Kyandi: And thus, I have returned. Normally, I start off all of my chapters with character interactions, so with that, I'll introduce my OC, Dimir. Dimir?

Dimir: Hello, all!

Kyandi: Dimir is one of my sweeter OCs.

Dimir: What she means is that I'm one of the few that won't needlessly tease her to no end.

Kyandi: Exactly! Now, as much as I love dragging these things out, I feel like I should let all of you get on to reading how Dimir came about having more than one ability.

Dimir: You're not giving them the whole story, are you?

Kyandi: Right out of the gate? Not a chance. They'll have to keep reading for that.

Dimir: Good.

Kyandi: Right, then everyone enjoy and review.

Dimir: Kyandi-sama does not own Bungou Stray Dogs.

Chapter 2 Lightning Fast Exam

Dimir shifted in her seat, nervously gripping her hands together as she watched Fukuzawa's expression. She didn't even try to look at the others. She knew exactly what they were thinking. She could see it reflected on Fukuzawa's face. They all thought she was crazy. It took a moment for him to process the information and then Fukuzawa's brows furrowed.

"Come again?" he asked.

"I have two abilities." Dimir repeated.

"Explain." Fukuzawa barked before anyone else could speak up.

"Did you know that an ability can be passed to another person? As long as the person is directly, blood related. Like a parent to a child." Dimir said.

"Yes. I've heard of such cases, though they are rare." Fukuzawa replied.

"Did you know that if a person, say a mother, passes her ability to her daughter and her daughter already has an ability, she keeps her own while gaining the second?" Fukuzawa shook his head when Dimir asked this. "It's true. Though, if a mother who has her own ability as well as a gained ability from her mother, tries to pass her ability on to her daughter, she passes only her original ability and not her gained ability. In my family, it is a practice among the women to pass our ability to our daughter, whether or not she has one of her own. When she died, my grandmother passed her ability on to my mother who already had her own ability, The World Like The Wind. When my mother died when I was young, she passed tried to pass both to me, but I only got The World Like The Wind. I already have my own ability, Lolita."

Two abilities...it was a little difficult not to believe her. They had proof that it was possible to pass an ability to someone else. But, with such transfers, the person receiving the ability, usually didn't have very good control over it. To have a passed-on ability, plus her own, had to be difficult to control. This only made everyone more curious. Fukuzawa leaned forward.

"Can you show me?" he asked.

A pained look fell on Dimir's face and she begin to fiddle with her fingers, cracking each, individual knuckle, one at a time. She didn't seem too thrilled with the thought of using her abilities like this.

"Don't get me wrong, sir, I would show you, but...I don't exactly have the best control on the ability that came from my mother. It isn't mine to begin with so it gets easily out of hand. I don't want to hurt anyone. Normally, I won't even consider using it if I didn't have to." Dimir told him.

"You should be fine. The Director's ability allows him to give you some control over your abilities if you don't have it." Atsushi told her.

Dimir's eyes, widening at the reveal, turned to Atsushi before fixing hopefully on Fukuzawa. Fukuzawa gave Atsushi a look before turning back to look at Dimir.

"It only works with those who work under me." he told her.

"Oh..." Dimir heaved a silent sigh. "Just as well, I suppose. I can show you The World Like The Wind, as long as you don't want anything large scale."

Fukuzawa gave her a gesture to continue. Dimir nodded before looking around her. Her eyes locked in on a lamp plugged into an outlet in the wall. She shifted on her seat until she was facing it. Focusing her attention on the lamp, she held out a hand, fingers out stretched and palm facing down. At first, there was nothing, then the light flickered before it begun to rapidly pick up, almost like it was a strobe light found in a club. Then the light bulb shattered and sparks of electricity shot away from the lamp, jumping for Dimir's outstretched hand as she turned the hand over until the palm faced the ceiling.

Several of those watching, tensed, wincing involuntarily as the electricity touched Dimir's fingers, the bolts licking over her skin, but never leaving a single mark. Dimir didn't even seem to notice the bolts dancing about her hand as she held it up in front of her. Raising her other hand, she pinched her thumb and forefinger together and actually plucked a bolt away from the others, spreading her fingers to let the electricity play between them.

Turning over the hand holding the rest of the electricity, she put the bolt back and clasped her hands around the bolts. When she opened her hands once more, the electricity was gone, probably stored internally.

"Lolita allows me to gather electricity, even static electricity and store it in my body. I can then discharge it in various ways. The ultimate form of this ability is massively destructive. I've only used it once and I will never use it again unless a certain condition is met." Dimir explained.

Fukuzawa didn't even want to know what the condition was. Not with others listening. If he decided to let her join the Agency, than he would ask, but not right now. His eyes focused on Dimir once more as she turned to look at Kunikida.

"Is there a breeze outside?" she asked.

Turning to glance out the window, Kunikida nodded. Dimir requested he open the windows...all of them. Kunikida, though confused as to why, did as asked. As all the windows were opened, a breeze strong enough to send papers fluttering about the room, swept through the room. As a gust of the wind blew across Dimir, she twirled a finger in the air. As she twirled it, the wind blowing through the room seemed to change direction, all gusts twirling towards Dimir as if being sucked into a vortex. A mini cyclone begin to form around her finger until she was able to flatten her palm and have the cyclone spin right in the center of her palm.

"The World Like the Wind grants me the ability to use the wind around me as I see fit. Of course, there has to be, at least, a breeze present. I can't generate my own breeze where my mother could. If I can build up enough wind, I can even use it to carry me safely to ground if I was to jump off a building." Dimir said.

"Why would you jump off a building?!" Kunikida asked.

"I've had to do it before. I was cornered on a roof. Down was my only option. Of course, if I try to use the ability while not calm..." To show what she was trying to express, Dimir's fingers twitched and the cyclone exploded, sending papers, pencils, and other little, random things that it had picked up, flying outward. "I can't maintain it. Which can be horribly dangerous if I tried using the ability on a large enough scale. My mother could actually make F3 category tornadoes with the ability. I cannot. I wouldn't even dare to try to achieve a category F1. It would rip me apart as well."

They could all see why Dimir didn't try it. The risk of harming herself mixed with the fact that she didn't really have any control of the ability, made it a dangerous thing. It was a surprise, given the fact that she had two equally powerful abilities, that the Port Mafia hadn't snatched her up yet. If they did...Fukuzawa frowned at the thought of having those abilities turned against his people. Not to mention that the Port Mafia would be a toxic environment for someone like Dimir who chose to see the brightness in life. Living in the shadows would kill the shining light of her life.

If them forcing her to use both of her abilities didn't kill her first.

With that thought, Fukuzawa's mind was made up. But, of course, there was an order to things that had to be honored. Turning in his seat, Fukuzawa called one of the clerks to him. Dimir looked up at the woman. She was young, possibly in her early or mid twenties, if Dimir had to take a guess, with semi-curly hair and glasses. She gave Dimir a smile as Fukuzawa introduced her as Haruno Kirako.

"Get her cleaned up and into some decent clothes. I want her to stay with you for tonight. We'll decide what to do tomorrow." Fukuzawa ordered.

"Of course, Director!" Haruno replied before turning to Dimir.

The expression on Dimir's face was that of astoundment, her pretty eyes wide in surprise. She obviously hadn't expected him to order that. Her head even tilted to one side, her yellow speckled, blue eyes set on his face.

"You're...helping me?" she asked.

"Is there a problem with that?" he asked gruffly.

"On a moral level, no."

"If you going to start in with your pride-"

"That's not what I meant in the least." Dimir said, waving one hand in front of her as she cut Kunikida off. "I merely meant that, while it's a moral just thing to do, helping another in need, it's not the typical choice most make these days. It's pleasantly surprising. That being said, I can't, under good conscious, just accept help. I'm not a charity case. I'll accept, but only if there's some kind of work I can do in turn."

It was now Fukuzawa's turn to be astounded. Judging from her expression, Dimir meant every word. She wasn't the type of person that could just take a hand out. She had to earn her keep as long as she was bodily able. And she wouldn't be budged on that subject, either. The look of determination on her face said that, loud and clear.

"We can worry about that tomorrow. For now, you look like your half dead." Fukuzawa told her.

"Yes, I imagine I'm quite a colorful sight." Dimir agreed, grinning as she scratched one cheek.

Without any further arguments, Haruno was able to usher the girl out of the office, grabbing her purse and jacket along the way. Once they were gone, Kunikida, Dazai, and Atsushi turned to Fukuzawa, who was still watching the door.

"Well?" Dazai asked.

"If we don't take the chance to recruit her than it's only a matter of time before the Port Mafia sinks its claws into her. Since you three found her, you're in charge of her entrance exam." Fukuzawa ordered as he stood to his feet.

"Yes, sir." Kunikida replied, despite not being exactly joyed by the orders.

Things were only going to get more chaotic around the office.

-0-0-0-0-

"Are you alright in there?"

Dimir looked up from where she stood in front of the bathroom mirror as Haruno's voice sounded through the door. Dimir had just gotten out of the shower, dressing in the clothes that Haruno had lent her. Standing in front of the mirror, confronted with her reflection for the first time in, at least, a few months, Dimir found a rare frown falling on her face.

Her face was battered, a bruise ringing her left eye and spreading to her cheek bone. A cut sliced across the other cheek, small scrapes decorating the skin of her face, here and there. Her body wasn't any better. Her hair was in a bad need of a cut and, while clean, hung in a sort of frizzy mess about her, hitting at a little above knee level. Dimir's eyes then turned to the clothes Haruno had given to her. While the dress fit around her waist, it was too tight around her chest and hips. Not to mention it was longer on her since Haruno was taller than Dimir.

It was still better than the clothes she had been wearing.

Turning to the door, Dimir stuck her head out of the bathroom. Haruno looked up at her from where she was sitting food out on her table. Dimir gave her a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, but it's a little too tight around the hips and chest." Dimir admitted.

"Oh, there's nothing for you to be sorry about. Here, let me take a look." Haruno said, waving her out.

Dimir stepped out of the bathroom, letting the older woman look her over. Haruno hummed to herself as she circled Dimir, pulling at parts of the dress.

"I see what you mean. Your chest looks like it's about to pop out of it." Haruno said, jokingly. "Well, after we eat, we'll put a jacket on you and take you to get clothes that fit."

"You don't have to do that!" Dimir said, instantly protesting.

"Don't worry about it. Help me clean up after meals and to finish some of the paper work I have, and we'll call it even." Haruno told her, giving her a sweet smile.

Dimir couldn't help returning the smile. As long as she worked for it, then she was fine. With that decided, Haruno waved her over to the table, telling Dimir to eat as much as she liked. Dimir didn't want to pig out, but she had never had a small appetite. Honestly, she couldn't understand how some girls could eat like birds. It was beyond her. Then again several had questioned how she could eat so much and not gain a pound over the years.

Dimir was sure it had something to do with the fact that she had three abilities.

More power used, more fuel needed to fuel the fire.

So while, yes, she did end up putting away more than Haruno did, Dimir at least managed to eat slowly. It would have been such a waste to just to throw up what she ate because she couldn't get the food into her empty stomach fast enough. Haruno smiled as she watched her, supplying them both with idle chatter as they ate.

Mostly, she asked Dimir about what she liked to do, what she didn't like, if she had friends, and things like that. Dimir looked up from her food, carefully chewing the bite in her mouth and swallowing before she answered.

"I don't particularly dislike anything. I do dislike being mean to others. I suppose it's not in my nature because I've never been able to manage it. I don't like the dark or guns either. Aside from that, I'm pretty unbiased. I do like to sing and sew, though. And I like to read." Dimir replied.

"Oh? I bet you were a book worm in school." Haruno said with a little laugh.

"I was home schooled up until my mother died, but you're pretty right. I love books and have a photographic memory. I can remember everything I read and recite it near perfectly." Dimir replied.

"That must come in handy." Haruno remarked.

Haruno propped her elbows on the table top, linking her hands to drop her chin onto them. She watched Dimir continue to eat with a smile on her face. It kind of made Dimir feel like she was being watched by a big sister or something. It was a nice feeling.

"Most of those who hire me for odd jobs, are repeat customers, so to speak. They like the fact that all they have to do is write down what they want done and give it to me. They don't have to repeat orders and I'm not bugging them because I forgot." Dimir replied.

"Is there anything else you like?"

Dimir stopped for a moment to think. Her head tilted to the side as she thought, her chopsticks clicking together.

"Racing. I like to race cars."

Now that was something Haruno was not expecting to hear. It took her a moment to process what Dimir had said.

"Eh...racing cars?" she asked.

"Uh-huh."

"Umm...why is that?" Haruno asked.

"A few years back, I worked as a carrier for this really sweet, older gentleman back in my home town and he thought it would be easier on me if I had my license and could drive, so he paid for it. I was always really good with cars. If it's the right model, specially customized to handle it, I can apply my Lolita to the car, give it a little more juice to speed it up without having to pay the high prices for things like nitrogen fuel or the parts for handling such a thing."

"But, wouldn't it be difficult to control the car?" Haruno asked.

"Not really. I have practice with it and Lolita is my original ability. I can move fast due to the ability, as it is. It's just applying those faster reflexes to a speeding car. I've had to train my hand-eye coordination. Thankfully, I wasn't one of those born with none at all."

Haruno wasn't sure how to feel about this, though Dimir could tell she was concerned about it. Dimir thought it was funny, seeing the look on Haruno's face. Her next sentence had Dimir breaking out in a fit of giggles.

"You didn't boost cars, did you!?"

"Gods, no! I liked to race them, but I never stole them. I did win a few pink slips, but I've never stolen anything in my life." Dimir promised.

"You won cars?" Haruno asked, surprised.

"Uh-huh. Two." Dimir replied.

"What did you do with them?"

"Sold one. It fed me for a few months and got me all the way here to Yokohama."

"Where are you originally from?"

"Machida. I lived there before my mother died. I thought a change in pace would be good for me. Being able to see the ocean sounded nice, so I came to Yokohama."

Though there was more to the reason of her location change than that, it was basically the truth. Dimir had always wanted to see the ocean and with nothing to tie her to Machida, she had decided to sell one of the cars, cut her sentimental ties, and came to Yokohama. While she would have been more financially stable in Machida, Dimir liked Yokohama and she had never been one to hold on to regrets, so she was happy where she was.

Dirt poor, but happy.

"What about the other car?" Haruno asked.

"How do you think I got to Yokohama?" Dimir replied. "I didn't sell it though. It's stored away for now. Never know when I might really have need of a car. Not to mention that it's the only thing I got to my name."

"How can you afford to store it?"

"I know a guy who owns storage units. I work filing papers in his office once a week and he stores my car for free."

By this point, Dimir had finished her food. She laid her chopsticks down, and bowed her head in thanks to Haruno for the food. Haruno smiled at her. Before she could move to gather the dishes, Dimir was on her feet, feeling better and stronger than she had in a long while now that her stomach was full. Carefully stacking the dishes, Dimir carted them back to the kitchen for Haruno.

"I'll clean the dishes. I did promise, after all." Dimir told the other woman, smiling brightly at her.

Haruno stood back and watched Dimir get to scrubbing the dishes, humming a tune to herself. A thought crossed Haruno's mind as she was watching Dimir.

"Nabokov-chan-"

"Please call me Dimir." Dimir cut in.

"Dimir-chan, then. You're name...it's not Japanese."

"That's right."

"But you are?"

"Only half." Dimir told her, rinsing a bowl and setting it in the drain to dry. "Mother was Japanese. My father was an Russian-American she had met when he was on vacation. Mother named me after him, and she tried to locate him to tell him about me, but he died in a boating accident before she could. I believe I was only two at the time."

"I'm sorry."

Dimir turned and looked at Haruno, blinking in confusion as she asked, "About what?".

"Your family..."

Dimir gave Haruno a smile so bright, she trailed off in what she was saying.

"Nothing to be sorry for. While I wish I had gotten to know my father and I do miss my mother and grandmother, I know they wouldn't want me to dwell in sorrow forever. Life goes on, even after others die. All you can do is remember them, honor that memory, and live a happy life like they would have wanted you to. That way, when they look down upon you from heaven, they can smile in happiness." Dimir told her.

"You have a incredibly bright out look." Haruno said, amazed.

"I suppose. Now," Dimir sat aside the last of the dishes and turned face Haruno. "dishes are done."

"Then let's go get some clothes for you." Haruno said as Dimir joined her. Haruno reached out, touching Dimir's hair. "A hair cut couldn't hurt either."

Dimir grinned, silently agreeing with the woman. It was starting to look like things were turning around for her. Never one to miss out on the opportunities that life offered her, Dimir was going to plunge into this new path in her life, head first. Come whatever rocky path might, or might not, lay before her, Dimir would greet it with a bright smile.

After all, life was about facing the challenges and prevailing, right?

-0-0-0-0-

"Hey, Haruno."

The night found Haruno, after returning from clothes shopping, standing in her kitchen. She was just setting out things for dinner when she heard Dimir calling her name from the living room. Setting down the bowls in her hands, Haruno went to the door way peering out into the living room. She found Dimir, on her hands and knees, staring at something on the other side of the table intently. In her new powder blue sundress, it looked a little funny. Especially since, at the moment, she was eye level with the floor, her butt up in the air.

"What is it?" Haruno asked, trying hard not to giggle at the sight.

"This cat..."

Dimir shifted, finally letting Haruno see that Dimir had been staring at Haruno's cat. The cat was just sitting there, staring back at Dimir.

"Oh! That's Mii-chan. Is something wrong?" Haruno asked.

Dimir continued to stare back at the cat for a moment before giving her head a shake. Sitting back on her heels, she turned a smile on Haruno.

"No, nothing. I just wanted to know it's name." Dimir replied.

"Good. I was afraid, for a moment, that you disliked cats." Haruno said, returning to the kitchen.

"No. I'm perfectly alright with cats."

The way Dimir said that, had Haruno a little confused, but she simply let it go. The rest of the night, though, Dimir kept glancing at the cat in a curious fashion, as if something about the cat didn't quite fit together to her. She never said anything though. After a while, Haruno stopped noticing the looks Dimir would cast the feline's way, though Dimir would stare intently at the cat whenever Haruno turned her back.

After dinner, Dimir helped her to clean before turning in for the night. When Haruno checked on her, Dimir was fast asleep in her futon, Mii-chan curled up by her head. It was such an adorable sight to Haruno, that she chuckled and even took a picture with her phone. She then left Dimir to sleep.

After all, tomorrow would be a very long day.

-0-0-0-0-

The next morning, Dazai and Atsushi showed up at Haruno's apartment to pick up Dimir. When the girl stepped out of the apartment, it was a completely different impression than when they had first met her. Haruno had gone above and beyond towards restoring the girl. While the bruising was still present, she had a healthy glow about her, looking much better after having a couple of meals under her belt. Her hair had been cut, and thinned, leaving her hair to fall to her hips in a silky, black line. She was clean and sporting new clothes.

In place of the rags she had been wearing, she now wore a mid-thigh length, sleeveless, turtle neck dress that was as dark blue as the night sky with accenting star designs of electric yellow on the hem, and a cinch just under her breasts. With it, she had paired thigh-high, yellow stockings, knee high black boots, a sleeveless, brown coat that fell just past her knees, and dark blue gloves that matched her dress. The hair on the left side of her scalp had been brushed back sharply and pinned into place.

"She looks good, right?" Haruno asked, appearing behind Dimir, having Dimir give them a twirl.

"Stunning." Dazai compliment.

"Yeah, you look great." Atsushi agreed.

Dimir beamed, running her hands down the front of the dress to flatten it out. She hadn't had new clothes in about six or seven years. It felt nice to walk around in clothes that actually fit and that weren't falling apart at the seams...literally!

"Thanks. So, um...what are we doing?" Dimir asked.

"We were told to bring you to the office, so we'll find out there." Dazai told her.

"Alright." Dimir agreed, smiling back at them.

She waved to Haruno, who promised to see her at the office later, and left with the two. Along the way, Dazai had them stop at a cafe that he said served great coffee. While he treated Dimir, he made Atsushi pay for himself. While they waited for their drinks and snacks to be brought to them, the three claimed a seat at a table outside.

Dimir happily hummed to herself as she watched others walk by. It was as if the girl had never been able to sit back and watch others walk by. And when their order arrived, Dimir's eyes widened at the sight of the chocolate and whipped cream topped drink sat before her. Before Atsushi and Dazai could so much as take a single drink from their own drinks, Dimir had already drained half of her own, licking whipped cream and chocolate off her lips.

"Yummy!" she exclaimed happily, swiping up a dab of whipped cream to stick into her mouth.

"Really? It's just an ice coffee." Atsushi remarked.

"Maybe, but I haven't had chocolate in nearly seven years. To me, this is the tastiest thing in the world!" Dimir replied, smiling brightly.

Atsushi and Dazai, a smile on the latter's face, watched as Dimir completely drained her cup and scooped out all traces of chocolate and whipped cream that she could. Dazai chuckled as Dimir let out a sigh of content.

Just then, Dazai's phone rang.

Dazai fished the device out of his pocket and answered it. Atsushi and Dimir watched as his expression went serious. He told the person on the other end that they would be there shortly before he hung up and rose to his feet.

"Let's go. The office is under attack." Dazai told them.

"Again!?" Atsushi yelped.

"Again? It's been attacked before?" Dimir asked, getting to her feet.

"It gets attacked all the time." Atsushi whined.

"Sounds like an interesting life."

Atsushi stared at Dimir, mouth hanging open, as she followed Dazai with just that little comment. He was starting to get a feeling that she was going to be just as weird as the other members of the Agency. Something he could live without.

The three hurried along, rushing to get to the office. When they arrived, they found the Director, Yosano, Kenji, Kunikida, Naomi, and Ranpo standing outside on the side of the street. Everyone was staring up at the open window of the office, grim looks on their faces.

"What's going on?"

Everyone turned towards Dazai and his two companions as they joined the group.

"Some idiot has rigged the whole building with an explosive and has taken a hostage. Unless we meet their demands within thirty minutes, they are going to blow up the building with the hostage inside." Kunikida said, clearly annoyed.

"That's terrible!" Dimir gasped.

"It's happened before." Atsushi replied, hanging his head as he remembered.

"This is different. This puts the whole street at risk." Yosano said, her hands anchored on her hips.

Dimir glanced up at the open window to the office. Bombs were tricky. Disarming one could be dangerous. Really dangerous. Someone could go in to disarm it and still blow up the whole building because of counter measure the bomber set up.

Then there was the hostage.

"Who did they take hostage?" Dazai asked.

"Haruno."

Dimir, upon hearing the name leave Fukuzawa's mouth, froze on the spot.

Not Haruno. Haruno had been kind to Dimir, had taken her in and had treated her like a little sister. Dimir was not going to let this slide.

"Director."

Fukuzawa looked down at Dimir as she continued to stare up at the building. Her eyes were sharp, focused completely on the building before her as they scanned it from head to toe.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Do you know if the explosive is chemical based or electronically based?" Dimir asked.

"Electronic, I believe. That's what it looked like before we were forced out of the office." Kunikida answered. "Why?"

A smile spread across Dimir's face. She turned her eyes to Fukuzawa then, giving him a confident smile. He didn't know what she was planning in that head of hers, but he knew she had some kind of plan. That was clear in her eyes.

"Leave this to me then. I can disarm the bomb and take out the attacker in one zap. I do owe you, after all." Dimir told him.

"Are you kidding!? Don't be stupid! Forget that you aren't a member of the Agency, how do you expect to get to the hostage? If we step foot in the building, he'll blow it up!" Kunikida snapped at her.

"I don't plan to go in through the door."

Everyone turned dumbfounded looks on Dimir as she simply smiled back at them.

"What are you talking about?" Atsushi asked.

"Don't worry about it. And besides...I don't need to be apart of the Agency to help someone in need." Dimir said brightly.

Without another word, Dimir started towards the building. She stopped when she was right under the open window. Bending her knees, she gave a little hop. The moment her toes touched the ground, there was a sparking flash and then Dimir was rocketing into the air. She landed lightly on the window sill of the open window, as if she had done such a thing a hundred times.

They heard a loud "Hey!" from the attacker inside as Dimir dived in through the open window. There was a crackling flash that lit up all the windows, followed by a yelp of pain. Silence fell as those below waited to see what happened. A shadow moved across the window before...Dimir popped her head out of the window, a bright smile curling her lips.

"All clear!" she called with a waved.

Shocked and curious as to what she had done, they all rushed into the building, hurrying up the stairs to the office. What they found when they flew into the office was a fried explosive, Haruno scolding Dimir about being reckless while hugging the girl, and a twitching, electrically burned Junichirou laying on the floor.

"What were you thinking?" Haruno asked Dimir as they came into the office.

"What? No one got hurt and everything was settled." Dimir told her.

"You do realize that you could have gotten yourself killed, right!?" Kunikida yelled at her as he charged over to her.

"No I couldn't have. After all...he's a member of the Armed Detective Agency."

All eyes turned to Dimir as she smiled back at them. Atsushi helped Junichirou to his feet, the older Tanizaki sibling looking over at Dimir as Naomi clung to his other arm.

"You knew?" he asked.

"Once I saw you, yeah."

Every single one of them had the same thought at the same time...what the hell!?

Seeing their looks, Dimir started laughing. All of them were staring at her, some with their mouths hanging open. She decided to take pity on them and explain how she knew.

"As much as I appreciate all you've already done for me, I wasn't going to associate myself with people I knew nothing about. Never know what kind of people you could get yourself tangled up with, yeah? So...I researched all of you using Haruno's computer yesterday. You'd be surprised by the amount of pictures of each member of the Agency that one can find online." Dimir told them, giggling a little as she smiled. "Come on now, what kind of idiot do you take me for?"

"If you knew I was a member of the Agency and that it was all fake, then why did you zap me!?" Junichirou asked.

"Well, how was I suppose to know it was fake? For all I knew, you could have turned against the Agency. But, in this case, I was about ninety-five percent sure that it was fake, in which case, you were trying so hard to make it believable. Why would I ruin that by not playing along?" Dimir replied.

"Wait, let me get this straight...you knew that the whole thing was fake and that the "attacker" was apart of the Agency?" Kunikida asked.

"Only after I saw his face. Up until I landed on the window sill, I was completely buying the whole thing. After that though...it wasn't hard to connect the dots." Dimir replied.

"But even when you didn't know, you still jumped in without a moment's hesitation." Dazai remarked.

"But of course I did. Charade or not, a friend of mine was supposedly in danger. I'll always put the lives of my friends and loved ones over my own. Of course, I'm not going to throw my life away for nothing, but assuring that a loved one is safe and sound, isn't nothing, right?" Dimir replied.

Fukuzawa stared at Dimir. The girl was pleasantly loyal. She obviously wasn't a person that stood back while her friends were in danger, but she was also a clever person, having thought ahead to researching them. She acted as if she was doing so recklessly, but she actually put thought into her actions. He stood back and watched as Dimir, with a kind smile on her face, bowed in apology to Junichirou. Dazai stepped up to his side, glancing towards Dimir as well.

"Well, what do you think, Director?" Dazai asked.

Fukuzawa watched Dimir for a moment longer before he started towards her. Dimir fell silent, turning her eyes towards him as he came to a stop in front of her.

"Nabokov Dimir." he called.

"Yes, sir?"

"From today on, if you so wish, you will be a member of the Armed Detective Agency. Your answer?" he demanded.

Dimir stared at him, blinking her big, gold speckled blue eyes up at him in shock. As it finally sunk in what he had said, a smile curled her lips. Beaming up at him brightly, like a child who had just been given a whole bucket of candy, she had to restrain herself from hugging the refined man in front of her.

"Of course! Thank you, sir!" she cheered happily.

Happy with the path her life had taken, Dimir accepted a hug from Haruno, all smiles. Fukuzawa watched her, glad she had accepted the offer, but part of him was a little wary of the the fact that he was bring this bight, positive girl into a world that would have her clashing with the darker side of Yokohama, including the Port Mafia.

Hopefully, Dimir proved to be stronger than she looked.

END

Kyandi: You know...I'd purposely zap someone, too. Just...not Junichirou.

Dimir: I believe he has enough on his plate.

Kyandi: Yet, you still zapped him.

Dimir: He was trying so hard to be convincing! I couldn't just let all his hard effort go to waste.

Kyandi: I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or genuinely empathetic.

Dimir: Did you make me to be a sarcastic person?

Kyandi: Not normally, no.

Dimir: Then there's your answer.

Kyandi: Good. Then let's move on. Everyone, enjoy and review.

Dimir: We will return as soon as possible.

Kyandi: Bye-bye.