Lupin's breathing was labored, but not nearly as labored as Mitchell's. Mitchell feebly glared at the boy, and though she was big talk, she didn't actually want to turn the boy to ash. However, it looked like her power was already working to do so on his right arm, regardless. Mitchell was disoriented, in pain, bleeding, and past her bloody lips, she could feel her resentment bubbling in her throat.
"Let…me go…" she said, glaring weakly.
Lupin gazed down at her. Mitchell couldn't explain it but this boy, though he looked young, his eyes were sad and held an ageless unspoken sorrow. His expression wasn't pity, but Mitchell didn't quite know what the unspoken look in his eyes could be in that case. "Miss Mitchell, was it?" He spoke politely. "I'm sorry but I can't do that. You're badly hurt."
Mitchell actually didn't mind being properly addressed even if it was by the enemy, and she found that her anger with the Port Mafia scum didn't extend fully to this third party, although her resentment was still etched into her pained features.
Before them, Hawthorne continued to spar with Akutagawa.
Those two had impressive abilities, and it wasn't long before Akutagawa shouted, "Rashomon!" A beast erupted from the cloak he wore, opening its shadowy jaws and clamping down on Hawthorne like he was a tasty midnight munchie.
"Fight me with everything you've got!" Akutagawa declared, as Hawthorne dropped to his knees, with a noise of pain. "Otherwise, it would be a waste to have come here. This sea air is terrible for my lungs as it is. Don't waste my time any further," he spoke darkly.
However, Hawthorne countered calmly, "There is no need for me to fight with all I have," he deflected Akutagawa's demand. "Did you really think you stood a chance in the presence of God's Will?" he countered, glaring with determination. His glasses glinted.
The blood splattered on Akutagawa from their scuffle wrapped like rope around himself. So it would appear that the blood didn't have to be fresh from his opponent's body to work. Existing spilled blood also could do the trick! Akutagawa realized this too late as Hawthorne's power continued to squeeze on him.
"It is true…you aren't a devil…like that boy dubbed, you are merely a beast hellbred, who preys on the weak," Hawthorne began to get to his feet, rising as he spoke.
Lupin's eye twitched. Buddy, you're not much better… He thought, pursing his lips. Seriously, why did adults like to throw around accusations in such 'a kettle calling the pot black' fashion?
"Up until now, you've only fought ability users weaker than yourself," Hawthorne continued. Though, his eyes wandered momentarily over to where Lupin positioned himself with Lady Mitchell. Mitchell wasn't in any dangerous distress, just irritated distress from what Hawthorne could tell. The boy really didn't mean to kill or trick them.
Mitchell was right though.
That boy would prove to be troublesome if allowed to interfere any further.
With an ability like his, if he was giving this murderous scum trouble, then who was to say he wouldn't turn on Mitchell? That thought made Hawthorne snap out of any momentary merciful reverie he had allowed himself to feel for the boy's earlier dissuasion of a direct hit to them at the mafioso's ability.
"None of this means anything…" Mitchell was the one who spoke, voice quaking. She struggled to sit up, and Lupin's eyes flashed. With no choice but to move away from her, he got out of the line of fire as her wind began to whip up around herself as she pulled herself to her knees. Wobbling, she continued. "War with the mafia? Who cares about any of it? I must restore honor to my family! How could the likes of you, who don't understand defeat or humiliation, stand there like you're capable of defeating me!" Mitchell's wind was about to unleash when Lupin hit a nerve in her neck, rendering her unconscious.
The wind that had stirred up died immediately.
However, Akutagawa's own ire continued to stir, undeterred.
Lupin shuddered, eyes widening. Although Mitchell slumped unconscious to the ground, he immediately sensed impending danger if he didn't somehow move her somewhere else. Anywhere else but here! A vision hit Lupin's mind.
"I don't know defeat, you say?" A cruelly mediated voice echoed. Seconds later, great spikes of shadow ripped into Margaret Mitchell's body, prostrating her like some sort of sick ornament.
"No! Stop!" Lupin shouted, in horror. He wouldn't be able to move her in time. Already, he was struggling under the weight of her with only one good arm.
"I don't know defeat, you say?" A cruelly mediated voice echoed. Seconds later Lupin braced himself, throwing himself as best he could to the side, with Mitchell.
Slash!
Slice!
The wind whistled.
Lupin's eyes widened with surprise.
Before him, cutting back at Akutagawa's own ability, was a glowing purple samurai woman. His eyes fell on the glowing woman and under this woman, otherwise known as Demon Snow. There stood a girl in a kimono. Now standing before him and Mitchell, was Kyouka Izumi. "K-Kyouka-chan?!" Lupin exclaimed, eyes wide.
Akutagawa paused for a moment.
His own eyes widened from surprise.
Oh? So these two knew each other. His eyes narrowed. "You certainly have a knack for picking up immature brats," he declared, coughing behind his hand as his ability snaked back to himself with the new addition to the party.
Hawthorne's body was tense.
Another ability user?
Grand.
A little girl from the looks of things who could wield a samurai spirit? To top it off, she and this mad-man clearly knew each other. Which only meant that she must be a Port Mafia member herself! Dammit, Mitchell was too far away for Hawthorne to grab. Hawthorne had to think. He was quickly growing outnumbered and Mitchell was out for the count.
"I'm sorry…for being late," Kyouka softly spoke, glancing over her shoulder at Lupin. Her eyes fell on the state of his arm that he clutched, as Mitchell lay, unconscious near him.
"Kyouka…you're a traitor who continues to make poor decisions on behalf of those who don't deserve it," Akutagawa said, gaze harsh.
Kyouka turned to face Akutagawa. "Do what you want with him," she deadpanned, pointing to Hawthorne. Hawthorne was a bit affronted, to be honest. Lupin didn't know whether to scold her or honestly let out a weak chuckle instead because of her funny direct bluntness. "But do not attack this boy anymore," she held out her arms, determined. Her samurai spirit followed suit, and they looked comically like a puppet duo.
However, Akutagawa was curious.
"You needed a cellphone before to unleash that ugly monster from within, so what changed?" he asked, aloud.
Kyouka stiffened.
Lupin gulped. He knew she was an assassin, he just didn't know she'd been an ability-wielding one. Suddenly he was glad he didn't make her angry. She could easily slice him up with or without her ability. But Lupin noted Akutagawa's genuine curiosity.
"If it is to protect the dream I have been shown, I will use any means necessary!" she declared, glaring at Akutagawa. There was a fire burning in those eyes. Akutagawa's eyes on the other hand reflected the dark side of the moon."Even if it means…drawing on the monster inside of me to defeat you!"
Monster? Lupin couldn't help but feel a little confused. He didn't see her ability as a monster. Not like Akutagawa's who actually had teeth and looked menacing. But then again, monsters have different faces and not all monsters have fangs. Most of them don't. Lupin's eyes flickered.
A shadowy figure with a gun pointed at him. The familiar feeling of eyes on him that weren't his own and yet somehow they were at the same time. Lupin shook himself off this memory, fading in the back of his mind.
Akutagawa sensed the fire in Kyouka. "Very well, I'll kill you last, so stay put right there until I'm finished," he said coldly.
Lupin made a noise of distress. "Kyouka-chan, you can't stay here, that person will actually kill you!" he couldn't keep the alarm out of his voice.
"If I didn't come, you'd be the one dead at his hands," she countered.
Lupin sweated. She wasn't entirely wrong there. Using her ability, she lifted up the unconscious Mitchell. "I already have a plan," she said softly, to Lupin, dropping her voice so the others wouldn't hear. Lupin had no idea what she was planning but it sounded impulsive and reckless. Oh well, it sounded like his type of plan, in that case.
"Okay," he said, expression determined. Despite the pain in his arm, he clutched it, staggering to his feet. Kyouka made a noise of concern, and immediately used her own body to let him lean on her while her ability carried the unconscious Mitchell, princess style.
Hawthorne didn't know what was going on, but playtime was over.
Lupin tensed, swinging his good arm around Kyouka, "look out!" As Hawthorne's ability shot at them like bullet fire.
Akutagawa's ability countered Hawthorne's attempt to attack Kyouka. "Over here, four-eyes," Akutagawa easily rumbled, his power cutting Hawthorne's own, causing Hawthorne's eyes to widen. Akutagawa coughed lightly, eyes narrowed."You Guild folks have been sucking your silver spoons in those ivory towers too long. You presume to know what my life is like? Allow me to elaborate."
Akutagawa strained despite the screaming limit his body placed on him.
"Things like defeat and humiliation have been my constant companions all these years…a lone straggler, clawing at survival in the wake of insurmountable loss of my own comrades," Akutagawa took another step forwards, towards Hawthorne. Suddenly. Blood dripped down his jaw, his posture staggering while he clutched himself.
Hawthorne realized this young man was pushing himself past a human limit. But to what end was he willing to go? Why go this far? This didn't feel like it had anything to do with the Port Mafia or The Guild anymore.
"Hey, I'm fine, so don't look so concerned," Akutagawa panted, "Come at me with everything that you have!"
"Why? To go to such lengths…?" Hawthorne's eyes darted to the children who made no move to attack him. They still held the unconscious Mitchell and Hawthorne's inward panic about how to get Mitchell back was beginning to erode at his carefully scripted calculations he had up to this point. To say things could be put into an organized plan was debunked at this point.
The real question was whether or not Hawthorne would be forced to flee with or without Mitchell. Although the answer seemed obvious to limit adding himself to the list of more casualties, Hawthorne found his feet oddly glued to the floor.
"All I want," Akutagawa spoke, voice quivering, "Is a word from a certain someone. To be told just one thing. For that, I have endured endless suffering and pain," Akutagawa's wild eyes held an animalistic fury in them.
Hawthorne realized that while Akutagawa clearly didn't have the mindset of someone who harbored faith in some higher power, or sense of greater purpose; he did harbor something similar. Akin to earning his right to go on fighting to live. Perhaps they both weren't so different after all. One believed in his Faith and Grand Order, but this muddy stray dog believed in something that tugged at his very core. Something so unshakeable that pushed him to the brink of death itself to obtain.
Hawthorne smiled at Akutagawa.
Kyouka remained quiet, glancing at Lupin.
Lupin glanced back at her. He whispered, "Do you know what he's going on about?" he asked, comically in the dark.
"Akutagawa-dono has been angry with Atsushi-kun because Atsushi-kun has the attention of Dazai-san, someone Akutagawa-dono knew from his past," Kyouka informed him, dutifully.
Lupin blinked. "This Atsushi-kun… I take it these two have crossed paths before? Then does that mean he's jealous of Atsushi-kun's relationship with this other person…?"
"Yes," Kyouka nodded, not missing a beat or even blinking. She glanced at Mitchell. Mitchell was unconscious thanks to Lupin's quick thinking. "Akutagawa-dono is always angry but more so when Dazai-san is mentioned. Atsushi-kun saved me in the past from Akutagawa-dono, so I could finally try and decide for myself how I want to live my life."
When she spoke about Atsushi, Lupin noted how her eyes seemed to light up. Lupin thought that Atsushi-kun was a lucky person.
"Very well, I've changed my mind. Allow me to grant your wish," Hawthorne spoke coldly, and the two once again crossed blows. Akutagawa felt himself being struck. But all he could think was why was nothing he did ever considered good enough for that one person he'd mentioned?
A brown haired man in a sand dollar trench coat and blue broach who smiled-but that smile had never been directed at him.
The memory changed.
This same man in chains from when he had been previously captured by Akutagawa, just smirked at Akutagawa. "My new boy is better than you."
Take that back, take it back, take it back! Akutagawa's heart screamed in vapid silence from within the hole in his chest.
That painful taunt made Akutagawa twist. Even if it was from the lips of a narcissist, those were the only lips Akutagawa wanted to move for him, for a change.
"They are only going to kill each other at this rate…" Lupin exclaimed, worried. He and Kyouka had fled out of the direct line of fire with Mitchell's body still being held by Kyouka's ability and hid now behind some rubble, still able to watch the fight but their opponents were focused on each other.
"Is that a bad thing?" Kyouka asked, deadpan.
Lupin searched her face to see if she was joking but no, she was dead-ass seriously asking him. Lupin shivered, feeling his arm continue to throb in pain. "If it is avoidable, it's better to avoid it." he replied. "Maybe it's not ideal. But if I can I will try to save whatever life is right in front of me because…" Lupin trailed off. Perhaps his motto was selfish. Mitchell's ability was making its way down his arm. Already, it would reach his wrist soon. His sleeve was already gone, and all that remained was his greying skin.
Kyouka's eyes flashed. "You're getting worse…" her tone, upset and concerned, was taut. Her expression matched what she was feeling. Her own ability, however, began to waver. "I'm not strong enough…" she whispered.
"Kyouka-chan, listen to me," Lupin panted, and put his good hand on her shoulder. "Just protect this woman and…get yourself back into hiding. Don't worry about me," he said, trying to smile in a wobbly way to reassure her.
Kyouka's expression twisted. "No, I won't leave you!" her pained outburst made Lupin flustered.
"B-But at this point I'd just be dead weight," he said, dropping his hand back to his bad arm.
"A rule we have at the ADA, lad," a bemused voice cut in, "is that we don't leave one of our own behind…pretty inspiring, don't you think?"
Lupin's eyes widened.
Turning his head, he saw three new faces he didn't recognize. A young woman with black hair, and a butterfly clip in her hair, alongside her was a man with blonde hair, dark grey-green eyes, glasses, and looking positively terrifying and authoritative, and then the last man, was someone that made Lupin's heart thud loudly in his ears.
This man had tousled brown hair, a smile, he wore a striped shirt, a blue broach, dark vest and a billowing sand-dollar trench coat. But this person was someone who looked remarkably like the boy from Lupin's dreams, just older. Lupin gazed at him, with wide eyes.
The man gazed at him, still smiling.
It was instinctual more than anything.
Maybe a lucky guess.
But it tumbled out of Lupin's mouth, regardless.
"Dazai…san?"
Meanwhile, Akutagawa was a mental storm trapped within his own emotional cage of despair.
Why did that damn were-tiger get that person's attention so damn easily? He was a crybaby and too dense to realize how good he had it. Constantly complaining and whining instead of acknowledging his own strength. He was a fool so why did that person choose him?
Why?
Even though Akutagawa carried that person in his heart for longer, he was less valued.
Akutagawa erupted with Rashomon, Jaws of Endless gates.
It was time to end this once and for all.
Hawthorne had already lost sight of wherever Kyouka had escaped with Lupin and Mitchell. "Damn," Hawthorne grit his teeth, bracing himself for impact. The impact never came. In front of Hawthorne instead, dropped a flash grenade that lit up the space, blinding Akutagawa and Hawthorne who both yelled in unison.
Akutagawa stumbled back, blinded, and blinked profusely like someone who had the flash setting of a camera glaring in their retinas. "Tch! What the hell?"
But when Akutagawa's vision cleared, Hawthorne was gone.
"No!" Akutagawa's voice quaked with anger and disbelief. Akutagawa's limit caught up to him, and he collapsed to his knees. "...No…"
Kyouka had been within his grasp briefly.
He hadn't managed to capture her or complete his objective. That young boy's message about choices left a bitter taste in Akutagawa's bloodied mouth. He hadn't been able to strike down such a small, simple yet insignificant target. Was he losing his touch? No, that wasn't it. There was something about that boy that made Akutagawa shiver with discontent.
Akutagawa thought once more to the annoying were-Tiger.
"A person cannot go on without someone telling them it's alright to live," Atsushi, a boy with silver choppy bangs, purple-yellow eyes, and pale skin spoke fiercely, glaring at Akutagawa.
Of course Akutagawa already knew that. He had been chasing that same confirmation from that person's lips after all this time, even now. Kyouka was determined to cling to the encouraging words of others.
How fortunate for her.
But she was someone who hadn't been at rock bottom as long as Akutagawa had. Being rock bottom was lonely. It was a hole he found himself in, even now. That annoying weretiger didn't realize how fortunate he was getting praise from that person so easily, effortlessly. Of course he could spout his naive lecture with ease. No doubt he got his head petted for it. There was a sickening twist in Akutagawa's stomach that had nothing to do with his injuries.
"Stupid…. I don't need you telling me something I already know…" Akutagawa's voice quivered, as he finally collapsed, losing consciousness. Why did the obvious knowledge he already knew have to come from the lips of someone so damn annoying?
Already disorientated, this made it effortless for the blonde-haired man to knock out the discombobulated guild member, who was now slumped, unconscious in his arms. To where the small troupe had run, had been actually to a car parked nearby, by a shop that looked like a boutique.
Lupin had no idea what was going on.
Were these the members of the ADA that Kyouka had mentioned before, after all? The ADA was full of good people. So that meant that these two would at least get a fair trial or something right? The senseless slaughter had been avoided for the time being. Lupin felt a small wave of relief, until he saw the bodies piled comically into the back seat and the dark haired woman pulled out what looked to be a machete.
"Goodness, they look pretty banged up, we'll have to fix that," she said menacingly. "Time to dissect and reassemble!~"
Lupin began to sweat, comically.
"...u-um…" Lupin's eyes darted to the blonde-haired man. "You're the good guys…right?" he hilariously sounded uncertain. Of course these strangers were stuffing two bodies into their backseat while the older lady wielded a very large knife.
"We'll answer your questions later," the blonde barked, causing Lupin to jump out of his skin.
"Kunikida, you're going to scare the boy," Dazai chided Kunikida, as he gestured for Lupin to get into the car.
Lupin hilariously didn't feel any more secure. "I think I'll walk," he comically deadpanned, turning on his heel. However, he felt a hand on his uninjured shoulder and looked to see Dazai, still smiling at him.
"Yosano-kun is an amazing doctor," he said, "trust me, if you don't let her treat you, you'll probably lose that arm, permanently," he beamed at Lupin.
Lupin felt like crying, haha.
The weird bandaged man had a solid point.
How could this man be the one from his dreams? They just felt different, though Lupin had a distinct feeling they were indeed the same person. But Lupin had no idea why he'd been dreaming about this eccentric guy. He really hoped he hadn't walked himself into anything too crazy…though looking at his current state and the two unconscious foreigners in the backseat of the Detectives' car, he felt he should accept that the ship for normality had already sailed.
Lupin somehow found himself in the car. It was a small van, so it actually fit all of them, even with the two bodies. Kunikida drove. Lupin glanced at Mitchell and his brow furrowed with concern. Lupin sat in the backseat with Kyouka and Yosano. Dazai took shot-gun next to Kunikida.
"Um, is she going to be alright?" he asked, glancing at Yosano.
Yosano blinked. "Oh they'll be fine," she said menacingly, again.
Lupin low-key wondered just what group he got involved with.
Dazai hummed, while Kunikida drove. "Hey boy, Kyouka-chan here told us that you put her up for the night, so you have our gratitude," he said cheerfully.
"Oh it wasn't much," Lupin stammered.
"Two young people unsupervised under the same roof… I do hope you were decent," Yosano grinned at Lupin. Lupin felt himself wanting to retract like a turtle into his jacket.
"I-I was," he felt himself disclaiming out of instinct to not end up on the wrong end of Yosano's operating table. "W-We only slept together, nothing else, I swear!"
Kunikida exchanged a glance with Dazai causing Dazai's smart remark to curtail, in the meanwhile, although Lupin didn't catch it, watching Kyouka instead, who sat in the middle seat with Yosano. Before Lupin could allow himself to lapse into the awkward silence for too long, he found they were now parked in some weird out of place location away from city congestion.
"W-Where are we?" Lupin asked, looking around, tentative.
"For you? A safe spot," Dazai cheerfully said.
"For me…what about them?" Lupin asked, worried.
"Oh, they're going to hell," Yosano smirked darkly.
Lupin yelped, "W-Wait, wait! You really shouldn't stoop to the mafia level! Aren't you supposed to be the good guys?"
Yosano blinked, and she quirked an eyebrow. She glanced at Kyouka. "So, what did you tell him about us?" she asked, bemused.
Kyouka's cowlick twitched.
"I told him you were the ones who gave me a place to belong…" Kyouka replied innocently honest.
"It's thanks to you, kid, that Kyouka got back in touch with us so quickly," Kunikida gruffly replied, glancing at Lupin. "She contacted us because you got mixed up in a fight between the Port Mafia and The Guild. Which, by the way, was not a smart move, you could have died."
Lupin grimaced. He had a feeling glasses man was a real rigid type.
Yosano meanwhile glanced at Dazai, wordlessly.
"Everyone out," Kunikida commanded like a drill sergeant.
No one disobeyed him who was conscious.
As Lupin got out of the car, he clutched his arm gingerly. Kyouka hovered near him, expression concerned. Yosano moved over to him. "Let me see your arm," she said sharply.
"Ah…" Lupin was beginning to feel the pain more and didn't resist her taking his arm gingerly in her own gloved hand.
"…Dazai." Her sharp tone summoned Dazai immediately. "Kunikida." Kunikida followed suit.
"His condition is worsening, I fear at this point not even forcing her awake will reverse this," Yosano said, seriously. "And you touching him does nothing to lessen the impact, damn…"
Dazai remained quiet.
Kunikida meanwhile waved over a blonde haired boy who came trotting over. This boy had light eyes to match his straw hat. "Kenji-kun, can you get this?" Kunikida asked, pointing to the two bodies. Lupin was wondering how a boy only slightly taller and not much older than himself would accomplish this when Kenji just beamed and picked up the two corpses like they were haystacks.
"You got it!" Kenji said with a huge smile, although it faltered on his freckled face seeing the state Lupin's arm was in. "Oh no…"
Lupin winced as he felt someone touch his arm directly. It was Yosano. "We can't wait, there's no time," she said pained. "Listen…Lupin was it?"
Lupin nodded, but he could feel his heart clenching.
"Do what you have to," he found himself saying, looking away.
Yosano quieted.
Kunikida was surprised at the boy's blunt command. "We may be able to turn this around!" He flustered. It oddly didn't fit his stoic demeanor but Lupin found he appreciated Kunikida's funny display of honest emotions. He clearly wore his heart on his sleeve.
Lupin could feel the grey creeping up his arm. Already it was consuming his wrist, almost to his palm. It wouldn't be long before his own fingers were useless. "Shit…" Yosano looked distressed as she gripped her machete tightly.
"Boy," Dazai said, gazing at Lupin. "We won't do this against your will. But you do have a choice."
Lupin gazed at Dazai.
The man's expression was cheerless and somber. There was a light in his eyes though that Lupin found expressed more than words ever could. A silent sincere apology.
"I can live without an arm…or even my right hand…it's nothing if it means I get to live," he said, voice oddly steady for one so young as him. The others noted Lupin's maturity.
"Why did you get involved?" Kunikida found himself asking, frowning at the boy. "This was not a conflict that concerned you."
Lupin sensed disapproval from Kunikida laced with genuine concern. He wasn't used to others caring about him and he was a stranger to these people. But the concern they all expressed felt real. Lupin felt like a weight was pressing down on him. Guilt.
"I sensed that the woman was going to be hurt badly and I wanted to stop it," he confessed.
"Sensed?" Kunikida repeated. "I see, a foresight ability user?"
Lupin just nodded. No point hiding it now. "Even if I didn't have an ability, I couldn't just sit back and do nothing…while people get hurt."
"I told him about the conflict," Kyouka confessed to the other members. "If he was dragged into it because of me, I couldn't leave him in the dark…"
"You got a civilian involved," Kunikida groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"I'm not ignorant," Lupin deadpanned, at Kunikida, pouting. "I —Agh!" The pain in his arm throbbed and Lupin yelped in pain, clutching his shoulder, crumpling to his knees.
"—!?"
Everyone reacted in alarm. But the boy had already fallen barely conscious into Yosano's arms.
A/n: Lupin doesn't know if he wants to subscribe to this madness…mwhahahaahahh.
