya started to get inside, he glanced nonchalantly behind him.

His expression twists to comical horror.

"Eh-"

A running figure.

There was no way a normal human being could sprint that fast.

"Please wait, Chuuya-san!" Adam's running speed hasn't decreased even slightly, ever since he first began to chase him. His strides are long, as if he doesn't know of fatigue.

Adam! That stupid puppy robot would be useful for something! Alu felt relieved. But naturally, Chuuya ruined it. Tsk.

"That bastard!" Chuuya yelled, and he panics, practically throwing himself into the car. "Start the car right now!" It's a command mixed with a good bit of anxiety. Chuuya looked backwards, slamming the door shut. That was the moment Chuuya heard the terrible truth from the robot.

"Chuuya-san, please get off!" Adam yells out at his most extreme volume, sprinting simultaneously.

"That's Verlaine!"

A/N: After Chapter 7(ish) it's got snippets of reference/dialogue, description from original Stormbringer but itturns into it's own downhill spiral fanfic from there LOL. Also, 16 year old Dazai is kind of an asshole :D enjoy ladies. *salutes, and goes to give Chuuya juice because he's underage and should not be drinking his sorrows away with alchohol that soon hahahahaha though who can blame him. Damn Verlaine. Son, you need a spanking and a time out.

Enjoy this newest edition of my decent into BSD madness.

And yes, Alu is technically '17' again awkwardly though she obviously still has her 19 year old mindset LMFAO. isn't jumping around time and space FUN :D