A Few Days Later…
"Tch," a petite orange-haired figure scoffed, cracking the knuckles of his black-gloved hands. "You lot weren't good enough to even be considered a warm-up. Pathetic."
"Mr. Chuuya!" a loud voice called from somewhere behind him. "Mr. Chuuya, are you alright?"
Chuuya Nakahara hid a small smile at the concern in the younger man's voice. It was always nice to be cared about, even if it was unnecessary for someone as strong as he was. "I'm fine, Atsushi. How 'bout you? Deal with the leftovers already?"
Atsushi Nakajima finished bounding his way, the features of his tiger-half melting away to leave his normal face, sunset eyes glancing over Chuuya just to confirm that, yes, Chuuya was actually alright. "Yeah, they're all down."
Chuuya clicked his tongue, resetting his black fedora properly on his head. "At least they had the decency to attack us after we finished dinner."
"Your parents aren't going to be happy we left base just to get food." Atsushi nervously said, following after Chuuya as they continued their way back.
"If I had to eat the same meal one more time in the same week, I was going to lose it." Chuuya muttered, crossing his arms.
If you had just let me help, the fight would have been over in mere seconds.
Chuuya rolled his eyes. "Yes, but half the city would have been leveled. And I can't control that power yet, remember?"
The last, and only, time he was forced to use the God's power… he honestly didn't remember much of it, only that he ended up destroying half of the warehouse district in the process. He was ten-years-old at the time. The way he looked and the way he was acting, his parents had said they hardly recognized him—it was like he was… corrupted by all the raw power flowing through him. It was why they had started referring to that aspect of his Ability as Corruption. It also left him in really bad shape when it stopped, having to be hospitalized for almost a month; that was when his mother forbid him to ever use it again. The worst part of it, however, was that they didn't know how he stopped, just that he was lost in the dust and rubble of destroyed warehouses one moment, and then the next, they found his body crumpled on the ground, unconscious. One thing they were sure of, though, was that it wasn't Chuuya who stopped it—Arahabaki confirmed that much, and even the God didn't know how his power was cut off, just that it happened quickly and for a few moments, it was like he couldn't hear Chuuya. It's something that haunts Chuuya to this day, how he was stopped—essentially saved from his own out-of-control power.
I could have leant you a small fraction of it.
Chuuya sighed. "No, that's not possible either. We've tried, remember? And Maman nearly killed me when I did."
Atsushi looked over at him, confused for a second, before realization took over. "Arahabaki?"
The redhead cracked his neck before nodding. "He doesn't like being left out of a fight."
The God sealed inside of him scoffed but remained quiet.
"Byakko helped me out a little," Atsushi added after they'd walked a little ways in quiet, "but I mostly beat them on my own this time."
Chuuya smiled at the teen before ruffling his hair some. "That's good to hear, Atsushi. I'm glad those lessons have been helping."
The silver-haired boy hummed in response, looking up at the person he considered his mentor. "Do you want to spar some later?"
"Sounds good." Chuuya agreed, rolling his shoulders. "Those weaklings from before were barely a challenge."
They both glanced up as the large skyscraper—that served as both the headquarters for Nakahara Enterprises and living quarters to most of the higher-ups of the Nakahara Family—came into view. The building itself was seventy-five floors and composed of stacked boxes with a podium at the base, a "tail form" central section and a stepped top, as well as floor-to-ceiling glazing that offered stunning views of the city.
To Chuuya, it was home.
The two breezed into the building, heading to the elevators, when they were stopped by an almost-frantic raven-haired girl. "Mr. Chuuya! There you are! Where have you been?! Why didn't you answer your phone?!"
"Whoa, Naomi, take a breath." Chuuya said, settling his hands on the teen's shoulders, ignoring the fact that he had to reach up slightly to do so. "I left my phone in my room on accident. What's going on?"
Naomi Tanizaki, younger sister of fellow member Junichirou, took a deep breath in before letting it out, calming herself down. "Your parents really need to talk with you." She chewed on her bottom lip for a second. "And by the way Mrs. Colette was muttering under her breath in rapid French, it's something really important. She didn't look very happy either."
Chuuya's eyebrows went up in surprise, and interest. Both his parents have been acting really secretive for the past week and a half, holding meetings with Fukuzawa behind closed doors and sending certain members on "important missions", though were kept secret. Even from him.
Naomi's brother was one of those said members sent out on a secret assignment, but not even the raven-haired teen could get her brother to tell her where he had been, and why he had returned back to base with Mr. Fukuzawa and Mr. Kunikida, looking like he had seen a ghost.
"Alright, we'll head up right away then." Chuuya answered the teen, bringing her attention back. "Thanks, Naomi. Why don't head home for the night?"
"Are you sure?" she asked, though was already slowly making her way to the doors.
"Go. I'm sure Junichirou is waiting for you." The redhead said, giving her a small smile.
"Of course my big brother is waiting for me! He's the best." Naomi cheered before giving the petite man a bow. "Goodnight Mr. Chuuya, Atsushi."
"Goodnight!" Atsushi called back while Chuuya waved to her.
"Now, let's go see what my parents want." Chuuya said as he and the weretiger got into the elevator, hitting the button for the 75th floor, where his father's office was located.
A few moments later, he was knocking on his father's office doors, pushing them open a few seconds after when he heard his father's voice calling out. Both his parents were in there, like he expected, but Fukuzawa being inside the room as well threw him off slightly. He didn't think the older man would still be here, he's usually heading home by now (he's one of the few high-ups who doesn't live in the high-rise building).
"Naomi said you were looking for me?" Chuuya questioned as he took his hat off his head, pressing it against his chest and bowing in greeting—he is nothing if not respectful.
"Où diable avez-vous été?! J'ai été inquiet malade! Pourquoi n'avez-vous pas répondu à votre téléphone?" his mother shouted at him in rapid-fire French, placing her hands on his shoulders and looking him over. "Pourquoi avez-vous l'air si écoeuré?"
"Maman, s'il te plaît, calme-toi. Je vais bien. Atsushi et moi-même sommes allés dans la rue pour dîner, mais nous avons eu des problèmes en revenant. Rien que nous ne pouvions pas gérer." Chuuya responded in French as well, taking his mother's hands in his. "Et j'ai oublié d'apporter mon téléphone avec moi. Je m'excuse de t'inquiéter."
Colette gave her son another look-over before sighing out and relaxing some. "Apologies, Chuuya. We've just been a bit high-strung as of late."
"I understand, Maman." Chuuya said with a smile before looking over to his father, giving him a nod. "Good evening, Father."
"Chuuya." Kansuke responded, nodding to him too before over at the silver-haired teen. "Atsushi."
"Oh, Atsushi!" Colette exclaimed, letting Chuuya go to head over to the weretiger, now gripping his shoulders. "I'm glad you're okay too, petit tigre."
Atsushi blushed, though smiled too. "Thank you, Mrs. Colette."
"So, what's going on?" Chuuya asked, looking at the three other adults in the room. "Is everything okay? And what is Mr. Fukuzawa still doing here?"
The temperature in the room dropped suddenly, the faces of Kansuke, Colette and Fukuzawa hardening almost instantly. Chuuya felt the hairs at the nape of his neck stand and Atsushi inched closer to the petite redhead instinctively (and if he had been in tiger form, all his fur would be standing on-end, not that his hair already wasn't).
"What?" he asked again, hackles raising. "What is it? Were we attacked again? Did someone get hurt? Is someone dead?" The silence was starting to really freak him out, as was the air of somber seriousness surrounding the other three. "Maman, Father?"
Kansuke and Colette exchanged looks before Colette took Chuuya by the arm and led him over to the sitting area, both sitting down on a sofa as the others in the room did the same.
"We've… uncovered some new information regarding those attacks within the last week." Kansuke said slowly, almost… nervous. But that can't be right, Chuuya has never seen his father nervous before. Cautious, yes, but never nervous.
"That's good, right?" Atsushi, bless him, asked, looking around at all the adults. "I thought we were trying to figure that out."
"Things have become more… complicated now." Fukuzawa said, laying a hand on his adoptive son's shoulder. "We did not account for any of this."
"Colette?" Kansuke said after the silence stretched a little too long, both of the younger men perplexed at the reactions of the other three. "Would you mind explaining what's happening? You have the best grasp on it, after all."
Colette nodded, her light copper curls bouncing around her face at the movement.
"Maman?" Chuuya asked, looking over at his mother in question.
"Mon fils," Colette murmured, running a finger over his cheek. "Mon beau garçon. Je suis vraiment désolé." She sighed and dropped her hand into her lap. "This is all my fault."
"Colette." Kansuke muttered his disagreement, but the redheaded woman raised a hand to silence him.
The next hour was spent filling in the two younger men on everything they have learned thus far, both Chuuya and Atsushi growing more and more shocked by the minute; not to mention the Gods they host becoming more and more riled up. It wasn't until she started explaining what Ranpo wanted them to do that Chuuya finally spoke up.
"Is Ranpo out of his goddamn mind?!" Chuuya shouted, azure eyes wide with surprise. "Ask the Tsushima Family for help?" He took off his hat, placing it carefully to the side, before running his fingers through his curls. "Why would he think that was our only viable option? It would never work! We—"
"It did." Kansuke cut off, seeing that Chuuya was just going to keep on rambling, and they needed to get to the point… before they lost their nerve.
Chuuya's words died in his throat, giving his father a wide-eyed look of astonishment. "It what?"
"It worked." Kansuke repeated, crossing his arms over his chest. "Fukuzawa and two others met with representatives from the Tsushima Family a few days ago to explain our situation and ask for their… assistance."
"And they agreed?" Chuuya asked incredulously, eyebrows raised.
"To an extent." Fukuzawa answered, getting the petite man's attention.
Chuuya's eyebrows furrowed then at that answer, before something occurred to him, something he learned when he was younger. "Those guys don't do stuff unless there's something in it for them." He looked between the three other adults once again. "What was it?"
Silence answered him.
Kansuke, Colette and Fukuzawa looked at each other once more, a little wary and way more than a little reluctant. They still didn't like this option—and that was a huge understatement if there ever was one; several walls and a few floors had to be repaired after the news was explained to Colette—but it was their only option. Even Ranpo couldn't find any fault in the proposition. It was an equal exchange—both parties got what they wanted, but as to why the Tsushima Family heir wanted Chuuya of all people remained a mystery. Not even the raven-haired genius could figure out the reason for that. He, at least, didn't think it was because they figured out Chuuya was a vessel and wanted that power under their control.
Not that that could ever actually happen; controlling Chuuya never ended well for anyone. Both him and his mother. They were stubborn, indomitable people with a free spirit that not just anyone could lock down.
Chuuya looked over at Atsushi, who looked just as lost as he was.
Something is going on here, Arahabaki muttered inside Chuuya's head. I have never seen Colette this… anxious before.
"Would someone please tell me what's going on here?!" the petite redhead finally snapped, sick of the stalling and stifling silence. "You guys are freaking me out."
"You asked what the Tsushima Family wanted in exchange for helping us." Kansuke said quietly, looking at his son with… was that sadness? No, it looked more like a mix between pity and… was that fear?
"Yes…" Chuuya said slowly, feeling his entire body almost vibrating with anxiety.
"According to what they told Fukuzawa, the Tsushima's had already been considering an alliance with us." Kansuke explained, nodding at his son's surprised expression. "Yes, I was thrown by that news as well. I know we aren't on wholly terrible terms with that Family now, but considering an alliance? It was a little out there, I have to agree." He swiped a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face. "But lucky, I suppose, since they were more open to us asking now then they would've been in the past."
"Okay?" Chuuya said, still very puzzled. Was there a point somewhere?
"But they made a very good point," Fukuzawa now continued, gaining Chuuya's attention. "Making an alliance is simple, keeping the alliance is not."
"Keeping it?" the hat-lover asked, still lost. Why won't they just come out and say what it is?
"There's nothing to keep either side from betraying the other, nothing to keep everyone in line and committed to the alliance." Kansuke picked up the explanation. "So, the Tsushima's proposed a… solution to this problem."
As soon as Chuuya was about to snap at his father to get to the goddamn point, the air in the room suddenly felt… heavy, almost like gravity was pushing down on them. A glance around saw that he wasn't the only one feeling it, the other men in the room looked like they were struggling to stay upright. Thanks to For the Tainted Sorrow, he didn't have that problem, his Ability now counteracting the heaviness in the room, before he looked over to the only other person that could be doing this.
"Mère, qu'est-ce qui ne va pas?" Chuuya asked, concerned, as he placed a hand on her arm. "Maman?"
That seemed to snap the redheaded woman out of it, glancing around in surprise before deactivating her own Ability, everyone else breathing a sigh of relief. "I apologize. I didn't mean to do that."
"I'm not that surprised that you did, though." Kansuke murmured to his wife, grabbing hold of her hand soothingly.
"What?" Chuuya asked, looking between the two in confusion before giving into the other dominant emotion rolling around inside him—pissed-off impatience. "And, for the love of Gods, can you please just tell me what the damn Tsushima Family wants!"
He definitely inherited his mother's temper and sharp tongue.
"They proposed a union." Fukuzawa stated, voice devoid of any emotion.
"Union?" Chuuya asked, confusion taking over once again. "What kind of union?"
"A marriage, Chuuya." Colette all but spat out. "An arranged marriage that will tie the two Families together in a way that will inspire the alliance to work."
"A marriage?" Chuuya asked, baffled. "How would that do anything?"
"Not just any marriage." Kansuke said, sighing. "A marriage between the heirs of the Families."
That finally shocked Chuuya into silence, eyes wide and mouth opening and closing like a fish. He did not just say what he thinks he said. Not possible. A marriage like that, between two rival factions, didn't seem feasible. Even less so when it would be between members of the actual families.
"So, who would be getting married then?" Atsushi asked, head tilted in question and worried eyes darting around at everyone in the room.
"Well," Kansuke said, smoothing down his shirt, "the Tsushima Family only has one son, so it would be between him and—"
"Kouyou is never going to agree to this." Chuuya interrupted, looking up at his father with hard eyes. "Have you even talked to her about it?" Not only was Kouyou not big on marriage to begin with, she also really didn't swing that way. Not anymore.
That look from before was back, the one that was a mix between pity and fear. Though now, there was some resignation… and sadness.
"Chuuya," Colette said softly, laying a hand on his still-hatless head, "it isn't Kouyou."
Chuuya blinked once. Twice. "What do you mean?"
"Kouyou isn't the one going to be… married off." Colette said, her voice still soft, fingers now running through her son's hair. "She isn't the one they want."
"If it isn't Ane-san, then…" Chuuya mumbled before trailing off; not even a second later did his eyes fly open to stare at his parents, slowly coming to a conclusion he didn't want to reach. He pointed to himself. "Me?"
Both his parents, and Fukuzawa as well, nodded. His mother's reaction just a bit ago didn't seem that over the top anymore.
"Why do they want—" but the redhead was cut off.
"We don't know, mon cher." Colette answered, fingers still carding through his hair. "Only that it was nonnegotiable." At Chuuya's confused look, she added, "It had to be you."
"The Tsushima Family's heir, Osamu Dazai, made it very clear," Fukuzawa said, getting Chuuya's attention, "if the heir he is to marry isn't you, the whole deal is off."
"Which means, no alliance?" Chuuya asked, somewhat subdued.
The silver-haired swordsman nodded. "Yes, and, unfortunately, allying with them is the only way we can defeat Kannushi for good." He tapped his fingers along his katana's hilt. "Ranpo could find no other way." He looked down at the floor then. "I'm sorry, Chuuya."
"You have no idea how hard this is to ask of you, Chuuya." Kansuke said next, looking at his son sadly. "We tried everything we could think of to get them to change their minds, offered them anything else in exchange, but the heir refused to budge." He scrubbed a hand over his face, frustrated. "For whatever reason, he is dead-set on you, and only you."
"But why?!" Chuuya groaned out, in both confusion and anger, as he stood up suddenly and started to pace back and forth. "I've never even met this guy, why is he so insistent that I'm the one he marries?" His hands clench by his sides and his form begins to glow a crimson red, an indication that his Ability was active. "It makes no sense!" The air around him started growing heavier, not that he noticed. "Why me? Why a marriage?! There has to be a million other things that would be more beneficial to them! That would make more sense!"
Like his mother previously did, he lost control over his Ability, affecting the area around him and slowly pushing the others to the floor. And like he had done previously, Colette altered her own gravity to counteract her son's while she tried to calm him down. It wasn't only the people in the room the gravity was weighing down, though, it was also the objects, and even the floors were creaking ominously under the pressure. She wouldn't be surprised if everyone on the floor felt the effects. She needed to calm him down before he brought down the entire area.
"Chuuya?" Colette spoke, shaking his shoulder, softly at first then more insistently when the gravity continued to increase. "Chuuya, dear? Chuuya!" Still nothing. She had no choice. Standing up, she looked at her son, silently apologizing, before concentrating her own gravity in her fist… and driving it straight into Chuuya's solar plexus, sending him flying to the other side of the room, but also switching off his Ability.
The other three in the room took in a deep breath of relief when they could breathe and move again before Atsushi gasped and stood up, rushing to the dent in the opposite wall, which Chuuya was pulling himself out of. "Mr. Chuuya! Are you okay?"
The redhead shook his head to dislodge the drywall dust that clung there before answering. "Yeah, I'm good." He looked over at his parents and Fukuzawa. "Sorry about that." His eyes flickered to his mother. "Thanks for knocking me out of it, Maman."
"Sorry I had to hit you so hard." Colette said as she headed over to him too, handing him his hat and brushing off his clothes, before looking at the crater he left. "I really didn't mean to destroy the wall. I underestimated the amount of power I put in that punch."
He smiled at his mother. "It was the only thing you could do. It's fine, really."
His mother said nothing, just continued to dust him off.
His eyes then flickered down to the ground for a minute in thought before over to his father and Fukuzawa. "This whole marriage thing… it really is our only option?" The two men nodded, sympathy painting their features once more. "We'll get an alliance with the Tsushima Family, and, with their help, we'll put a stop to this… Kannushi's attacks. The bloodshed will stop, our people will stop dying almost every other day, and innocent people won't get caught in the crossfire." He gripped his hat, still in his hand, tighter. " Maman and you and Ane-san won't be in danger anymore, and," he looked over at the silver-haired teen, eyes softening, "Atsushi won't be put in danger if they figure out he's a vessel as well." Kansuke nodded, seeing that his son was working up to something; he gets that from him, needing to say things aloud to organize his thoughts. "And for all of that to happen, all I have to do is… get married." His face twisted at the last word.
"That is correct, Chuuya." Kansuke said softly with another nod.
Then there wasn't anything to really think about, was there? If he does one simple thing, everyone he cares about will be safe.
"Alright." Chuuya finally said, so quietly that everyone in the room almost missed it.
"What was that, mon cher?" Colette asked, looking at him gently.
He took in a deep breath before blowing it all out. "I said alright." He looked over at his father. "I'll… I'll get married. To— to the Tsushima Family heir. If that's what it'll take, I will do it."
"Are you sure?" Kansuke asked, though he shouldn't have bothered because once Chuuya decided on something, there is no changing his mind.
"I'm sure, Father. If all the Tsushima Family wants is me to cement this alliance that will put a stop to all this death, then I will do it." He straightened himself up to his full, admittedly short, height, his azure eyes hardening with resolve. "It is my responsibility as a Nakahara to do at least that much. For the sake of everyone."
Chuuya honestly wasn't sure how he ended up in front of one of Kouyou's Courtesan houses—her main one, that also served as her place of residence; he barely remembered saying goodnight to his parents and Fukuzawa, leaving Atsushi at the elevator with hardly a word, and exiting the building. He wandered around for a couple of hours, still caught up in his thoughts—his mind like a roiling pot, never staying on one thing for too long. The next thing he knew, he was looking up and found himself at his sister's place.
"Mr. Chuuya!" the young woman manning the front desk called out in greeting as he walked inside, hanging both his trench coat and hat on the hook by the door. "What brings you here?"
Chuuya bowed his head in greeting, before asking, "Is Kouyou around?"
"Chuuya?" a familiar voice asked, a confused yet tender smile on her face.
Chuuya turned around slightly, his older half-sister standing in all her kimono-clad glory in the doorway of her personal office. She was quite the figure, too. Beauty, grace and an impeccable etiquette with an underlining hint of steel, a vixen with perfectly manicured claws as drenched in blood as the rest of them… that was Kouyou Ozaki Nakahara.
He greeted her with a head nod and subdued smile. "Ane-san."
The redheaded woman's elegant brows furrowed as she walked closer to her brother, getting a better look at Chuuya's face. He looks like he's seen a ghost. I don't think I've ever seen him this pale and… shaken before.
"Why don't we have some tea?" she finally said, gathering her brother underneath one arm gently while she spoke over her shoulder, "Would you send some tea to my office?"
"Of course, miss," the front desk receptionist replied, picking up the phone to her right.
She led Chuuya into her private office, directing him to sit at one of the cushions in front of her low-lying tea table, before walking over to her desk to finish with the paperwork she had left on it. Trying to talk to Chuuya at the moment wouldn't amount to anything—it looked like he needed more time to process whatever was happening with him. Some minutes went by in relative silence, only the scratching of Kouyou's pen being heard, before a knock on the door grabbed the two occupant's attention.
"Miss Kouyou?" a soft voice was heard on the other side.
"Come in, Kyouka." Kouyou answered, placing her finished paperwork to one side.
The young girl, also clad in a kimono, slid open the door before walking inside, carrying a tea tray with her. Kyouka Izumi, Kouyou's younger cousin as well as her ward after her parents' death, placed the tea on the table in front of Chuuya, who seemed to startle at the sound, before turning to face Kouyou.
"Thank you, dear." Kouyou said, coming from behind her desk and laying a hand on the girl's bluish-black hair lightly.
Kyouka smiled slightly at the older woman, nodding in response.
"Would you mind telling the others I'm not to be disturbed for the next few hours?" Kouyou asked, glancing down at her brother again; he'd hardly moved at all.
Kyouka followed her line of sight, looking at how uncharacteristically quiet the petite orange-haired man was being, and nodded once more. "Of course." With another bow, she left the room as silent as she came in, closing the door behind her.
Kouyou took her seat across from Chuuya and busied herself with making the tea, trying not to let her worry show as Chuuya still said nothing. After pouring the both of them a cup, she took in a deep breath before speaking.
"Chuuya?" she asked kindly, slowly, getting her brother's attention. "What seems to be bothering you? I don't think I've ever seen you quite like this before."
Chuuya let out a breath before picking up his tea cup and blowing lightly on it; once it was cool enough, he took a sip—chamomile, of course. He stared at the liquid like it held all the answers to the universe before finally looking up at his sister. "Ane-san , I… I don't even…" he trailed off, biting his bottom lip as he looked to the side. Where to start?
Kouyou was now officially concerned. She reached across the table and placed a hand on top of the one not holding the cup; it was shaking some. "Has something happened?"
"You could say that." Chuuya murmured quietly before heaving out a sigh and placing his cup back on the table. He didn't even know where to start, his thoughts an absolute mess inside his head.
"Whenever you're ready, Chuuya." Kouyou said soothingly to him, squeezing his hand. "There's no rush."
"They've figured out who is behind the attacks." Chuuya said, deciding to start with that; according to his parents, they haven't filled Kouyou in yet on anything, wanting to speak with him first.
Kouyou's eyebrows rose at that. "They have?" She nodded some. "That's good news, I suppose." But not what Chuuya really wants to tell her.
Chuuya, staring at the table now, recited what his mother had told him (and Atsushi) earlier, knowing Kouyou actually needed to know this information… and stalling on the real reason he'd ended up at her place. Between sips of tea and avoiding eye contact, he continued speaking until he reached the part about Ranpo's "plan"; she reacted just as he did, though less… explosive.
"The Tsushima Family?" Kouyou asked, disbelief painting her carefully made-up face. "Ranpo truly believes that's our only option?"
Chuuya nodded. "That's what Father and Mr. Fukuzawa told me."
"We've never had a reason to distrust any of Ranpo's assessments, but that one seems a bit… outlandish." Kouyou remarked, her perfectly manicured magenta nails tapping along her tea cup. "What did Father say?"
"He agreed with Ranpo," Chuuya sighed, "and had Mr. Fukuzawa set up a meeting." When Kouyou gave no reply, he went on. "Mr. Fukuzawa and two others were sent to meet with some representatives from the Tsushima Family and a… compromise was reached."
"A compromise?" Kouyou asked slowly. "With our greatest rivals?"
The petite redhead nodded.
"Just what was asked for?" The redheaded woman looked at her brother once more. "What compromise was reached?"
"An alliance." Chuuya answered. "Father had Mr. Fukuzawa ask for an alliance with the Tsushima's, for their help in taking out our enemy."
"And what did the Tsushima's want in return?" she asked, knowing as well as Chuuya did that the Tsushima's didn't do anything for free. "For their help, what did they ask for?"
When Kouyou didn't hear anything from Chuuya for a good two minutes, she looked at her brother again and… her scarlet red eyes widened. He was floating a good two feet in the air, the cushion glowing a crimson just as his body was. He lost control over his Ability. Kouyou's never seen him lose control before; he probably had the best control over his Ability out of anyone in their Family. He had to, given the power he houses in addition to his already-impressive Ability.
"Chuuya?" Nothing. "Chuuya!" Still nothing, and now the room seemed to almost vibrate. "Chuuya!" she finally shouted and threw a paperweight from her desk at him, trying to get his attention.
It worked. The paperweight hit him in the gut and, still sore and bruised from when his mother gravity-punched him earlier, it snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts. He deactivated his Ability and fell back to the ground with a silent thwump.
Kouyou stood up from her seat and walked around the table before kneeling down in front of her clearly-distraught brother. "Chuuya?" She placed a hand on his shoulder and it was then that he collapsed, like a puppet with its strings cut, falling into her lap as tears finally fell; the entirety of the situation he's now found himself in hitting him like a freight train.
Kouyou let him cry, making shushing noises and running her fingers through his curls. She held him as he let everything out, even though she didn't know what was going on yet; she knew he needed this. Whatever it was, it was major—Chuuya rarely, if ever, loses it like this. About ten minutes went by like this, the younger redhead's sobs and the older's soothing words the only sounds in the room.
Once the sobs quieted down into just sniffles, Chuuya lifted his face out of the folds of his sister's kimono and took a deep breath to try and compose himself. Kouyou reached up her hand and wiped the tears from Chuuya's face with her sleeve, the petite man leaning into the soft touch for a few more moments.
"Better?" Kouyou finally asked with a sympathetic smile, tucking a strand of orange hair behind his ear.
He nodded, wiping his nose as discreetly as he could. "Yeah, I am. Thanks, Ane-san." He looked up at her face with a small smile, barely a quirk of his lips, before down at her clothing. "I'm sorry about your kimono."
The graceful woman waved it off. "Do not worry about it." She watched him take a few more deep breaths before she asked, "Are you ready to talk about it now?"
His body stiffened right back up but he nodded regardless. "I am, I think."
She smoothed a hand through his hair again, waiting for him to speak.
"You asked what the Tsushima's wanted in exchange for their help." He finally said, staring down at his fingers.
"I did," she replied to him, waiting patiently.
"What they wanted, really, was a way to maintain the alliance." Chuuya explained, twisting his fingers together now. "A way to ensure that neither Family would betray the other."
"Alright." Kouyou hummed out, nodding her understanding. "I assume they came up with that something?"
Chuuya swallowed roughly, taking deeper breaths to steady himself again. "They did."
Kouyou raised an eyebrow in question, before placing her hands over top of Chuuya's fidgeting ones, causing him to finally look back up at her. "Chuuya, you're stalling." He nearly flinched at that. "Whatever this solution was they came up with, it's why you're here, isn't it? Why you just broke down and can't stop shaking."
"It is," he said, biting his lower-lip. "I— they proposed a union."
"Union?" she asked, puzzled at the word choice. "What kind of union?"
"Marriage." Chuuya finally said. "A marriage between the heirs of the Families, actually."
Now Kouyou was the one shocked into silence. Of all the things they could have suggested, could have asked for, they went with an arranged marriage?! Between enemies steeped in so much hate and resentment for the other they could barely stand the sight of each other? How does that make any sense? She thought the Tsushima Family were supposed to be geniuses, how does asking for a marriage make any logical sense?
…okay, actually, now that she thinks more on it, it was a pretty good deterrent for betrayal; having the heirs of the two Families wed would almost guarantee that the heads of the Families wouldn't do anything to break the agreement, or it was their children's life at stake. Underhanded and sneaky with almost no way to fail, that was definitely the Tsushima's way.
Kouyou blinked then, as something occurred to her. Chuuya said a marriage between the heirs—and as far as she knew, the other Family only had one heir, a son if she wasn't mistaken. Which left their Family, who had two. Her heart almost stopped beating at that thought… before it hit her all at once. His mood, his reactions, the lost of control over his Ability…
"It's you." She finally spoke, locking her eyes with Chuuya's blue ones. "You're the one…"
He nodded as Kouyou trailed off, lost for words. "Yeah, it is."
"But why?" Honestly, she was thrilled it wasn't her, but at the same time, she was just as confused as to why it wasn't. "I thought, given that the other Family's heir was a man, they would have chosen me for the bride. It would make the most logical sense, after all."
Chuuya gave her a humorless smile. "So did I, when Father told me." He looked down at the floor again. "But, it's me. They were quite clear on that fact."
"What do you mean by, "quite clear"?" she asked, head tilted to the side in question.
"More like insistent." Chuuya pursed his lips before glancing back up. "It has to be me or…" he swallowed past the lump in his throat, "…or there's no deal."
"The Tsushima Family were really that adamant that it be—" she was cut off.
"No, not the Tsushima Family," he corrected. "The heir was the one who insisted." He rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. "For some unknown reason, he really wants… really wants me." He huffed out a sad chuckle. "And I have no fuckin' clue as to why."
Kouyou had nothing to say, nothing she could say, really. She just pulled him into a tight hug, holding him as he gripped her back just a tight, petite figure nearly shaking in her arms. He wasn't crying, though, so that was an improvement.
"And, going from your reaction, and the fact that I know you so well, you agreed, didn't you?" she said softly, one of her hands moving back up to run through his hair.
He nodded his affirmation against her chest.
She sighed out. "I thought as much." And she wasn't the least bit surprised. Her brother was as loyal as they come, and with a soft heart who cared about everyone he considered important. He'll do whatever he has to to save the lives of the people he loves, even if that meant trading his own in the process.
But what worried her the most was the fact that the Tsushima Family's heir was very clear about the fact that it was Chuuya he wanted, no one else. Even at the cost of a beneficial alliance. Why? That was the ten billion yen question.
Looking down at her brother, she felt how his breathing had evened out and his body became more lax in her hold. He'd fallen asleep. She smiled affectionately at him before gathering the petite figure in her arms before standing up, only stumbling for a second under the extra weight, before heading to the secret door at the back of her office that led to her private quarters. Once through, she headed to the guest bedroom and deposited her slumbering brother on the futon, tucking him in and placing a kiss on his head.
After leaving the room, she went back to her office. She still had more paperwork to finish and her businesses ran into the wee hours of the morning, anyways. She did send a quick text to her father to let him and Colette know that Chuuya was staying the night with her, as well as another one saying she will be needing to talk with them later. Once that was done, she let out a breath and pushed everything she just learned to the side, locking it in a box, and focused back on her work. At this point, there was nothing anyone could do to change Chuuya's mind… and Ranpo was pretty certain that this idea was what they needed to finally win, so this problem was out of her hands.
That didn't mean her father wouldn't be hearing from her on what she thought about his decision making, as well as the fact that they hadn't talked to her about any of this until Chuuya explained it all that night. Words would be said, that's for sure. She also would be there for her brother every step of the way, though, in any way he needed her.
Character Descriptions
- Chuuya Sidonie Nakahara: shoulder-length, curly striking copper orange hair with cheek- and jaw-length side-locks, a lip-length lock over the middle of forehead, and a longer section on the left side that fell to the shoulder blade; azure blue eyes; a fair complexion; a petite, muscular body with slender shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; a heart-shaped face; dainty features; well-defined cheekbones; long eyelashes; a cupid's bow mouth; 5'3"; a black leather choker—worn in the style of a pet collar
Role: Consigliere/Executive of the Nakahara Family; Heir of the Nakahara Family; Executive Vice-President of Nakahara Enterprises; Head of the Silver Wolf Guerrilla Squad (former)
Age: 22
Birthday: April 29
Nationality: Half-Japanese/Half-French
Ability: For the Tainted Sorrow
vessel for the God of Destruction and Calamity, Arahabaki
revolved around gravity-manipulation, allowing him to create, shape and manipulate gravity (a natural phenomenon by which all physical bodies attract each other); able to alter the gravity of himself, as well as other objects and people, but only if he had touched it first, keeping it that way until a certain period of time passed or let it go; able to bend gravity to make the environment very "heavy" or "light"; able to repel and attract matter and energy, regardless of its mass
Corruption: a form of his Ability used in conjunction with Arahabaki, making it exceedingly more powerful, but also more dangerous; activated by the verses: Grantors of Dark Disgrace, / You Need Not Wake Me Again and caused black, red-outlined, sigil markings covering the arms in swirling lines that ended in an almost angular, C-looking shape with a dot in the center on back of the hands, more swirling lines around the neck leading to an almost angular, C-looking shape with a dot in the center over both cheeks and middle of forehead, more swirling lines along the torso, and an almost angular, C-looking shape with a dot in the center over the forearms; allowed him to create, shape and manipulate the gravitons (elementary particles that mediate the force of gravitation) in his surroundings; able to shoot balls of compressed gravity that acted as black holes that swallowed anything they touched, compressing them into oblivion; by increasing his own density, he's capable of crushing something as large as a tank with his bare hands; by decreasing his own density, he's able to fly; downside was that he had no control over it and he would continue in that crazed state, if it was not nullified, until his body broke down and he died
Arahabaki's true form: a quadrupedal beast; midnight black fur with a mane-like heavy growth of fur around the neck and jaws, crimson red zigzag markings along the body and legs, and a crimson red almost angular, C-looking shaped sigil with a dot in the center over the forehead; a thick, longish and fluffy coat with short underfur and long, coarse guard-hairs; glowing fiery ruby eyes with slitted pupils; an elongated, powerful build with sleek muscling, a sloping back, muscular limbs, and clawed, four-digit paws; a long, lithe tail with crimson red zigzag markings along the length and the end splitting into two long, fluffy strands; a fairly narrow, large head with a triangular face, an elongated rostrum, a black nose, sharp, angled eyes, and black/dark gray-striped, twisted-backward horns at the sides; powerful, strong jaws with large, pronounced canines and carnassial teeth; long, upright, triangular ears; a permeant crimson red glow surrounding the body; had violet-black flames flickering off the back and covering the tail
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -
expert in Taekwondo, Savate, Savate du Rue, Savate Knife Fighting, Wing Chun, Kung-Fu, Karate, Judo, Jujutsu, Muay Thai, Gyrisajutsu, and Close-Quarters Combat
knife mastery: excelled in knife fighting with an emphasis in Savate Knife Fighting
gifted intellect, master assassin, and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage
master tactician: a skilled tactical mind
master acrobat: an extraordinary master acrobat, gymnast, and aerialist; often utilized in combat for both evasive and offensive purposes; combined with extremely enhanced agility, had expertise in utilizing parkour and tricking flips in attacks and takedowns
skilled calligrapher, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist
Combat Knife: a stainless steel, broad blade with a clip point; an S-guard; a black stacked leather washer hilt; a leather scabbard
Stiletto Daggers: a long, slender, stainless steel blade with a needle-like point and a narrow cross-section; a small black hilt; a silver cross-guard
Main Outfit: a black blazer trench coat with a rose pink inner-lining and large rose pink lapels—left open; a black 3/4-sleeved bolero jacket with rose pink thick cuffs—left open; a charcoal gray waistcoat; a white dress shirt—sleeves worn rolled up at the elbows; a black leather chest-harness that's X-crossed over the front/back and held together by a small silver buckle at the center of chest; black fitted slacks; a brown belt with a silver rectangular buckle; black leather, low-arch, mid-heeled, ankle boots; black leather gloves; a black fedora hat with a rose pink hatband; Combat Knife—kept sheathed and attached to chest-harness, under coat; twin Stiletto Daggers—kept sheathed with the hilts facing opposite sides on lower-back, in belt
- Atsushi Nakajima: shortish-medium, light silvery-gray hair, swept forward in loose spikes, with a nape-length side-lock on the right side and uneven, asymmetrical fringe; purple eyes with yellow along the bottom curve of pupil (segmental heterochromia); a pale complexion; a slim, wiry body with slender shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; deep scars on the hands; a scar on the left side of stomach; 5'6"
Role: Caporegime of the Nakahara Family; Chuuya's Personal Assistant in Nakahara Enterprises; Second-in-Command of the Silver Wolf Guerrilla Squad (former); High School Student at Yokohama Private Academy (3rd Year/12th Grade)
Age: 18
Birthday: May 5
Nationality: Half-Japanese/Half-Chinese
Ability: Beast Beneath the Moonlight
vessel for the White Tiger God, Byakko
able to transform fully into a white tiger; had several varying states of transformation—which ranged from a rather large full tiger form, to just slit pupils and tiger stripes on his face; could transform and manifest various tiger body parts at will, such as tiger forearms with claws, or a tiger tail; had extreme regenerative/restoration powers; possessed immense speed, durability, strength, stamina and endurance
tiger form: silvery-white fur with distinctive vertical black stripes and a mane-like heavy growth of fur around the neck and jaws; a short, dense, heavy coat; yellow eyes with slitted pupils surrounded by purple; a lean, powerful build with sleek muscling, powerful fore-limbs, and large paws that had long, sharp claws; a long, lithe, black-ringed tail; a large head with a slightly long postorbital region and a long, cleft nose; extremely powerful, large jaws with somewhat curved canines and fairly stout teeth; small, rounded ears with a prominent black spot on the back; deep scars on the front paws (under fur); a deep scar on left side of stomach (under fur)
Byakko's true form: a tiger; pure white fur with distinctive vertical black stripes and a mane-like heavy growth of fur around the neck and jaws; a short, dense, heavy coat; glowing yellow eyes with slitted pupils; a lean, powerful build that had thick muscling, powerful fore-limbs, and large paws with long, sharp claws; a long, lithe, black-ringed tail; a large head with a slightly long postorbital region and a long, cleft nose; extremely powerful, large jaws with somewhat curved canines and fairly stout teeth; small, rounded ears with a prominent black spot on the back; a permeant cyan blue glow surrounding the body
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -
expert in Close-Quarters Combat, Melee Combat, Tiger-Style Kung-Fu, Wing Chun, Judo, Jujutsu, and Muay Thai
master assassin, well-versed in the art of observation, perception, deductive reasoning, and interrogation, and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage
master acrobat: an extraordinary master acrobat, gymnast, and aerialist; often utilized in combat for both evasive and offensive purposes; combined with extremely enhanced agility, had expertise in utilizing parkour and tricking flips in attacks and takedowns
skilled thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist
Main Outfit: a white dress shirt with the sleeves cuffed at the elbows; a loose black tie; black capri slacks; a black suspenders/belt combo with a long stretch of the belt dangling loose from the silver buckle; black leather ankle boots with slits at the front; black fingerless gloves
School Uniform: a black gakuran uniform jacket with a mandarin collar and buttoning down from top-to-bottom; a white dress shirt—top few buttons left undone; a crimson red tie; black straight-leg gakuran uniform pants; a black belt with a long stretch of the belt dangling loose from the silver buckle; brown loafers; black fingerless gloves
- Naomi Tanizaki: butt-length, straight raven black hair, in a princess-style cut, with the bangs swept to the side and twin jaw-length side-locks; mercury gray eyes; an alabaster complexion; a slender body with a hourglass figure, average bust, flat stomach, and slender legs; a beauty mark underneath left eye; 5'6"
Role: Giovane d'onore of the Nakahara Family; Colette's Personal Assistant in Nakahara Enterprises; High School Student at Yokohama Private Academy (2nd Year/11th Grade)
Age: 17
Birthday: November 12
Nationality: Japanese
Ability: N/A
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -
effective in Close-Quarters Combat and Aikido
well-versed in the art of observation, perception, deductive reasoning and interrogation and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage
skilled thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, and sleight of hand
Main Outfit: a white sleeveless blouse with a curved collar and a smooth, woven fabric—worn tucked into skirt; a black ribbon worn tied around the collar; a cherry red A-line midi-skirt with a high-waist and a black waistband; brown suede heels with tapered heels, plentiful cutouts, and ankle straps; crimson red square stud earrings
School Uniform: a white long-sleeved sailor fuku uniform blouse with a white stripe circling either black cuff, a black sailor-style collar (with one white stripe), and a crimson red scarf tied in the front and laced through a black loop attached to the blouse; a black pleated sailor fuku uniform miniskirt; black shin socks; brown penny loafers
- Kouyou Ozaki Nakahara: thigh-length, straight copper red hair, kept tied into a traditional Japanese bun held by four long golden clips, with straight-cut bangs that only covered left eye, a hair clip on the right side of head composed of a pale pink furry puff topped by a magenta red ribbon which formed a three-petal flower that had two long strings dangling down, and a bubblegum pink six-petal flower-shaped bow that had twin orange strings coming off it at the base of hair at the back; scarlet red eyes; an alabaster complexion; a slender body with a hourglass figure, average bust, flat stomach, and slender legs; 5'6"; red eyeshadow; light pink lipstick; magenta pink nail polish
Role: Consigliere/Executive of the Nakahara Family; Heiress Apparent of the Nakahara Family; Executive Vice-President and Public Relations Manager of Nakahara Enterprises; Proprietor of Ozaki Courtesan Houses (brothel)
Age: 26
Birthday: January 10
Nationality: Japanese
Ability: Golden Demon
allowed her to materialize and control a sword-wielding phantom, known as Golden Demon, with her own will
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -
expert in Kenjutsu, Iaidō, Shinkendo, and Kendo
effective in Close-Quarters Combat, Judo, Jujutsu, and Muay Thai
master assassin, expert seductress, and skilled in psychological warfare, espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage
skilled tactician: a skilled strategist, being extremely skilled in using cunning deception and trickery to gain a strategic advantage
possessed an instinctive ability to "read" behavioral characteristics and manipulate people
skilled calligrapher, lip reader, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist
Umbrella Sword: a red wagasa (Japanese parasol) adorned with a 4-pointed golden flower, trimmed in pink, near the ferrule; a pure silver, suguha (straight), slender, single-edged blade; a handle with a red tsuka-ito (hilt-wrapping) and pale gold samegawa (ray skin wrap) (pressed a special button at the base of the handle to access blade)
Katana: a suguha (straight), slender, single-edged, silver blade; a black tsuka-ito (hilt-wrapping) with red samegawa (ray skin wrap), a gold elliptical tsuba (hand-guard), and a gold kashira (pommel); a black painted saya (scabbard) with a gold kojiri (end cap)
Main Outfit: a silk mantle with a white-colored upper-half (from shoulders to elbows) and bubblegum pink-colored lower-half (from elbows to feet), red spider lily motifs along the bottom, and bat-wing sleeves; a light pink overlapped by dark purple traditional, long, silk kimono with red spider lily motifs along the bottoms, and wide sleeves, kept closed by a maroon purple obi-belt tied in a bow with white borders; a white under-kimono; brown leather, mid-heeled, ankle boots; Wagasa—kept in hand
- Kyouka Izumi: thigh-length, slightly curled dark bluish-black hair, worn tied into two low twin-tails by white flower pins, with bangs gathered at the center of forehead and twin cheek-length side-locks; sapphire blue eyes; a fair complexion; a petite, slender body with a hourglass figure, petite bust, flat stomach, and slender legs; 4'10"; a chain necklace with cellphone attached
Role: Giovane d'onore of the Nakahara Family; Kouyou's Personal Assistant in Nakahara Enterprises; Junior High School Student at Yokohama Private Academy (3rd Year/9th Grade)
Age: 14
Birthday: November 4
Nationality: Japanese
Ability: Demon Snow
allowed her to materialize and control a sword-wielding phantom, known as Demon Snow, with her own will
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -
expert in Kenjutsu, Iaidō, Shinkendo, and Kendo
effective in Close-Quarters Combat
master assassin and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage
master acrobat: an extraordinary master acrobat, gymnast, and aerialist; often utilized in combat for both evasive and offensive purposes; combined with extremely enhanced agility, had expertise in utilizing parkour and tricking flips in attacks and takedowns
skilled thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist
Chokutō: a straight, single-edged, stainless steel blade; a light wooden rectangular hilt; a light wooden scabbard
Main Outfit: a red long, silk kimono with a yellow sprout-like pattern along the bottom and bat-wing 3/4-sleeves, kept closed by a neatly tied yellow datejime that turned orange near the ends; white shin tabi socks; red straw zōri sandals; dark red wrist-bands that hooked around the middle fingers—around either wrist; yellow wrist-pads secured by a red ribbon—around either wrist; yellow ankle-pads secured by a red ribbon—around either ankle; Chokutō—kept sheathed in datejime
School Uniform: a white long-sleeved sailor fuku uniform blouse with a white stripe circling either black cuff, a black sailor-style collar (with one white stripe), and a crimson red scarf tied in the front and laced through a black loop attached to the blouse; a black pleated sailor fuku uniform skirt; black shin socks; brown penny loafers; dark red wrist-bands that hooked around the middle fingers—around either wrist; Chokutō—kept on back, in specialized harness
And there we go. You can consider this the end of the prologue, basically. These first three chapters were essentially background, getting everything in order for the real story to start. But the question everyone wants the answer to... why is Dazai so insistent on having Chuuya? We shall see ;)
If you didn't catch it, Chuuya and Atsushi both are able to communicate with the Gods sealed inside them, as well as the Gods being able to talk to them. When the Gods talk to them, it was like thoughts appearing in their head, but the humans can either respond out loud or in their head.
Translations (again, used Google Translate so I apologize if they suck)
- Où diable avez-vous été?! J'ai été inquiet malade! Pourquoi n'avez-vous pas répondu à votre téléphone?: Where the hell have you been?! I've been worried sick! Why didn't you answer your phone?
- Pourquoi avez-vous l'air si écoeuré?: Why do you look so disheveled?
- Maman, s'il te plaît, calme-toi. Je vais bien. Atsushi et moi-même sommes allés dans la rue pour dîner, mais nous avons eu des problèmes en revenant. Rien que nous ne pouvions pas gérer.: Mom, please calm down. I'm fine. Atsushi and I just went down the street to grab some dinner, but ran into some trouble on our way back. Nothing we couldn't handle.
- Et j'ai oublié d'apporter mon téléphone avec moi. Je m'excuse de t'inquiéter.: And I forgot to bring my phone with me. I apologize for worrying you.
- petit tigre: little tiger
- Mon fils: My son
- Mon beau garçon. Je suis vraiment désolé.: My beautiful boy. I am so sorry.
- Mère, qu'est-ce qui ne va pas?: Mother, what's wrong?
- mon cher: my dear