I LIIIIVVVVEEEEE!!!!!
I swear I didn't intend it to take 10 months to get this chapter out but that's life for you. Hard to be able to write when you have COVID TWICE.
But as I've said, I will not abandon this fic, if I do there will be a note saying I am, but it's not going to happen.
Plus the new seasons inspired me and I kept writing it because of that.
And to all who have read chapter 110 of the manga, have faith! I believe in our boys!
Warning: this is a heavy angst chapter.
Yokohama: 16 Years Ago…
Despite his instant ramen having long since gone cold, Dr. Mori still urged himself to consume it. The war had taught him not to waste sustenance unless it was fermented mackerel– in which case, he would rather starve.
The last of his recent patients hobbled out of his clinic an hour ago; now he poured over reports of incidents around the city, slurping down the plebian fare, while Elise kept to her coloring by the window.
"I'm bored, Rintaro." She complained. "We never have fun anymore."
"I'll take you to the park tomorrow, darling. We can go shopping afterwards."
Elise jumped in alarm. Knowing she would likely be dragged to every shop in town. She stomped her heel and crossed her arms. Pouting like the spoiled twelve year old Mori commissioned her to be. "No way! That's boring too. I want something exciting."
"Worry not my darling, after we take over the Port Mafia, our lives will be anything but boring."
She skipped over, plopped her elbows on his desk. "I hope so. Since Fuky left us, everything has been so dull. I miss when the two of you would paint everything such pretty shades of red."
It had been their specialty. Rivers of blood beneath their feet, skies raining scarlet like the plagues of old. Artists who's brushes were they're blades, and enemies they're canvases. The days when the Soukoku stood back to back against a thousand foes with Elise's zealous cheers and nothing but a single katana, shimmering silver scalpels, and absolute confidence in each other.
The glory days.
Days long gone since the end of the war marked the end of Mori and Fukuzawa's Soukoku partnership; a decision Fukuzawa made for both of them. A decision Mori hadn't dared fight him on… his greatest sin forfeited his right to.
It had been a month since his silver haired associate mowed his way through dozens of thugs in order to obtain information regarding his friends' untimely deaths… Judging by the report he was currently looking over, Fukuzawa had successfully snared his prey.
'Of course he did.' Mori thought, and based on these reports, the Mutt– as he liked to call him– had yet to leave Yokohama. There were several occurrences that bore his mark. Subtle and clean; unnoticeable to anyone except Mori. Minor incidents that had been at the bottom of his own internal to-do list.
This could be problematic, especially if he were to figure out the truth of it all sooner than intended.
Some noodles broke, falling into his lap, making him curse and Elise burst into laughter as he scrambled to clean them up. "You're hopeless, Rintaro."
He sighed heavily, unable to disagree. For a once glittering diamond to become so warn was tragic. The creaking of his office door interrupted his self pity party– he really needed to fix that– In padded the same happy-go-lucky calico feline who had been lingering about his office for weeks. No matter how many times Mori attempted chasing the purring creature away, it kept coming back.
This was the last straw.
"Alright pussycat, your nine lives are up!" He pulled a syringe from his drawer and stomped to his cabinet for the right drug to send the nuisance to eternal rest.
Elise wasn't as keen on the idea. "Rintaro, no! It's cute."
He didn't care; grabbing the dumb animal by the scruff of its neck, about to administer the injection… freezing at the feeling of cold steel puncturing his neck instead of the cat.
"The only expired life here will be yours, should you even think about proceeding, Doctor." Fukuzawa growled.
Mori huffed, dropping the cat and syringe, waiting for the katana at his neck to be sheathed before responding. "It's laughable for someone of your profession to have such a bleeding heart, Mutt. Still suffering delusions of being able to talk to cats?"
"At least I don't frolic with little girls." He retorted, disposing of the lethal injection.
"Fuky!" Elise's golden curls bounced as she dashed forward, wrapping Fukuzawa's legs in a tight bear hug. Normally Mori would protest, but how could he deny his darling such joy?
Or deny himself the joy of Fukuzawa's iry?
"How many times have I told you, don't call me that?!" He shouted before looking at Mori. "Get this abomination off of me!" Of all the abilities Fukuzawa has encountered, there was none he deemed more vile than his former partners.
"Oh! I missed you too, Fuky!"
"Anyone granted the privilege of Elise's angelic embrace should feel honored." The doctor mused. "Even if she only does it to make me jealous."
"Angelic is hardly the word I would use to describe your vile perversions. Now call it off!"
Having no choice but to resort to bribery by relinquishing the key to Elise's sweets compartment, Mori could only slump back into his chair. "I don't see you for five years, now twice in the same month?... I don't know whether to be flattered or worried, Fukuzawa."
"I'm not here of my own volition." He said, attention shifting to the meowing cat craving affection that the assassin was happy to give. "For reasons I don't fully understand, someone wanted to speak with you."
"Really?" Mori raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Who?"
"Me of course. Ranpo Edogawa!"
A boy who couldn't be more than twelve years old, leapt out from behind Fukuzawa and moseyed over to Elise, exchanging snacks like old friends. Stupefying Mori. "Edogawa? So The Clairvoyant had a child, did he?" He peered back at Fukuzawa. "What is a little orphaned kitten like this doing pouncing about with a ferocious mongrel like you?"
Fukuzawa glowered, Ranpo beat him to the answer. "Mr. Bodyguard-Man is my guardian now. It was in my parents' will so I'm his kid now."
Between the two of them, it was always Mori who had the sense of humor, dark humor mind you, but humor nonetheless. He knew how to laugh on occasion, whereas Fukuzawa was permanently stone-faced. A fact being made apparent now upon confirming the young Edogawa's statement. "Oh!" He exclaimed through rampant laughter. "This is just… precious. Shall I break out cigars to commemorate your entry into fatherhood?"
"This isn't funny!"
Like hell it wasn't! "This explains why you've been traipsing around the last few weeks. Riding the city of vermin to make a safer environment for your new cub?"
"Not even close." Ranpo said. "Mr. Bodyguard-Man and I have been investigating my dad's work before he died, and thanks to my super awesome gift, I was able to conclude that he was close to taking down the Port Mafia. He even managed to stay under the boss's radar… that is, until you tipped him off."
Mori's gleeful manner took a one-eighty turn while Fukuzawa looked as if someone had just slapped him in the face. Ranpo nonchalantly continued.
"You needed someone to preoccupy the boss long enough for you to line all your remaining pieces up for checkmate. My dad was perfect because you needed him out of the way too, after all, what would've stopped him from coming after you too? So you tipped off the boss to order the hit. It all worked out the way you hoped it would. Except, you didn't count on Mr. Bodyguard-Man coming back home until after you took over the Port Mafia."
Silence deafened the room and Mori felt every atomic wave of anger Fukuzawa emanated in his direction, he ignored it in favor of Ranpo. Not about to insult such an unbelievable 'gifted' and uniquely brilliant character with denial. "Well, I must say I'm impressed." He spoke to Fukuzawa without looking at him, "Quiet the find you have here, Yukichi. This boy is… extraordinary."
His complacence just stoked the flames of the assassin's anger.
"So it's retribution then… The two of you seek justice for his parents?" His voice turned earnest. "Then at least do me the honor of killing me with your true sword, not that cheap imitation you lug around like a broken limb."
"You're hardly deserving of honor–"
"You couldn't be more wrong." Ranpo interrupted; shrugged puerile, like a bored child sick of their parents' lectures. "Geez, grownups are so stupid. I'm never growing up." Both men piqued. "It's true, if I asked him to, Mr. Bodyguard-Man would kill you, no problem, but that defeats the point me being here. I just came to Inform you that your plan to take over the Port Mafia won't work."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I didn't tell him, he figured it out on his own." Fukuzawa said when Mori cut him an accusatory look.
"At least, it won't work right now, but…" the boy inspected a map of Yokohama on Mori's desk. Having put on a poor pair of glasses while munching on an offered bag of sweet snacks, he pinned his finger to an obscure area by the docks "Right here is where you'll find the missing piece that guarantees your victory. If I were you, I'd hurry because your window of opportunity is closing fast, then you can kiss your seat of power goodbye."
It was a good thing this child piqued Mori's interest. It was obvious he wasn't gifted in the same sense that he and Fukuzawa were, super human nonetheless. He recognized his intelligence as astounding, not ludicrous ramblings of an arrogant adolescent. "What is it exactly that I'm meant to find? As far as I can tell the only ones hindering my victory are the two of you."
Despite being so straight forward before, Ranpo gave the most cryptic answer possible. "Everything you've searched for, everything you've ever wanted, and everything you never knew you needed… It's waiting for you. Without it, you'll never have what you want most of all."
"And what is that?"
Firm emerald orbs looked directly into the violet eyes of evil and answered with full accuracy. "Two things… Absolute power, and to save Yokohama. You just happen to want one more than the other." Whichever one that was, didn't matter as they both coincided. "Obviously my parents played a part in the greater good. They wanted to save Yokohama and all the dumb people who live in it. I didn't understand before your partner over there, helped me realize my ability. Now I know that everyone else in the world is stupid and it's up to me to enlighten them, starting with you."
Mori blinked, fairly sure this boy had just called him 'stupid.'
"Your death would only make things worse. Criminal as you are, you're necessary to the balance that holds this city together. Kinda ironic that letting you get away with your crimes is the only way to ensure my parents didn't die for nothing."
Unlike his new ward, Fukuzawa wasn't remotely insouciant. Of all the times he wanted to kill the metaphorical shield to his sword, this time rivaled a certain instance towards the end of the war.
To Mori, this was a game. He loved games as long as he was the victor by the end. The best way to ensure that was to play along long enough to shift the odds in one's own favor. "To the docks, you say?"
"If I were you I'd hurry up, grandpa" Ranpo's answer was muffled by a full mouth.
"Grandpa?" The doctor snorted, offended. "I'll have you know I'm still in my early thirties, boy."
'Only in his dreams,' Fukuzawa thought; chose not to voice since the Soukoku were the same age. Elise wasn't as considerate.
"Well, I suppose it is a lovely evening for a walk. There's supposed to be a beautiful full moon tonight." Mori said, changing from his stained lab coat to his trusty black trenchcoat.
"You should go with him." Ranpo told Fukuzawa. Making him curse.
The moon was just starting to rise when they arrived at the docks. Only a couple of minor confrontations along the way that were more annoying than concerning, like pesky mosquitoes in need of swatting, not even worth falling out of step and definitely not enough to break Fukuzawa's silent streak.
How Mori wished Elise hadn't insisted on staying behind with her newly, pet named 'RoRo' to indulge in her mountain of sweets together with the spared feline. At least he could have ignored the judgmental scowls if he had her radiance to focus on. "Good grief, just say what you want to say, Yukichi. If your face contorts any tighter, not even my scalpels could cut it loose."
"That boy is an orphan because of you."
"Perhaps, but before you climb any higher on that moral horse, take a moment to tally all of the women and children your career has left widowed and orphaned the last few years, and then attempt to judge me."
"They were my friends!" Fukuzawa shouted.
'So was I.' Mori thought forlornly. "Yet you still abandoned them with everything else!... Yes, I'm the reason they're dead and I have no qualms with it. You know better than anyone that I never allow trivial things like ethics hinder my ambitions. You also know everything I do, I do for Yokohama's benefit. Which is why you should start pointing the finger of blame towards yourself."
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Fukuzawa growled, Mori didn't flinch, years of pent up anger now darkening his face.
"Exactly as it sounds. Look around, Mutt!" He swiped his arm to emphasize. "Look at what's become of our home! A monster I am, but these days that's the only way to survive… At least I didn't run away." It was surprising that a man so lacking in human emotion could have so much repressed anger come bubbling to the surface.
Fukuzawa's own anger was just as feral. "You dare ridicule me after what you did?"
"What I did five years ago was unforgivable but what you did after was worse. And I don't mean assassinating the pro-war bureaucratic committee… You left our city to rot, deserted everything you were and became a pitiful mirage of the warrior I was once proud to stand beside!"
"How is what you're doing any better?" Though deep down, Fukuzawa already knew the answer. Unlike the new Director Taneda, he understood darkness was vital to light. Hence why the Silver Wolf saw the world in gray, and despite lacking a moral compass, in Mori's own twisted way, he had been diligently working to keep Yokohama from collapsing in on itself. Allowing they're natural born instinct to force him to shoulder the burden alone. Fukuzawa truly hated everything about the psychopath fate saw fit to make his other half; what he hated most was his vitiated way of always being right.
The doctor's silence inferred that he knew Fukuzawa's thoughts. Identical marks both men possessed on opposite hands cursed them to feel each other's pain.
Deep rooted sorrow and regrets… betrayals, long suffered alone.
He remained silent; casually continued onward knowing Fukuzawa would quickly follow.
"Why did you tell Ranpo he was gifted, 'supernaturally?'" Mori asked as they rounded a corner.
"It was the only way to keep him from getting himself killed. Before, he firmly believed that everyone was just as observant as he is. He's so naive that he couldn't understand why no one spoke the obvious truth. He ran his mouth off so much that he couldn't stay in school or hold a job. He got kicked out of every shelter and orphanage he was put in, even Social Services had enough of him. It would have been impossible for him to integrate into conventional society, I had no choice but to convince him the faults lied with the world around him."
"Must be why his parents kept him hidden away. Unsurprising that a pair of geniuses like them would conceive one twice as extraordinary. They must have feared his talents would be exploited so they sheltered him away from the world. I was even unaware they had a child."
"Like it would've stopped you if you had known."
Only Elise knew him so well.
They're such brought them to a darker, more secluded area close to the docks. "Where the hell are we?" Mori asked, squinting to see due to the cloud-cloaked moon.
"No idea, but it's where Ranpo said on the map so let's split up."
The doctor might have been more optimistic if they had some idea about what they were looking for. He was fairly certain it wasn't rusted old fish barrels, broken wood, or dirty used needles drug addicts discarded after their fix.
The clouds parted and silver moonlight lit up the darkness.
"Doctor!"
Mori rushed to see what Fukuzawa found. A chain locked cargo shipping container. Not uncommon to see near the ports but something about the way it was tucked away didn't sit well with either man. Like it had been left carelessly– or perhaps hastily?
"Very suspicious." Fukuzawa said.
Mori agreed, tugging on the thick chain a couple of times before giving up and motioning. "Would you be so kind?"
A roll of his eyes and a quick draw of his katana proved a samurai far superior to any locksmith. Guards high and weapons ready, they braced themselves for anything… or so they thought.
Immediately, the rancid stench of death and decay assaulted their nostrils when they opened the doors, causing both to double over, retching. Both the smell and the scene inside were too horrendous for description.
Over a dozen decaying corpses littered the container floor. Corpses of children.
Mori quickly pulled out a handkerchief and covered his mouth while Fukuzawa used the sleeve of his kimono. "Good heavens."
"Heaven has nothing to do with it, Mutt." It was pure hell.
"Is the Port Mafia responsible for this?"
"Without a doubt." Mori confirmed. Bending over to examine the bodies. 'It's no secret the boss started trafficking again… but for whatever reason, this bit of cargo was disregarded. Quite some time ago based on the state of decomposition." He almost sounded remorseful. "Considering where they were likely headed, this was almost a mercy."
"I knew the Port Mafia conducts unspeakable manners of business but this is hearsay!" Even a man vetted in the atrocities couldn't fathom such evils. "Is this what you intend to indorse?"
Mori glared despite the stench. "At the risk of sounding repetitive, I encourage you to take a good look. This is what Yokohama has come to. Rabid darkness with no leash. Proper leadership is vital to put an end to such atrocities but that might not be enough."
Fukuzawa was about to argue further, but an echoed rasp forced both men's attention to the other end of the container.
Out of the darkness emerged a boy younger than ten, who was more bone than body. His tattered clothes hang loosely on him like tissue paper blowing is the wind. Dirty brown bangs framed his sunken cheeks and eyes, eyes void of life but were wide with delight.
His appearance stunned the veterans like no carnage ever had. Mainly the fact that he was still alive. If you could call it life?
A flicker of moonlight reflected something gold in Mori's eye, moving his attention to what the horrifying child was holding… no, dragging. The equally emaciated, smaller arm of another child– A little girl, from the butterfly hairpin on her head. Dead or unconscious, he couldn't tell.
Mori was not easily staggered, but this half-dead boy's delighted grin was downright terrifying.
"A-re you death?" His cracked lips and sandpaper voice only added to the horror. "I've waited so l–ong–" He collapsed face first, still holding onto the girl, causing the men to bound over the longer dead children.
"Dear God!" Fukuzawa exclaimed, going to the boy while Mori went to the girl.
"Quick, let's get them outside!"
The boy was so thin he might as well have been air in Fukuzawa's arms. Once they laid the children on the ground, Mori set about putting his medical skill to use. "The boy still has a pulse but it's weakening. "The girl…" He moved to every point he knew until– "There! It's thready and faint, but she's just barely alive."
"How long do you suppose they were–"
"I have no idea. The fact that they are alive is nothing short of miraculous."
"How could anyone do this? Leave them to die so horrifically?" Fukuzawa asked, eyes drifting back to the shipping container.
"The boss couldn't care less, as long as he gets his money."
"That bastard! This is unforgivable!" His anger boiled! Hunter's nature now singling in on one atrocious individual… before another startling discovery made his breath hitch and the color drain from his skin. "Oagi… I believe we found what we were looking for."
This changed everything!
Mori looked confused until Fukuzawa elaborated, his reaction was coequal but fast replaced with fierce resolve. "We're taking them to my clinic." He said, scooping up the girl.
Fukuzawa hesitated. "They need a hospital."
"So the GSO can take them? No chance in hell."
"They could die otherwise."
"I'm the best doctor in the nation!!!" Now it was Mori's turn to lash out. "These little ones are not dying on my watch, even if I have to slit the fucking grim reaper's throat myself! We'll settle our grievances later, now grab the boy and let's go."
He looked back to the pile of dead children. "We can't just leave them like this."
"They're dead. Far beyond our help. Focus on the ones who still have a chance."
Yet another moral dilemma Mori had no problem swapping aside but made Fukuzawa sick with guilt. Made worse because Mori was right. Concentrating too much on the dead could deprive others of life. Looking down at the boy in his arms, it was like his eyes were open for the first time in years. He vowed never to stubbornly shut them again.
He was done chasing death, he had but one goal now. And so, with a heavy heart and a prayer of apology to the deceased, the Silver Wolf hurried after his colleague. Determined to see justice and vengeance for these children served.
Yokohama: Present Day
"What have you found?"
"Good morning to you too." Rokuzo snarked but Kunikida's stoney expression said he wasn't remotely in the mood for sarcasm. The teen awkwardly cleared his throat and proceeded typing on his keyboard, displaying a mosaic painting of surveillance footage on his plethora of screens. "I've gotta hand it to the weirdo, his ability to hijack electronics sure cut my work in half. Once he finally stuck his head out from under the covers long enough to open his laptop, it was almost comedic how fast he accessed every camera in the city."
This colossal invasion of privacy was outlandish but pivotal, even if it violated principle, Kunikida knew his mentor wouldn't have authorized otherwise.
Katai had heeded his King's order comprehensively, not stopping with city surveillance cameras; bank vaults, private home systems, cellphones, laptops, tablets, baby monitors, smart cars. Hundreds of tiny images reflected across the pristine clean spectacles of the man, all those unsuspecting lives who would one day call him 'King.'
Per his orders however, most of the fotages went overlooked. After Ranpo had returned from the city morgue with the deduction the murders of the junior agents occurred on the eastern side harbors, Kunikida had instructed Rokuzo to prioritize those areas of observation while Katai used his ability to sift through data under strict imperative to shut down this whole operation once the case was solved, this kind of God's Eye technology was to dangerous to be allowed to continue and he saw no reason in fully violating the public's trust in The Agency.
The order to hack into Gifted Special Operations databases was one Kunikida might be ashamed to admit he had no reservations over. Evident when the teenage cyber specialist brought up more windows on top of the existing ones.
"So far the police have hit the same dead ends in the murder case we have. However, their forensics specialists have identified the weapon used to chop up the victims as some kind of curved blade, most likely a scythe, which coincides with the former boss's ghost sightings. They also found traces of wool fibers on one of the bodies but I wouldn't think much of it.
Kunikida still noted it down, if being a detective taught him anything, it was that miniscule details were the most significant.
Rokuzo continued explaining. "In keeping with his majesty's orders, I've been keeping tabs on the GSO's net activities and let me tell you, Director Taneda has been one busy boy. Spending hours digging through some hella-encrpted files. Not sure even I could've hacked them without Mr. Mattress back there."
"Watch it. Katai is a senior agent and was vital in taking down the Azure King. He deserves respect and gratitude from you especially."
The teen visibly tensed in his seat, fast to change the subject so as not to think about the monster responsible for leaving him orphaned. "Check this out…" Several crime scene photos from the museum came up, photos Kunikida had already seen of the gruesome display that created some kind of rodent's face with the agents dismembered bodies. Rokuzo brought up different images barring the same likeness.
Photos of ancient scrolls that looked like they belonged in a museum. Pristine painted images of a powerful, regal figure with unusual black and orange hair presiding over a seaside settlement with the sun, moon, and a half-sun, half-moon hanging overhead.
"Emperor Natsume." Kunikida realized. "The founding of Yokohama depicted in scrolls... The Ministry has been hiding such treasures all this time?"
"Yep, and that's not even the interesting bit." Rokuzo scrolled down to the next scene of the emperor being given a strange glowing book. The next scene showed two men kneeling before the emperor as he held the glowing book high in the air. What stood out most about this image was the men each had one arm raised with distinguishing diamond shapes embedded on their skin resonating power.
The first Soukoku Warriors.
More painted scenes passed by. Scenes of Yokohama growing, Natsume ruling, the Soukoku vanquishing invaders. The images started to change with progress, Emperor Natsume and guardians standing on a beach welcoming newcomers with open arms.
Gifteds.
Ability users from all over the globe being welcomed and accepted to Yokohama's shores. And now a new figure stood beside the emperor: a beautiful young woman with pale skin, black hair so long, it trailed the ground with her kimono, and a soft graceful face just as welcoming.
Kunikida let out a sharp gasp upon seeing her. Not from her beauty- striking as it was- but because she bore a remarkable resemblance to… No! He quickly shook the thought away, it was just a coincidence.
The next scene was similar: Emperor Natsume welcoming another foreigner, this time into his palace. Something about this man seemed off putting, sinister even. Kunikida's suspensions proved true as Rokuzo kept going.
Scene after scene depicted the sinister man warming his way closer into the Emperor's court. A strange group of gifted's flocking behind him.
One horrific image showed a crazed clown holding a severed head under the flail of his cape, while a different, fairer man stood behind, holding the decapitated victim's body. Even more disturbingly peculiar was that the victim wasn't dead. It was as if the clown's had just pulled off the world's cruelest magic trick.
But what unnerved the Heir of Twilight the most was the painted image of the two clown men and another enormous one, sporting what he could only describe as wet dreadlocks, all bowing before the sinister man with a sea of blood and bodies behind them.
The real eye catcher of the scroll was the grinning rat symbol hanging above.
The same symbol in the crime scene photos.
"Best I can tell, it's the symbol of some spooky cult, from like, eons ago." Rokuzo clicked to enlarge the frame around the rat. "Whoever they were, looks to me like they were into some really nasty hocus pocus back in the day."
Each scroll got more bizarre than the last. Horrible images of the gifted being murdered, the Soukoku fighting intense battles, the rat cult members lighting the city ablaze. Finally they were nearing the end that depicted a battle of battles. Emperor Natsume and the sinister cult leader were locked in a duel of biblical proportions while the Soukoku fought off the clowns and a grotesque squid monster of fat tentacles and oozing black liquid as the beauty from before watched in concern.
The glowing book at the center of it all.
The last scroll started with the rising sun, moon, and sun/moon over Yokohama, an enormous, broken piece of land split from the mainland. Dark and ominous, as if no light would dare shine upon it. Baring the rat symbol.
Suribatchi City. The City of the Cursed.
Kunikida was beginning to understand why it was called that. Especially noticing the emperor's absence.
The Soukoku stood over the caped clown as his limbs were tied to four oxen facing the pinnacle points. Execution by drawing and quartering. The fairer man appeared to have a less harsher death by simple beheading. Other followers of the rat were not so fortunate. Everything from boiling alive, to trampling by stampede.
The depictions were too informative as far as Kunikida was concerned. But there was no sign of the dreadlocks man or the cult leader… or the book!
The final image was of the beautiful woman who had been at the emperor's side now sitting on the throne with one of the Soukoku warriors next to her and two small boys standing in front. Like Yin Yang, both were pale, but one had striking ash white hair with black tips, while the other had ebony hair with frosted edges.
At the bottom was a faded kanji inscription the former wannabe math teacher had to squint and adjust his glasses just to read.
Only a diamond can free a demon…
There was more to it but most of the script was damaged and there was a torn piece at the end, likely the part holding the rest which wasn't included in any of these files. Perhaps it was lost to time? Still it was such a perplexingly ominous message. "Copy these files and send them to my office." He ordered Rokuzo.
"You got it. What about their majesties?"
"There's a few things I want to sort out before bringing this to them." More like a mountain.
Secret scrolls… ancient cults… rats… clowns… traces of wool… squid monsters… diamonds and demons… For someone so obsessive compulsive as Doppo Kunikida, future King of Twilight, it was maddening to have so little understanding.
Diamonds? Squid monsters?...
His mind went to his mentor's assault the other day. Forensics identified some kind of Cephalopod residue on his clothes.
Then there were the Diamonds and demons…
Suddenly his stomach started to feel similar to the time Dazai offered him rock candy and it was only after he swallowed it that he realized there was no candy to be had. It was the Crown Prince's sick April Fools joke that had put him in Dr. Yosano's care for a week and off sweets forever.
He needed answers and desperate times called for desperate measures. "Rokuzo, get a message directly to Director Taneda for me." With a mocking salute, the teen hit a few keys, recording a voice message right to the Daytime governors personal account. Kunikida cleared his throat.
"Greetings your Excellency. I, Doppo Kunikida, representative of The Agency, humbly request a private audience at the venue of your choosing. I wish to discuss matters concerning the recent events that could jeopardize Yokohama's safety." He had to word the next bit carefully. "My 'employer's' are unaware of this request and have no bearing on its sanction. This venture is my own." Now to insure he would agree to the meeting. "My late friend, Directive Taguchi–" Rokuzo gasped by the inclusion of his father; "--once told me our ideals are not so different; I wouldn't be making this request if it wasn't in public interest. I trust you agree that that should hold priority over conflicting matters of opinion."
He let the ending hang in the air; waited for Rokuzo to hit Send; positive the message went through before turning away. "I'm sorry, It was the only way–"
"Just stop!" Apologies could never make it better. Only having the chance to kill the Azure King would alleviate the pain in his heart. But just like everything else, the bastard took that hope away from him too. His anger wasn't at Kunikida, there just wasn't anyone else around to take the blunt of it. "Just what in hell is going on, Kunikida?"
"That's what I intend to find out." He wrote something in his notebook. "I promised your father I'd look after you… I'm supposed to protect everyone, especially my comrades... I know I've failed now but until the day every ideal written in this book has been realized, until I've created a world where no one ever has to die like he did, I'll never be worthy to be King."
Rokuzo watched his expressions, his flawless outward appearance did nothing to hide the overwhelming guilt consuming his conscience. He wasn't responsible for the recent deaths but there was no convincing him of that. How anyone could willingly put that amount of weight on their shoulders was beyond the troubled youth. As noble as Kunikida's crusade was, it was difficult not to see the shaky house of cards his idealistic goals were supported on. If he ever wanted to be a King worth serving, he'd have to accept that violence and death were parts of human nature that can't just be written away in his little notebook.
Kunikida handed him the page he had just written on. Bemused by the contents, just a name, a very important name.
"I'm allowing you leniency to conduct your former illicit activities in order to do a thorough background search on that person."
"Anything specific I'm looking for?" Rokuzo asked, never one to back down from a challenge.
"Anything. Everything. Whatever you can find, I don't care. It might be nothing but I need to be sure before I make accusations to the King's." This kind of allegation could mean serious consequences if he was wrong.
Alarm bells brought their attention back to the screens; Rokuzo typing like a machine to locate the source. "Whoa! Check it out!"
Kunikida's eyes widened looking at the blurry security camera image. Obviously taken somewhere near the docks, the photo was blurry with a few static bars rolling overhead but he could still make out the large figure of someone in a heavy soaked trench coat and rain boots. Facing annoyingly away from the camera but they could still see their long dark, dreadlocked hair and slouched demeanor.
Impossible! Kunikida thought.
Rokuzo shared his flabbergast, "Spooky." He gawked.
Terrifying was more the word Kunikida would use.
Chuuya never gave much thought about butterflies before but lately he found himself thinking about them so much, they were haunting his dreams.
He didn't care that this was just another dream, not when he was blissfully tangled with the most amazing woman he'd ever met. The way her lips felt against his skin, soft and fluttering, was like an enchantment to bring men to heel… and he was completely under her spell.
He watched as the golden butterfly in her hair soared closer as she traveled up the path of his chest to his neck, up his jaw, until stopping at his lips. Hovering; teasing, grinning.
Beautiful.
God he loved that devious smirk of hers. The quarrels of yesterday had no relevance here, only the glorious fire that scorched his loins every time she was near; begging to be fed with her touch.
He countered her smirk with his own before leaning up to kiss her hard. His hand found its way to her hair, holding her in place. Any minute now, the binds of sleep could break, pulling him away from this paradise so he intended to savor every second.
"Somebody's greedy." She chuckled, when he moved to her clavicle, focusing on a soft patch of skin.
"You have no idea."
So greedy, he would make the world his playground; charge headlong into the eyes of storms and challenge mother nature for supremacy. Greedy by delighting in crushing his enemies under his power and cherishing his friends' smiles and laughter. So greedy, he wanted a Princess to open up her legs and her heart to him, welcoming all of him, even the parts he keeps hiden.
Yes, Chuuya was callously greedy.
"Show me."
Her hot breath was like electricity against his skin. Stoking carnal avidity to make her his, audible with a deep growl as he attacked her lips again. Holding her firm, the brandish of his erection against her thigh disclosed just how vehemently he coveted her. He wouldn't dare cage her, he'd worship every inch of her incredible body and nourish those ferocious flames inside. Such a graceful warrior should be free to fly and shine with the radiance of a thousand colors like a beautiful butterfly.
His hips thrusted up, making her gasp from the sudden intrusion. One of his hands began to wonder the course of her curves, making her shudder and moan as he moved inside of her. The more demanding she was, the more insatiable he became.
Stronger… Harder… Deeper!
Before hurtling into a torrent of pleasure, ascending to the very start of creation with the shockwave of oblivion. She wanted 'greedy', she got it.
Without realizing, he'd begun to give into that uncanny urge to relinquish control to his power and claim all he desired.
Her most of all!
A dark voice was encouraging him to let go; motivating him to level mountains, topple nations, drain the seas, and decimate world's. He should give into the conflict within himself and wipe the earth clean until only they two remained. He would make her a Queen; rebuild a new world in their image, he just had to recite the words…
'Granters of dark–'
"Ch--Chuuya please... st--op!"
Stop? Why would he?… Looking into her eyes was his answer. Not the warm violet wildflowers that blazed fire, but wide and frightened… dull.
Something wet coated his skin, that's when he noticed the blood begin to pour from her mouth, nose, eyes, head… Everywhere!
He wanted to scream but nothing came out; watched in frozen horror as the woman he was willing to die for bleed out profusely from no discernible wound. Then he realized she wasn't breathing! His power crushing everything around him.
Crushing her!
Panic set in understanding the mistake he had made. Daring to walk that thin line separating him from the monster and making her pay the consequence.
What has he done?
But it was too late, the scarlet shackles restraining his true nature signaled their release spiraling down his arms. Gravity was twisting; compressing!
His control was slipping.
No!
Somebody please help! Stop him! Save her!
"Nobody can stop it, Chuuya."
That voice? It was the same sickening voice, only this time there was no hiss. It was as clear as if the owner were right in front of him.
"Here I am, Chuuya."
Through the torrent of blood, he saw Akiko's beautiful face start to contort into something inhuman. Her figure remained but her features were gone; washed away by the bloody cascade and to his absolute terror… another face emerged from the red falls.
Horrible and wicked like a demon straight from hell. It opened its terrible eyes; stared directly into his and grinned with all the malicious visage of a rat caught dining on a rotten corpse.
Again, Chuuya wanted to scream but lacked the capability.
"Just let go." Said the demon.
No! Chuuya tried to fight, but the condensed gravity was winding out of control, taking all of the world around him apart, piece by piece.
No! No! No!!!
"Fulfill your destiny…"
No!
"You are a monster…"
No!
"You cannot change that…"
No!
"You cannot save yourself…"
No!
"You cannot save anyone…"
No!
"YOU CAN NOT SAVE HER!!!"
"NO!!!" Eyes wide and pulse erratic, Chuuya's chest hurt from his frantic breathing, nightmarish visions still fresh in his memory. It was several long moments before he registered his surroundings and even more till he remembered where he was and how he got there.
Mimic's headquarters, a room of his own down the hall from the little girl that he helped save.
He shook head and buried his face in his hands, hoping to drive away the nightmare but the images wouldn't fade. "Fuck!" No surprise that For The Tainted Sorrow activated while he slept, levitating objects around him and seconds away from caving in the flimsy cot were he not quick to deactivate it.
Even after gathering his barings, his hands still shook. He continued to repeat "Just a nightmare, just a nightmare." But it wasn't very convincing. Since coming back to Suribatchi City, his dreams seemed much too vivid and all too real. Try as he might, he couldn't get that terrible face out of his mind. Covered in blood and wearing Akiko's body.
Akiko?
Those poisoned words rang in his ears like the blaring of cannons. He could not save her.
She wasn't the type that needed saving, and would likely kick his ass if he even tried, but what if it was him she needed saving from?
The thought stung in his chest like ice, curning his insides till he thought he'd throw up. Before he could grasp what he was doing, he was already out of bed; putting on his clothes and hat. He needed to outrun the nightmare, move and clear his head.
He needed to see her.
To his disappointment, it wasn't Akiko he found watching over the recovering little girl when he poked his head in the room, instead it was a shaggy haired boy reading a story book aloud. He would've left to continue his search had the boy not called out…
"Are you one of the Princess's friends?"
Never one to ignore kids, Chuuya turned up his head pondering the question. "I guess you could say that." Truth be told, he wasn't sure what they were. "You must be one of the other rugrats that lives here?"
The boy nodded shyly. "I'm Shinji… I- I think your hat is cool."
Chuuya smiled, removing the accessory and showing off by twirling it on the tip of his gloved finger. "Thanks, I like it too. It was actually a gift from the Princess." That detail alone made it infinitely more important. He gestured to the book Shinji was holding. "What do you have there?"
Shinji's eyes lit up. "It's one of my and Sakura's favorites, The Boy and the Puppy." He held it out for Chuuya. "Oda said I could read it to Sakura so she'd have good dreams."
Stunned for a moment before fanning through the pages, nostalgia transported Chuuya back years before when he read this same book to the younger Sheep members. "This was…" he was almost lost for words, "this was my favorite book too growing up. I must've read it a million times. You've got good taste, kid."
That only made Shinji brighten up more as he accepted it back. "My favorite part is where the boy and puppy chase fireflies together but Sakura likes it when they reunite at the end." He sighed. "I wish I had a puppy like the boy's."
"I did too. I swore if I ever found one, I'd take it on all kinds of adventures." Shinji's shyness appeared to decimate a little in meeting a kindred spirit. Chuuya took the opportunity to ask about Sakura, "How is she?"
The boy frowned, looking back at his sister. "The Princess says she's going to be asleep for a while, I'm reading to her, so she knows she's not alone and doesn't need to be afraid to wake up soon."
Sakura looked so peaceful sleeping, no one would have guessed she had been gravely Ill only the day before. The nature of Akiko's ability really was incredible.
"She's lucky to have you." Chuuya said and Shinji's expression grimmed, ashamed almost.
"I don't think she is. Big brother Kosuke, always says we can't show fear or we'll be weak, and if we're weak, we can't help Oda…" His voice started to break and his nose was stuffy. "B-but I was afraid. When Sakura got sick, I was scared she was going to die. I didn't know what to do!"
Shinji was only one of many kids Chuuya had seen who were forced to grow up long before their time. He himself had been one but he persevered, that didn't mean others should have to. Children were precious, meant to be protected, and should never have to carry the weight of the world.
"There's nothing wrong with being afraid, kid." Shinji looked confused. "Rejecting your fears doesn't make you strong, having the courage to face them is what gives you strength." Chuuya patted his head, making him stop crying. "Don't be ashamed of being scared, the fact that you were afraid of losing Sakura just means you have something to get stronger for."
The boy rubbed his puffy eyes, sniffling, "D–do you ever get sc–ared?"
There's the question! One Chuuya decided to answer honestly. "Of course I do... More than you'd think," Yesterday and this morning were good examples. "But when I'm afraid, I always ask myself the same question, when is it ok to chicken out and go home? I always come up with the same answer, and I'm not so afraid anymore."
"What's the answer?"
Chuuya smiled reassuringly. "That's something you've gotta find out for yourself. You seem like a smart enough kid so I know you'll figure it out eventually. In the meantime, cut the waterworks and get back to reading, you were almost to the best part after all."
It was like a switch had been flipped when Shinji took his book back, tears and sadness replaced with awe and admiration. Determined to take everything Chuuya said to heart.
"You wouldn't happen to know where everyone is, would you?" Chuuya asked when he was sure the boy was done crying.
He nodded. "Uh-huh. The dining hall, it's almost lunchtime so everybody should be there." He pointed out the directions, "Keep going down the hall till you reach the stairs, go up and take a left."
Lunchtime? Damn, he overslept. Perfect ammo for that mackerel faced Dazai. Shit! He thanked the boy and turned to leave, only to be stopped for a second time.
"Wait! You didn't tell me your name."
"It's Chuuya, kid."
Shinji watched him disappear around the corner, opening his book to resume his storytelling but his heart just wasn't as invested as before. He found himself reaching for the fairy tale book Sakura loved most of all. How could he not when it was like he had just stepped into it?
Having had a real fairy Princess swoop in to heal Sakura with her magic, and her brother, the Prince on some grand quest. Now there was Chuuya. His fantastical mind almost saw him as the wise mentor who always helps the hero, yet that didn't fit because he was too young. It would take further observation to know for certain where the kind redhead with the cool hat fit into this real life fairy tale.
Finding the dining hall was easy enough; surprisingly bigger than expected, whoever built this place definitely knew what they were doing to keep it hidden from Suribatchi's residents for so long. Any further thoughts he had about the matter flew out the window upon entering, with good reason!
"You're adorable!"
"Gorgeous!"
"Be our goddess!"
"Please, let us worship you, Princess!"
A literal army swarmed around Akiko like flies to honey. Fawning, gawking,.. groveling?
Chuuya couldn't blame them seeing that she'd forgone her white blouse and tie for a form fitting black tank top that hugged her slender body like it was painted on. A preferable companion to her skirt. Her hair was done up; secured with her hairpin. And the spectacles she wore added just enough intellectual contrast to her laid back apparel. Who would have thought comfortable could look professional and be so damned hot?
But just because he couldn't blame them for admiring her didn't mean he wasn't currently contemplating painting the walls with their blood.
"I'm a doctor you jackass'! Piss off or I'll bite off all your ears!" Apparently Akiko was doing the same.
"You can bite any part of me you want, Princess."
It was the cocky blonde brat with the lottery ability from yesterday, ogling her like a juicy piece of meat.
He's dead! Chuuya thought, done with contemplating, except the old man they'd met the night before– Gide, he recalled– beat him to the actual punch. Blooding the little punk's already damaged nose before drawing his gun and firing one shot to the ceiling, forcing all of the men back.
"Listen well, all of you! You will show her highness proper courtesies and be respectful at all times, or I'll personally bash the meaning of the words into every last one of you! Understand?"
A collective Yes Sir! made Akiko smirk, choosing to thank Gide in his original language.
"Merci, Gide. But I'm perfectly capable of beating some manners into them on my own."
"I believe it, my lady. Anyone capable of leaving marks on Sakunosuke mustn't be trifled lightly. But as their commander, it would be bad form if I don't discipline them myself."
The Princess' sly smirk vanished as soon as she saw Chuuya walking towards her. She held his gaze for a few intense moments before averting her eyes, and stomping off to where Dazai sat chatting with Oda over coffee.
Taken aback by the cold shoulder, it was Gide who provided enlightenment. "Seems she's still angry with you over last night. I'd apologize as soon as possible if I were you."
Chuuya raised an eyebrow, "Why should I?"
Gide shot him a look, like it should be obvious. "Because that's what we men do. We hunt, we fight, we watch sporting events, and we apologize to women."
"So I should apologize for not letting your boss kill her?"
The older man shook his head, "I don't know which is more laughable, that fact you think you've done nothing wrong, or that you believe my boss would've actually killed her had she failed." He let that hang in the air as walked off to sit with his men.
Chuuya wasn't sure what the old man was getting at; honestly didn't care. He didn't know him, Oda, or anyone here well enough to remotely consider trusting them. The only thing to put his mind at ease was seeing Akiko safe and unharmed, it was enough to put that nightmare behind him.
Are you sure?
He shook away the chilling thought that wasn't his own before sending the smart-mouthed punk a glare of warning, silently promising to finish what they started yesterday should the brat try anything cheeky again, then went to sit near Oda and his royal charges.
Not very surprised that the conservation he sat in on was the explanation of their purpose in Suribatchi City.
"I see, that's quite a troublesome ordeal, to put it mildly." Oda said, playing with his cup. "To think, the old Port Mafia boss, back from the dead?"
"Yet you're not very surprised, Odasaku." Dazai noticed, "And based on the scene where I found your grandfather's gun, I've already surmised you're as intimate with the subject as we are."
Both Chuuya and Akiko listened attentively, Oda didn't flinch.
"Nothing gets past you, does it? Your right, we had an altercation with your mafioso spectator– or rather, Gide and the others did, I went straight for the head of the source."
"Then it really is another ability user who's responsible! Can you give us a description?" Akiko asked.
"Never saw their face, they kept it covered, what I can tell you is they were tall, and as you guessed, gifted. This was a little over six months ago."
Akiko frowned. "Reported sightings of the former boss only started a month ago." It was distressing to think how long the culprit had been stalking in the shadows. "Any idea what they were after here?"
"I don't." Oda answered quickly, a tell sign to Dazai that he was lying. "I do know that I've never encountered any gifted user like that before. When I drew my guns, the bullets deflected every which way but their target, and they used that same force to knock me on my ass. Would've been bad without a little foresight."
"Oooh, so that's your ability, clairvoyance." Dazai cheerfully surmised.
Oda nodded. "My ability, Flawless, allows me to see up to six seconds into the future. You might not think that's very much but sometimes a second is all that stands between you and death." Especially in his former line of work.
"That's what happened when you fought me!" Akiko exclaimed.
He chuckled, pointing to his black eye. "Not that it did much good, but now I know it could've been a lot worse." Akiko smirked; he looked back at Dazai. "Funny thing is I never saw anything while fighting you. That's unusual."
It was much the same as it was yesterday, Chuuya thought as he observed. Oda and Dazai in an open battle of wits while silently evaluating each other. It was as if the less said the more they understood, and when they did speak, their words held secret codes only they could decipher. Not only that, Chuuya was sure Dazai was exhibiting something he'd never seen him before… respect.
"Tell us the rest of your encounter, Odasaku." Dazai said while finishing his brew, reverting the conversation away from himself.
"There's not much to tell. I took a bad blow and the bastard thought he could finish me off. Didn't count on my ace."
"Your grandfather's gun?" The Prince guessed correctly.
"I only managed to get a single shot off before blacking out, missed being fatal but I clearly remember shooting their ear. When I woke up here– three days later– Gide said they vanished and we hadn't seen them since… until yesterday that is.
"When I got word that outsiders were in Suribatchi City, I went to investigate and saw the explosion a ways off, I didn't know what to expect when I got there but low and behold, there was that same bastard at the center of the damage, digging through the wreckage like a mad man. I thought we'd have another altercation, instead he ran away."
"And you didn't go after them?" Chuuya asked, accusingly.
"I was going to but I'm a gentleman, when there's a lady on the ground bleeding to death, I'm not just going to leave her there."
Chuuya rolled his eyes, mocking Oda's not-so-subtle jape.
"Plus at the time, you weren't sure that Akiko hadn't come with the assailant."
Oda frowned his brows. "I haven't decided if your intuition is annoying or impressive." A glance at his other two table guests answered, annoying. "I'm just sorry I didn't check for other survivors, that was stupid of me and I apologize."
Chuuya still wasn't ready to trust him fully but the sound of a large belle drastically changed the mood in the room, all of the men formed long lines when another middle-aged, balding man wearing a stained apron walked in with a trolley, carrying an enormous bubbling pot.
"Perfect timing, Pops!" Gide hollered. "We're all starved."
The chubby man's laughter bellowed up to the ceiling as he removed the pot lid; within seconds the entire dining hall was filled with delicious, spicy aromas that had both Chuuya's and Akiko's stomachs rumbling and Oda's stoicism breaking into near childish delight.
"Let's finish this conversation after lunch." He waved to Pop's.
Dazai wasn't as enthusiastic about the suggestion but none of them were going to pass on a meal, especially if whatever was on the menu was as good as the crab stew had been the night before.
Unlike the rest who formed a line serving themselves from the pot, Pops brought over four already prepared plates of piping hot curry and rice to Oda's table. "You three are in for a treat. Pops makes the best curry there is, hands down."
Pops smiled. "I can't take all the credit, Boss. Kosuke helped out a lot, and the other kids worked hard to maintain the garden." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Gotta say though, I've never cooked for royalty before, not sure what the protocols are."
The Prince and Princess laughed together, it was Akiko who eased the cooks nerves. "The only protocol my brother and I implement is making it through a meal without our dad and uncle throwing knives at each other."
Dazai's smirk turned sly. "I've got a protocol we can enforce, meals should only be given to early risers, lazy dogs who sleep in past their masters should only get dry, stale kibble."
And there it was!
A little later than Chuuya expected but per usual, Dazai expertly made the vein above his eye do a tap dance routine. "How about I kick this spoon so far up your ass it gives you a lobotomy and I use your body as a punching bag when you're a vegetable?"
Akiko was far from being in the mood for they're ridiculous bickering. "How about you both shut up, behave, and eat the meal that Pops was so kind to provide us!"
Both men relented for the moment but still continued glaring daggers at each other before giving into their hunger.
One bite had the Princess soaring on a cloud savory heaven. A magical blend of creamy and spicy with the slightest hint of sweet, all balanced out with perfectly cooked white rice. To find such a delicacy here of all places... "This is the best curry I've ever had in my life!"
Beside her, Chuuya was just as rapt. "I'll say. I had no idea curry could be even remotely this good. Could be spicier though."
Pops tried not to let his excitement show but Oda could tell he was struggling to keep his elation at bay. Not everyone at the table had the same reaction though…
"Hot!... Hot, hot, hot! Is one of the ingredients lava?" Everyone looked at Dazai, sweating and fanning his extended tongue, panting like a dog in need of water.
Akiko rolled her eyes. "Quit being a baby, Dazai! It's not that hot."
"How would you know? You eat ghost peppers raw! You like your food either sickeningly sweet or nuclear hot!"
She smirked, "Spice is good for complexion."
Pops was in a panic. "I'm so sorry your highness, I'll get you more rice!"
"Don't bother Pops, my brother is just being overly dramatic, but if you have any hot sauce, I would love some."
Chuuya wasn't sure which he was enjoying more, lunch or Dazai's discomfort. The fact that the no nonsense doctor sheared his resilience for heat played no factor in gratifying him, or making her more alluring.
Somehow the Prince powered through, sweating more with every bite while the other three never so much as broke a sweat.
"So what will you do when you catch the one responsible for resurrecting the old boss? Kill him?" Oda asked bluntly before taking another spoonful.
Dazai finished the glass of milk Pops brought him in one gulp before answering. "If only it could be that simple. Unfortunately, someone that powerful will need to be thoroughly integrated and remain incarcerated until we know the full extent of his transgressions and capabilities."
A loud thud turned all eyes to Akiko who had stopped eating, instead she sat with both her hands balled into fist on the table staring at her brother like he'd sprouted multiple heads. "You're not serious, right?"
"It has to be done, Sis. Someone with that kind of power has to be cross-examined meticulously."
"They had the audacity to rip that monster out of the grave dad put him in, and you want to put him in a room and play 20 questions?"
Matters were getting tense, even Gide and the other men had ceased their talking. Dazai tried to defuse his sister's growing frenzy swiftly.
"I don't want to do anything, I'd much rather send both of them straight to hell myself, but uncle Fukuzawa will insist on reaching the full roots of their crimes. Dad too."
"You've got to be kidding me! All the times you act on your own and this is when you decide to play by the rules?"
"Akiko…" His voice was low in warning but she wasn't having it; slamming her fist down as she stood. Making everyone wince, including Chuuya.
"We were locked in a shipping container because of that bastard!!! Thrown away like garbage! Trapped in darkness starving to death with no hope! Every night I go to sleep remembering the smell of decaying bodies!"
Now everyone sat with gaped mouths, Akiko didn't care.
"My parents were killed because of that Port Mafia tyrant, and you want to let the one responsible for bringing him back keep they're life? What about my parents, Dazai? What about the other kids? Didn't they deserve to live?!"
She couldn't stop, it all came pouring out like a flood. Anger, resentment, hatred. Every feeling she had been trying to ignore since she had first learned of the former boss's return. She wanted to save it all for the chance to end him herself but when her opportunity presented itself, she was powerless. That horrible man had managed to hurt her and the people she cared about again and she was furious!
Once it was out in the open and Dazai averted his eyes did the Princess realize what she had done. She knew immediately that it wasn't her brother she was angry at but herself, she had just been too preoccupied after waking up yesterday to fully grasp it. Glancing around the room at the dozens of individuals who now knew her dark history; at Chuuya who was staring at her with an unreadable expression… Shock? Concern? Pitty?
Anger and pain battled in her chest till she wanted to scream. Nobody tried to stop her when she bolted out of the dinning hall, leaving her half eaten curry to waste.
The room was quiet, diffidently so until Dazai sighed, defeated and stood to leave. "Thanks for the meal Odasaku, but I've lost my appetite."
Would it have been better not to press the issue further, perhaps? But Oda's empathy got the better of him. "I had heard rumors about the Port Mafia becoming so financially sunk, the old boss started human trafficking, to think that children were in the mix…" It was too awful to imagine. "How old was she when her parents were killed?"
Dazai kept his back to them but Chuuya saw how tense he became. He didn't expect the Prince to divulge so easily. "Six." He answered dejectedly. "They broke into her home; both of her parents were gifted and put up a fight but… it just wasn't enough. Afterwards they kidnapped Akiko and took her to the docks where they locked her in a shipping container holding several other children including me. However…" He paused, "the transaction fell through because Ranpo's father was closing in on the operation, instead of taking us to another location to be sold off later, they discarded the container and left us to die."
"That's why she freaked out that first day in Suribatchi!" Chuuya realized. With this new revelation, he wanted to kick himself. Even if he hadn't known the truth, that was no excuse. I tried putting Akiko back into her worst nightmare.
No wonder she was so traumatized that day.
"Yes, thanks for that by the way." Dazai scoffed. "It had been years since my baby sister had a panic attack but it only took you one afternoon to bring them back with force. Really, bravo."
Before Chuuya decided to lunge over the table, another realization hit him. "It was you! When I asked her what made the old timers overthrow the Port Mafia, she said it was because they found something. Something terrible… It was the two of you, wasn't it?"
"Mori was already planning to take over the Port Mafia, but when Ranpo sent him and Fukuzawa to find us, that was it, they couldn't let Yokohama or its people suffer any longer. It was their responsibility as Soukoku."
From the next table over, Gide rubbed his chin, puzzled. "Then how were you the only ones who survived? If her highness was trapped with you, why didn't her ability work?"
Chuuya's eyes narrowed as he looked at Dazai, revolted. His hands shook with such anger that his ability threatened to break his seat. He knew the answer before Dazai cast his eyes downward. "Because this bastard stopped her." His voice was low but sharp. "Didn't you, Dazai? You used your nullification on Akiko so you would all die!"
Everytime Dazai thought he couldn't despise the small gravity user more. "You can judge me all you want, Chuuya, but when you were in prison all those years, did you still have food?"
Chuuya looked like Dazai had just slapped him.
"Did you have water? A bed to sleep on, a toilet, hell, fresh air?" For once there were no witty undertones in the Prince's voice, it was almost dangerously serious to the point that even Oda felt an inkling of fear. "Those were luxuries we could only dream about and I saw only one way out of it, so when Akiko was going to revive everyone after starving to death for the fourth time, I stopped her to put an end to their pain and ours… But fate is a cruel bitch. Ranpo's deductions lead Mori and Fukuzawa to find us after all the other kids were dead!"
Dazai left in search of his sister, leaving Chuuya and the other's to process everything they had just learned. Most went back to their meal but Chuuya was too angry to see straight. Angry at himself for being so naive. Angry at those fucking nightmares for clouding his mind. Angry at the former Port Mafia boss for being the reason Akiko was an orphan and causing so much death and destruction. But most of all angry at Dazai!
Because for reasons he didn't understand, Chuuya was certain that Dazai felt nothing over the trauma he had Akiko endured. No guilt, no remorse, no pain. He might fool others into believing otherwise, perhaps rationalizing that his dark past was what made him a suicidal nut case, Chuuya knew better.
Somehow he knew that Dazai had been born empty inside. Life was as insignificant to him as an ant under a shoe. Chuuya wanted to rip him apart!
It was getting difficult to ignore the burning in his arm, to toss away this searing urge to listen to his dream and give in. To seek vengeance on everything and everyone who dared hurt his city… dared to hurt her.
Then he remembered how the Soukoku had already done both. It was the whole reason for the Crimson Night, for them declaring themselves as Yokohama's sovereigns. Mori had even adopted the sole survivors of one of the Port Mafia's heinous crimes as his own children, naming them his heirs and legacy. Suddenly a new realization cut through his anger fogged mind…
From the moment he was broken out of prison, Chuuya had been skeptical of the two Kings. Shocked by their offer to join The Agency and submit to a life of service. He never had any intention of complying or acknowledging them as his leaders, now the seeds of doubt began to sprout blossoms of reason that debated if they were men turned King's because they sought justice for murdered children, then perhaps they were King's worth serving?...
Well there you go, I promise Dazai and Akiko a different backstory but I never said it would be a happy one. I've had this planned since I first thought up the story.
Any guesses as to what Mori and Fukuzawa found that was so life changing?
And Kunikida is on his own investigation.
These dreams of Chuuya's are becoming troublesome.
We are approaching some critical chapters that I've had planned from the start too so get as excited as me.