Chapter 5 by Dazai
It's been two days. Akane hasn't been home since that day. She's taking the job too seriously. I bet she's currently infiltrating the enemy's base. Knowing her, I know she won't be hurt, she's strong, I know. I can't just stop worrying about her, I don't know why. Looks who's the mom now. I sigh at the thought.
I walk to Mori-san's clinic. We always meet here if we need to talk about something in secret. I mean, we could always speak inside his new boss room. I don't like meeting mr. mouse here for who knows how many times. I don't even know if it's the same mouse or it's its son or grandson or granddaughter or even if its wife.
I open the door and find him there with his doctor appearance. He always uses those clothes if he's not in Mafia. As I thought, the clinic still hasn't change a bit. I sit on the chair near the book shelf (or should I say medicine shelf?) and take a beaker near me.
"There's no news on Akane?" I ask him as I pour water from the tap water and wash it clean. This is something I will drink and the last thing I want is having water mixed with a mouse's poopoo.
"Nope," he replies calmly. He's writing something I don't understand, "You sure worry a lot. You like her mom,"
"I'm her friend," I growl. Why does everyone talk as if I'm her mom? I'm her... friend. Yeah, her friend. Though I want to be more than that, but I stop because I know she doesn't deserve someone like me.
"But this is hopeless," he says, "Our weapons smugglers are two weeks behind the schedule. Our men are going to be fighting with kitchen knives at this rate, and that's not all. With the escalating violence, we're losing contracts for our protection business," he sighs again and I put water inside the beaker, "Maybe we just aren't cut out for this. What do you think, Dazai-kun?"
"Come on, Mori-san," I reply as I pour a powder of... what is this? Natrium chloride? Inside the beaker, "Not having money, not having intel, not having the trust of your subordinates," I stir whatever inside the beaker, "You knew that from the beginning, didn't you?"
"You're so mean," he pouts, "Say, why are you mixing salt with water?"
"Salt? This is Natrium chloride,"
"Natrium chloride is salt," he says flatly. I try it and dammit, he's right. I threw it to the sink and now grab the hypertension medication and hypotension medication or whatever it's written there and mix it in the washed beaker.
"Now, why would you mix hypertension medication with hypotension medication?" he asks again.
"I thought taking them together might be a comfortable way to die," I reply lazily.
"Dazai-kun, you were there when I inherited the boss' seat. You're a witness for his will," he says as I try the mixed medication in the beaker, "I can't have you dying so easily,"
"You made an error in judgment," I said as I stop the medication, it's not tasty, "It was smart of you to choose someone who attempts suicide as your accomplice, but here I am a year later, alive,"
"I made no error. You and I were successful in our mission together," he says again.
"The mission isn't complete until those who were involved in the assassination are silenced. To that end, I was a perfect accomplice. Even if I ended my life in a suicide of unknown motivation after you became the boss thanks to my testimony, no one would suspect a thing,"
"You're wrong there. Akane would still suspect me," Mori-san says as he smirks, "and you really remind me of someone,"
"Huh?"
"If I was going to silence you, I would have done it long ago. If you really want, I can prepare something that'll end your life comfortably," he offers.
"Really?" I ask and he opens a drawer in his desk.
"In exchange, I want to ask you to do a quick investigation. It's not a big deal. There's no danger involved,"
"Sounds so sketchy," I comment.
"I trust that you know about Suribachi City in the Yokohama Settlement. There's a rumor going around that a certain individual has emerged in that area. I want you to investigate that rumor," he says as he shows a silver paper, "This contract is a delegation of authority. They call it the Silver Oracle. Show this to any Port Mafia member and they'll do anything you ask of them,"
"Who is the rumor about?" I ask.
"Take a guess," he smiles.
"Hm.. A rumor that's harmful just by spreading...," I sigh, "I see. So that's what's going on. It's the previous boss, isn't it?"
"Correct," he says and I walk toward him to take the silver oracle, "There are some humans who must never rise from the grave. You understand, don't you?"
"You'll promise to make me that drug?"
"This will be your first job," he smirks, "Welcome to Port Mafia,"
I just wink my eyes for some times and walk lazily to the door. Sounds so sketchy as always. Then I remember something.
"Oh, right," I stop, "Who's this person I remind you of?"
"Me," he smirks, "Dazai-kun, why do you wish to die?"
"Let me ask you, then," I reply, "Do you really think there's any value in the act of living?"
I used the silver oracle to take Hirotsu-san to be my partner. He's one of the guys that wouldn't harm me. We go by car towards the Suribachi City. It takes us half an hour to get there. We park the car outside the city and enter the city. Creepy as always. I open my book, The Complete Guide to Suicide, and start to read. I don't think Mori-san will make a drug for me. He's a slave driver and he would use everything on his possession, including me and Akane.
"Yokohama foreign settlement," Hirotsu-san starts to explain the city, "There was once a giant explosion here. In the resulting crater, people began building a city. That's this place: Suribachi City,"
"Huh.. So they drink metal plating to kill themselves overseas," I quote something from the book, but of course I listen to Hirotsu-san too,"But those who have their organs melted while they're still alive. Yuck. Glad I didn't try it. Hey..." wait what's his name again? I tend to forget some things when I engrossed in a book.
"I'm Hirotsu," he says, "I'll take that into consideration,"
He gives me this stern look probably thinking that he shouldn't underestimate me or something. Well, he shouldn't. I walk a little bit further while reading the book.
"Dazai-san," he calls me.
"Yes?"
"This area is in a state conflict. Be careful," he says and I close the book. If he says so, I shouldn't really read a book here.
"Conflict?" I ask something more and put the book inside the coat. I stole this coat from the body guard who guard Boss' room.
"The Port Mafia currently has three enemy organizations. One is Takasekai, another is GSS. And lastly, a complementary army comprised entirely of juveniles, the sheep.."
His talk was cut by my ringing phone. I look at my phone.
"It's Mori-san," I say. I receive the call and long short story, I tell him that I found the previous boss, he came back from pits of hell. And just when I about to finish the call, someone kicks me really hard on my back. In a second, I realize that I crashed the wall on my back. Damn, this is hurts. I could hear Hirotsu-san called my name in panic. Then I hear a wick laugh that I know I wouldn't ever like.
"This is perfect," the one who kicked me says, "A kid! The Port Mafia must be really desperate for people,"
"I hate pain, you know?" I glare at him. He is a petite boy with a ginger hair. There's a brunette standing behind him, she's smiling and waving at me. What the hell is she doing here? Oh right, she's in an infiltration mission.
"I'll give you two options," the chiby says, "Die now, or die after you give me information. Either is fine," Chiby boy talking cheesy words. Oh! That's sounds good!
"Then kill me now," I say. I can feel blood seeping into my bandage on my eye, "All the better if you can kill me comfortably,"
"What, are you just a suicidal brat?" he growls. What, he told me what? Brat?
"You're a brat too," I scoff.
"I'm not just any brat, unlike you," he replies, "Why don't you tell me about this Arahabaki that you're snooping on?"
"Arahabaki, huh?" I ask. Oh! Should I tell him that the brunette behind him is searching for Arahabaki too? She's been doing these funny gestures, I don't think I can keep my face straight any longer. Even Hirotsu-san back there is laughing, though really quiet. I let a laugh out of my mouth.
"You know about it, don't you?" he growls again.
"No. Never heard of it," Yeah I never heard that Arahabaki has a connection to the former boss. He kicks me in face.
"Those who step into the sheep's territory will be met with fierce retaliation. I see. You're the King of the Sheep. Nakahara Chuuya, manipulator of gravity," I say. Then Akane behind the chiby makes her body shorter by bending her knees and make those gestures that supposed to show the chiby's ability. Dammit, Akane!
"I'm not a king!" he growls again, "I just happen to have a card up my sleeve,"
"I see," I say, "You're a cocky, over-confident child. You're the kind of person I hate the most,"
"And I hate condescending little pricks like you more than anything in this world," he replies.
"That's enough," Hirotsu-san says. I think he says that to Akane since he tries to calm down. When he realizes that I and chiby look to him, he removes his white gloves.
"Surrender, boy," he says.
"You're not scaring me, old man," chiby says, "Who do you think I am?" well, you're a chiby.
"The King of the Sheep, huh?" Hirotsu-san confirms.
"No, dumbass," he snorts, "I just happen to have a good card,"
"The card of power?"
"Are you gifted, too?"
"Hirotsu-san," I call, "this kid controls the gravity of anything he touches,"
"I understood," Hirotsu-san replies.
"Akane, step back," chiby says to Akane. Who the hell is he, calling Akane with her first name? And without honorifics?! Even I called her 'Akane-san' at first!
"Okay," she replies.
Chiby and Hirotsu-san fight with their fist and step back after a punch.
"As expected from Port Mafia," chiby says as he lands on a roof top, "I expected a lot more from you. Is that it?" Then he continues to attack.
Chiby kicks Hirotsu-san two times and get him in his jaws at the third one. Hirotsu-san pulls out his gun and aims at the chiby, but he kicks it and it fells to the ground.
"Too slow!" he shouts and put Hirotsu-san on his knees. Uh-oh, this is bad. I see Akane and she just smile innocently at me. I stand up and whisper to her.
"You don't help?"
"Oh my god! Who are you?! Don't hurt me, please!" she screams. I admit, she could be an actress at that.
"Oi! Don't touch my friend!" the chiby shouts. Before he gets to us, Hirotsu-san grabs his shoulder.
"Got you," He says.
"Your ability isn't going to work on me," he growls.
I grin and grab Akane's waist in my arms and get closer to the chiby. She was panicked for a while, but calm down after a while. Her panic face is cute too.
"I'm not so sure," I talk to him and touch his neck, "You've lost your grip on gravity now. With my ability of nullifying the powers of others," and with that I nullify his power.
"Now, boy," Hirotsu-san looks up, "It's time for you to regret,"
When he's about to use his ability, the chiby kicks me on my stomach and grabs Akane on his arm.
"Hey, are you okay? Did that filthy boy hurts you or something?" he asks slowly.
"No, I'm okay. That filthy boy didn't do anything to me," she replies sweetly, "Could you put me down?"
"Yeah, okay,"
"Thank you," she smiles again.
Dammit, what's with that sweet scene?! It's so sweet enough I would go puke. And here I am, on the ground with my face also in the ground. Notice me, Akane!
"He got me," I growl in pain, "He kicked me before you used your ability. I let go. He used his ability to fly backwards. He took no damage,"
"I don't feel like dealing with you right now," he says to me, "Let's go, Akane,"
Just when they're about to leave, the ground shakes and parts around us. A great power comes from the center of the Suribachi City and it's so bright I could go blind. I look around looking for Akane, checking whether she's okay or not. It appears, the chiby hugs her in his arms while trying not to get sweep from the unknown power by activating his own power. I growl in annoyance and squint to see the center of the power, half cover it by my hand.
"The previous boss," I take a glimpse at the figure in front of me, and then everything goes dark.