Warning: lots of mentions of suicide!
That can only mean one thing... ;)
(Yokohama: 5 years later…)
Yokohama's city streets bustled with life in the early morning sunshine. The salty sea air sustained a metaphorical ant colony of sharp dressed men and women on their way to corporate jobs.
Retail store owners flipping Closed signs to Open. Lines of anxious customers waited for their morning brews whilst simultaneously browsing their phones. Senior citizens and school students waited by corner traffic lights for the signal it was safe to cross.
A Monorail train below tirisetly chauffeured hundreds of civilians to various destinations while ship crews prepared bulk carriers for departure with a whole manner of goods.
Local news broadcasters were busy devaluing eloquently constructed reports of the recent conclusion to the infamous Azure King terror case, as well as preparations for the upcoming annual charity ball which always ended up being the social event of the year for the city's elite.
Yes, the precious gem of a city once founded by the great gifted emperor, Natsume Soseki, was a beautiful blend of modern and historical architecture, rich with culture that had grown far beyond his wildest dreams. Following his passing, three of the emperor's most trusted advisers took over duties of governing the tripartite balance he'd instated by establishing separate gifted organizations who became the primary authority.
The Gifted Special Operations Division-- or the GSO for short, represented the daytime. A government based operation specializing in national security regarding gifted related incidents and individuals. Whose job was to maintain civil order. Their branch organizations of Military Police maintained public safety, while the Home of Ministry Affairs dealt with neutralizing more 'confidential' matters. Incidents to public safety best kept hidden from the public lest civil unrest turn to widespread panic. This organization's sole purpose was ensuring the people of Yokohama could bask in the sun with their minds at ease.
Such wasn't the case when the sun went down.
Crime was law when the moon baptized Yokohama in radiant silver light. For centuries the night belonged to its warden's, the Port Mafia. A notorious crime syndicate who controlled the underground. Over the years their influence reached farther than just Japan. Having obtained a Gifted Business Permit from the government, legalizing their activities many decades before, they were an organization that dealt in blood with espionage as currency. Try as you might, it would be near impossible to find a politician or business owner who hadn't been wrapped up in some form of shady dealings with the wardens of night.
Only the GSO being the exception.
With the day and night secure, that only left the twilight to handle everything in between. And up until recent years there hadn't been any complete legitimate organization sustaining the pillar. Most of the time it was miscellaneous clean-up jobs or filling in as the proverbial middleman between the other organizations. So many over time even deemed it unnecessary in comparison.
A sentiment further from the truth as it could get.
Despite constantly being at odds with each other the three pillars were vital in sustaining Yokohama's foundation. No single one could be higher or lower than the other or disaster would befall the city. A perfect example was how nearly twenty years ago following the end of the great war, the current boss of the Port Mafia began deteriorating mentally.
No concern for the populist or even the well being of his own organization, Yokohama fell into a sinkhole of rapid criminal activity, economical ruin, and corrupted officials looking to save their own skins.
At the time the GSO was undergoing new management with a young idealist fresh from the war. Brilliant, and more than up for the task at hand, he'd made it his personal goal to drive out the Port Mafia and ensure only the pillar of day was needed for Yokohama to thrive. Deeming the twilight irrelevant and the night a scourge.
Unfortunately the Port Mafia had become too erratic. Everyday the boss grew more insane, more instability grew till it seemed nothing could stop Yokohama's downfall… That was until the night sixteen years ago when two remarkable gifted men, hand chosen by fate to safeguard Yokohama, rose up and-- in a single night-- wiped the ancient organization from existence.
The Soukoku Warriors, two gifteds born every generation with a diamond birthmark on opposite wrist, meant to serve and protect Yokohama and the tripartite balance using their dual might. Formed back when the emperor first established his gifted paradise, blessed knights of legend.
Sixteen years ago, the current generation of Soukoku had enough of seeing their beloved home in shambles and one night, when the moon was full and emanating a bright crimson glow, the gifted knights entered the Port Mafia base of operations- a goliath skyscraper, black as the night it represented, sandwiched between four others located directly in the city's center-- and together exterminated an almost five centuries old pillar of emperor Natsume's tripartite. By morning the Port Mafia was no more and Yokohama was free of its insane tyranny.
What's more was the two men who had accomplished such a feat, claimed the former mafia headquarters for their own, morphing themselves from Yokohama's knights to its kings. Two essential pillars of the foundation ruling side by side. One assuming control of the wayward night, one establishing a representative for the long neglected twilight.
The fate of the city was forever altered by one pivotal night. The Crimson Night.
Everything changed from then on, a new organization-- simply named The Agency was the city's primary authority in defense. Having acquired not one, but two Gifted Business Permits, it quickly became a governing giant on par with the Gifted Special Operations Division, with the king of the night overseeing organized underground activities while the king of twilight worked in a moral grey area handling investigations the Ministry wouldn't touch.
Prosperity returned to Yokohama under the watchful eyes of the five behemoth structures who had once crippled it thanks to the combined intellect and determination of the Soukoku who resided within, as well as a unique collection of both gifted and non gifted individuals from all manners of backgrounds and upbringings.
No matter the origins, the Agency had a place for them. Welcoming any and all stray dogs in need of purpose.
Unfortunately as is the case with all empires, there are those who'd love nothing more than to see it crumble. Many still retained the notion that a Soukoku's place was on front lines or hidden in shadows guarding Yokohama, not contributing to its governing. The current director of the GSO being one such individual.
And it was nearly a daily occurrence that someone challenged the Agency or attempted to follow the king's example by usurping power. All attempts ended in failure. It wasn't just the Soukoku to worry about after all.
Over the years certain spaces within agency headquarters underwent complete renovations. Spaces the Port Mafia had used to commit a plethora of heinous atrocities were completely refurbished. Stains of the past washed away or covered up to clear a path to a brighter future.
Unfortunately that wasn't the case for the basement of the main building.
Once a dark, grimy, dreary dungeon used for torture. Now a pristine, sterile, medical infirmary. Lined with polished floor to ceiling white tile and oval lights. Half a dozen small beds lined the right hand side of the room, there was a wall that separated the recovery area from the autopsy and morgue section. A small office space was tucked into the corner with a mahogany roll top desk where stacks of files and papers were scattered over the top. And a large observation window showcasing the operating room.
Upon first glance one might look at the renovated medical facility and believe it's just a typical healthcare unit with average medical tools and appliances. But a second glance and one will begin to notice the enormous collection of tools used more for construction projects than medical purposes.
An even closer glance and it becomes clear the first was very misleading. Any poor soul who had no choice but to be treated within these walls can attest to the fact. Because they knew that the former 'torture' dungeon had just been upgraded into an even worse torture dungeon, miarged with professionalism and a homey environment.
Whatever horrors the Port Mafia once dished out here in the belly of their main house, was child's play in comparison to the horrors that now took place. One sad, helpless individual was currently learning the hard way.
Lip quivering when he failed yet again to break free from the straps keeping him tied to the operating table. Junichiro Tanizaki lost count of how many tears he'd blinked away in light of his terrible predicament. He knew for certain the cause for his tears had nothing to do with the blinding spotlight searing deep into his corneas. No, it was due to the clicking of high heels getting closer and closer. Why did he have to be so reckless and get shot six times?
The clicking stopped and something gold gleamed in his principal vision before a famine silhouette stepped in front of the spotlight. The silhouette then smiled a gleeful sadistic grin, making young Junichiro whimper harder.
"Good to see you regained consciousness, Tanizaki." Came an aggressive voice that could only be interpreted as female. "You passed out last time before we reached the best part." She almost sounded insulted. "It's so annoying when that happens… let's see if we can make the fun last longer. How about we try something new this time?"
Junichiro squeaked when the now giddy woman bent over to pick something up. His squeak turned to full on sobs when she came back up holding a… chainsaw! He thrashed and fought for freedom when she started raving it to life but his bonds were too tight. Soon screams of terror and joyful manic laughter filled the infirmary walls, along with the hyper buzzing of the saw doing its job.
Securing the last button to her white blouse and redoing her black tie, Dr. Akiko Yosano looked bored glancing over her shoulder at her now sleeping patient. Junichiro was on his fourth round of 'treatment' and he still refused to stay continuous between rounds. She sighed knowing he'd need at least another three rounds before she could safely release him into the care of his sister. Poor Naomi, she thought.
The youngest of the Tanizaki siblings had been a frantic, weeping mess since her beloved older brother stepped into the line of fire between that Azure King lackey and an innocent bystander. Just thinking about that whole insane case made Akiko livid.
The Azure King had terrorized Yokohama for months. Killing countless civilians and destroying public property all due to some insane ideals that only made sense to him. What's more was
he'd hurt so many people she loved. If that wasn't bad enough, the coward went and took the easy way out so no justice could be done to the lives he took and families he ruined. It all made the Agency doctor so frustrated.
And when she was frustrated, she needed to work. Fortunately Junichiro had gone and got mortally wounded so she had plenty of ways to ease her frustration. Unfortunately, he kept passing out during 'treatment' sessions so it just wasn't fun anymore.
Flipping off the light so her patient could rest, Akiko donned on her lab coat and reading glasses as she walked to her office, black skirt flaring with every step. She was just reaching to turn the doorknob when she could've sworn she heard the faint sound of distorted singing coming from her morgue.
Brows frowned in confusion as she followed her ears to the autopsy room and then to the wall of freezers meant to hold dead bodies where the peculiarity seemed to be louder. Pressing her ear to one of the fringe doors and listening closely.
"Hey, you can make a double suicide. Oh oh. It takes two."
"Double suicide! Double suicide! Oh yeah!"
The doctor huffed, rolling her eyes when she not only recognized the tune but the voice singing it. Suddenly the strange phenomenon made all the sense in the world. She noticed her rib spreader sitting on the autopsy table, not a scalpel but would suffice, and snatched it up then followed the voice to the bottom right hand corner fridge.
A mental countdown, 3… 2… 1 and she threw open the square door and yanked the life size tray and it's happy go lucky occupant out in the open. Raising the heavy rib spreader over her head as if to clobber something-- or in this case someone.
A tall man with brown curly hair wearing a black vest over a pale blue dress shirt, bolo tie, and beige pants, laid on the morgue table. His shirt sleeves were folded up to his elbows revealing the bandages that wrapped around both of his arms, presumably his whole body. And a massive pair of headphones covering both ears. He was so focused on the music he was listening to, he failed to notice Akiko standing over him until she poked his cheek, then he blinked open sleepy brown eyes, coming face to face with an infuriated doctor waving a large metal object over his head.
"Dazai, what the hell?!" Akiko shouted. About to bring her makeshift club down on his face.
Dazai yiped, eyes going wide with fear and covering his face with his hands. "Ah! Don't hurt me, Sis. Please!"
Akiko sneered, slamming the rib spreader beside her brother's face, then yanked off his headphones and grabbed him by the ear. Ignoring his yelps as she dragged him off the table.
"You mind telling me what you think you're doing in my morgue, you lunatic?"
Dazai rubbed his sore ear, scrabbling to his feet. "Jeez sis, you know how much I hate pain. Was that really necessary?"
"Answer the question Dazai!"
"What, I can't simply want to spend time with my precious baby sister?"
Akiko gave him her best 'as if' look. "If you wanted to spend time with me, you wouldn't be hiding in my fridge! It's only meant for dead bodies and the occasional wine bottle, so spill it! What were you doing?"
Dazai's expression became comical and his voice held an extra dramatic flare as he answered. "I was trying to become one with death."
Naturally. Akiko thought.
"For you see dear sister, in order for me to complete my dream of the perfect suicide, I must first delve deep into death's psyche. Where else could I begin such a complex endeavor then the place where death comes to buy a train ticket so to speak, think about it. When you die you go to a morgue and await the journey to your final resting place. I honestly can't believe I didn't see it sooner."
Akiko raised a single brow, losing patience. Leave it to her adopted brother, the great Dazai Osamu, to go on and on about his strange obsession with suicide and completely get on her nerves.
"Uh-huh… Tell you what, dear big brother, How about instead of trying to play mind games with death…" She grabbed the rib spreader once more, "I send you to meet him personally right now and you two can have a chat,"
Dazai regarded his sister's meaning with a sweatdropped and dry chuckle. "Eh… that's ok sis. I want a painless death…" He brought his hands together as if in prayer, his eyes taking on a new sparkle. "Besides, I've already decided that I won't die until I find a beautiful woman willing to commit double suicide with me. That's my ultimate dream now."
"Really?..." Akiko crossed her arms. "Well that doesn't bode well for dad's dream of grandchildren one day… though the thought of you reproducing is unnerving to say the least." She muttered.
"I take offense to that, thank you very much." Dazai turned his nose up, walking past her back to the morgue table and taking a seat. A moment later his melodramatic posture took on a more professional status. "Speaking of dad… he's actually the reason I'm here."
"Oh?"
Pointing a single finger upward to emphasize his next condescending words, Dazai mumbled. "We've been summoned by their majesties."
The doctor's eyes widened a fraction but retained her annoyed demeanor. "And you chose to ignore this and screw around in my morgue because?..."
As if another switch flipped within the already disturbed man's brain, he laid back on the table-- this time on his stomach-- with his rear held high in the air like a bratty child refusing to get out of bed.
"Because I just know today's gonna suck and I don't wanna!!!"
Once again the Agency doctor had no idea what her oaf of a brother was talking about. She hated playing right into his hands but the sooner she got answers, the sooner she could go about her day.
"What do you mean by 'today's gonna suck?'"
Dazai looked at her, cheek squished to the cold steel. "I woke up this morning utterly mortified, sis."
"You do that every morning you wake up… alive."
"No!..." He flailed an arm. "Well yes… but that wasn't it. I couldn't shake this horrible feeling that today was going to be the worst day of my life."
"And given what you've survived, that would say a lot." Akiko clarified.
"Exactly! So I decided to ignore everything today and just stay here." He reached for his headphones but Akiko quickly snatched them away. Enjoying her brother's pout before turning on her heel.
"If they want to see both of us Dazai, it must be serious. You just got done with the Azure King case, and I'm still healing Tanizaki, so whatever it is can't be good. Get your coat and let's go."
"I was afraid you'd say that." Dazai sighed. "How about you go on ahead and I'll see how long It'll take to suffocate in the cold."
Akiko wasn't having it. She grabbed her brother by the collar of his shirt and hurled him towards the door. "Move your ass!"
Dazai grumbled out a Fine! Then grabbed his signature sand colored trench coat while his sister stepped in front of a small mirror.
She readjusted her iconic gold butterfly hairpin, hung up her lab coat, and donned on her long black gloves. A final once over to ensure she was presentable with a touch of lip gloss to her rosy lips and grabbing her heavy medical bag full of her favorite 'tools,' and she was ready.
Wordlessly the siblings left behind a sleeping Junichiro and headed up the steps out of the infirmary and into the main lobby. They ignored the gawking onlookers going about their daily task and headed directly to the main elevator.
"Just so we're clear," Dazai snarked while pressing the top floor button. "Dad's got a better chance of getting grandchildren from me than you, miss 'I'll never marry a man who can't beat me in a knife fight'..."
Akiko quipped. "Let's face it, he's never getting grandkids." Her brother agreed as the elevator doors closed.
No matter what you think of elevators, it is impossible to hate this one. A sky high stretch of tunnel, made of tinted windows allowing passengers a crystal clear ethereal view of Yokohama's brilliance as they ascended into the clouds.
The siblings looked bored when the doors finally opened, greeted by two heavily armed beefy guards assigned with searching all individuals going to meet with their bosses. Ready to neutralize any threat. All except for the two individuals currently stepping off the elevator. Both men gasped then fell to their knees as they passed. One of them whispered into a communicator, "It's the prince and princess, stand down."
Dazai and Akiko casually strolled down the long stretch of hallway where guardsmen continued falling to their knees in respect. "At ease boys..." Akiko smirked, startling more than a few, "We don't bite you know."
Dazai chuckled.
Finally they reached the end of the hall where a single figure stood to the left of a large mahogany door.
A well dressed man in his early fifties, with slicked back grey hair, a mustache and goatee, and a monocle stationed over his right eye was pulling a sterling silver cigarette case out of his coat pocket; about to light a match when he noticed the siblings approach.
"Hirotsu." Dazai greeted with a nod of his head.
The man in question paused his endeavor; placing a gloved hand on his chest, bowing low. "My prince and princess."
Akiko clicked her tongue. "Hirotsu, stop that!" She chided. "You're practically family, you can call us by our names."
Hirotsu smiled, refusing to look up. "You honor me with the sentiment, princess. But I would feel indecent addressing my boss's children so informally."
Dazai sighed. "Technically we're just his adopted children, even he'd say not to stand in ceremony all the time."
"Even so. You are by all accounts his son and heir. Therefore I shall regard you as such… my prince."
"Ugh! Fine..."
Akiko's features softened before she asked, "Is Kunikida still on leave?"
"I'm afraid so, princess." Hirotsu said, finally lighting his cigarette. "All that business with the Azure King has taken quite a toll on him. He needs time to gather his bearings."
"What about the lead detective's son?"
"Arrangements are being made to have him transferred here. His cyber skills will be of great use to our organization."
That at least gave her some comfort, knowing the poor boy who had lost father horrifically would have a chance. Then something else crossed her mind.
"Where's Ranpo today?"
"He left for Tokyo on a murder case with Ms. Haruno this morning."
Not surprising, her best friend's gift of deduction was one of the key factors to the Agency's birth and success. And his skills were too great to be confined to one city alone. However, his compulsion to sample the local fair told Akiko not to expect to see him till tomorrow. She just hopes he doesn't eat all of her sweet souvenirs before she even gets one.
She was brought out of her thoughts by a loud crash, followed by a huge thud coming from behind the door. Both siblings exasperated and Hirotsu gave them a sympathetic look.
"What's today's fight about?" Dazai groaned.
"I believe Lady Elise groomed Sensei Mii without permission… or supervision. The results were catastrophic to say the least."
Another loud crash and all three visibly winced.
"Oh boy… we'll have to pull out the big guns to stop them this time Sis." Dazai said, and Akiko ran her hand down her face.
"Let's get this over with." She motioned for Hirotsu to open the door then stepped inside what could only be described as a warzone.
The enormous office space was a wreck. Overturned furniture, shattered potted plants, the Persian rug in the center was bunched up as if someone had skidded across it. There were dozens of books that appeared to be sliced in half scattered all around. The floor to ceiling lined bookshelves on the other end of the room wasn't in much better condition as shelves were now slanting vertically.
Natural lighting from the colossal windows showcased dozens of gleaming silver scalpels sticking out from the floor, walls, and of course various toppled apothecaries. There were chess pieces and shogi tiles shattered nearly everywhere the siblings stepped, with their prospective broads thrown on opposite ends.
The only things appearing to still be in one piece were the two large antique desks sitting side by side-- but spaced apart just far enough-- in front of the bookshelves, and the two men standing on top of them in a ferocious death lock. Scalpels vs. Katana.
Both siblings huffed as they neared the scene. Maneuvering around the mess. Akiko was very pleased to see the bar had survived. Something told her she'd need it, but first she had to put a stop to the current warfare.
"It's all that vile abilities fault!" Shouted the man with the katana. "You should keep it on a leash!"
"How dare you speak of Elise like that?" Growled the man holding the scalpels. "She's just a little girl! Prepare to die, mutt!"
"Enough!" Akiko shouted. "God, why must men be such babies?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Especially the ones who are supposed to set examples…"
Dazai sighed, removing his hands from his coat and securing them behind his head as if to take a nap.
The warring men acknowledged their presence but refused to relent.
"Stay out of this you two! It doesn't concern you…" The katana wilder said. A silver haired man wearing a traditional green yukata and black haori and flat sandals. Yukich Fukuzawa. Once the government's most deadly assassin, now co-president and founder of the Agency. Dubbed by the media as the King of Twilight.
"Yes. This is strictly between this mangy wolf and myself. He needs to be put down once and for all!" The man with the scalpels sneered. Slightly shorter than Fukuzawa with pale skin, slick black hair, in a tailored suit and jet black coat with a crimson scarf draped over his shoulders, and snow white gloves covering his hands. Ogai Mori. Former military surgeon and underground doctor. Brilliant, manipulative, completely ruthless. He once served as the personal physician to the boss of the Port Mafia, until the night he slit his throat and claimed the throne of Yokohama's nightlife. An accomplishment he boasts as second only to being Dazai and Akiko's adoptive father and mentor.
Together these two gifted titans were the current generation of Soukoku warriors tasked with protecting the city. A twenty plus year old partnership that saw war, carnage and prosperity… When the two weren't trying to kill each other, that was. Despite being equals in intellect and combat, they were as morally different as night and day. Clashing time and time again, but when united, invariably unmatched.
Dazai chanced a glance over at today's disagreement and shuttered, curled up asleep in Fukuzawa's chair, was Sensei Mii. His calico coat was covered in glitter and magic marker stains, while his head was covered in poor attempts at glued on frilly bows. The old feline seemed indifferent to his sad state. Choosing to sleep through all the commotion.
The one guilty of the ridiculous makeover, Elise didn't seem bothered either. She laid on the floor in front of Mori's desk coloring and absentmindedly kicking her feet.
"I told you we'd have to use the big guns." Dazai mumbled.
Akiko nodded, "You go left, I'll go right."
Mori and Fukuzawa refused to give any ground. If they weren't stopped soon, even the desks wouldn't withstand their brawl. Akiko sashayed to her adopted father, making sure to add just the right amount of musical ring to her voice.
"Mori…" No response, "I'll make you a deal. Forgive uncle Fukuzawa and I'll let you take me and Elise to that new boutique downtown…" Purple eyes widened with childlike hope, she had
him she just needed to sweeten to pot. "We'll even try on every dress you pick and model them for you without complaint." An added flutter of her eyelashes sealed the deal.
Mori's cheeks warmed with the rosiest of hues and his lips formed a puppy dog pout as he broke eye contact with his rival. "E-every one?" He asked.
"Every one…" she clarified.
Meanwhile Dazai dug out his cell phone, scrolling until he found the desired image and plopped himself on Fukuzawa's desk. "Hey Fukuzawa, you're never going to believe this, but that gorgeous cat you've been feeding in the park?" Burning grey eyes wavered just a bit as the former assassin's interest peaked. "Well she just had a litter of kittens! I saw them this morning and couldn't resist taking a whole album's worth of photos!" Dazai faux fawned over the photos. "Oh they're just so cute and fluffy!... Wanna see?"
At last, the feuding king's broke apart, sheathing their blades and regaining their normal sophisticated composers.
"You were lucky this time, mutt." Mori scuffed.
"I'll consider myself fortunate day you cease to be… lolicon." Fukuzawa retorted, tucking his hands into his yukata sleeves.
Both Dazai and Akiko sheared an eye roll as they moved back to their original spots in front of the desks.
"And we will be lucky when you both finally kill each other so we don't have to keep redecorating." Akiko sweeped her arm around the room.
"It'll be a terrible day for our contractors." Dazai smirked.
Mori fixed his coat before smiling and dramatically throwing his arms wide open. "Children!" He exclaimed, as if forgetting everything that just transpired. "It does my heart wonders to see you both filled with such vigor." He ignored Fukuzawa's quip about not having a heart from behind.
Dazai closed his eyes. "Uh-oh! He's playing the loving father act. You know what that means sis…"
Akiko nodded. "We are going to hate whatever the reason is for summoning us…"
Mori looked hurt. "Honestly, can't a father merely wish to see his children, especially in lue of such recent events?"
Both Dazai and Akiko glared as if to say Yeah right. It was Dazai who voiced it.
"If said father were anyone else, that would be believable. Not with you Mori. Cut the crap and spill it already."
"What he said."
Mori sighed, walking back to his desk and taking a seat. Annoyed that Fukuzawa was already seated at his own desk, trying to fix Elise's handiwork on Sensei Mii.
"Always business with you Dazai..." he complained, voice and demeanor turning serious. "Very well. On to business then. We called you two here because we have a mission of the utmost importance that only agents of your caliber can see through."
"What kind of mission?" Akiko asked.
"We've received some disturbing reports about sightings of a certain individual long thought dead suddenly appearing. Normally it would be chalked up to PR stunts, however, multiple eyewitness accounts have proven the rumor a ligament threat-- not only to our city-- but to our entire organization."
"Who are the sightings about?" Dazai narrowed his eyes and Mori's lip curled.
"Care to take a guess?" He challenged.
Dazai closed his eyes, wrecking his brain for the right answer. "Let's see… someone long thought dead, who'd be a threat to our organization--" A light clicked. "Of course, it would have to be him, wouldn't it? The former boss of the Port Mafia."
Akiko's breath hitched and Mori seemed amused by his son's sharp mind before he nodded.
"That's impossible!" She said, "You killed that bastard yourself. I have the scalpel you used for the deed right here." To prove her point, Akiko pulled the blade out of her medical bag and waved it in the air. "People don't just come back from the dead."
"You're one to talk about such a sentiment, my angel. However in this instance I'd be inclined to agree with you were it not for the location these sightings first began. As it stands we must entertain all possibilities."
"Where did they start?"
"Isn't it obvious sis? Suribatchi city." Dazai pointed out the window towards the distant slum of a peninsula.
Akiko blinked then snorted a condescending dry laugh. "Oh please, people have been saying Suribatchi was haunted for centuries. That all kinds of ghosts, gods, and demons reside there. Those are just horror stories told so the people of Yokohama won't go there.
"All legends hold an inkling of truth, doctor. Fukuzawa finally chimed in, voice stern as always. "It's funny you mentioned gods, because one eye witness account claims to not only have seen the former boss, but that he spoke, claiming to have been revived by a God of calamity. Arahabaki."
That made Dazai pique. "If I remember correctly, Arahabaki wasn't necessarily a God himself. He was a weapon the gods used against each other, one that nearly destroyed both heaven and earth."
"That's part of the legend, yes. The other being the gods grew fearful of him and imprisoned him for all eternity."
"What does any of this have to do with Suribatchi city or the old boss?" Akiko asked. It was Mori who responded.
"You are aware of the explosion that happened on Suribatchi sixteen years ago?" She nodded. "In his final years, the boss negotiated with some, shall we say, unsavory character within the government. They started conducting human research experiments at an underground laboratory located near one of the many abandoned projects. Since Suirbatchi isn't sanctioned, it was the ideal location."
Nobody can say for sure what happened to cause the explosion, but it appears the scientists responsible were searching for a way to reach into another plane of existence. Perhaps even, divine territory. Given how insane the boss had become, it wouldn't surprise me if he had sought a way to obtain immortality via divine intervention."
"And you think they might have achieved it? That the former boss is walking around as some kind of god?" Dazai asked.
"We can't say for certain," Fukuzawa said, "as it stands we are just hypothesizing. Nevertheless, as Mori said, we cannot afford to overlook any possibility. And we certainly can't let it bring unrest to the populace."
"You're right about that uncle." Akiko agreed. "The city is still recovering from the Azure King, if the old Port Mafia boss were to come back, it would start a widespread panic."
"Which brings us to the reason you were summoned, angel." Mori reached into his desk and retrieved a folder, handing it to his daughter who immediately started inspecting its contents. "There's a man currently being held in the GSO penitentiary. He's scheduled for execution this afternoon. You two are to go there and see to it that doesn't happen."
"For what purpose?" Dazai asked, moving to look at the file over Akiko's shoulder.
"Information." Fukuzawa stated. "Not only is he originally from Suribatchi city, reports state before he was arrested he was searching for intel regarding Arahabaki."
Both siblings piqued before resuming their reading. Akiko flipped to the next page where Inmate A5158 was stamped above a front and side view mugshot of a slim built man, no teenager- at least in the photo. We wore an angry expression but Akiko couldn't find any trace of that in his eyes. Stunning blue like the ocean. They weren't angry like his face led to believe, they were broken. As if he'd given up all hope. His fire red locks shading them did nothing to hide their honesty.
Almost mesmerized, the princess wouldn't have looked away had her brother not pointed something out at the bottom of the page.
"It says here he killed six GSS officers when apprehended, that was five years ago and the Ministry is only now executing him? They never hesitate in eliminating public threats. What's more is if their reasoning for arresting the guy in the first place was because he was asking questions regarding illegal activities involving the government, they would've silenced him immediately. Why stall for five years?"
"You would have to ask them, I'm afraid." Mori replied, turning his gaze down to Elise. "It's nearly impossible to interpret their justifications for anything regarding their own internal affairs."
Dazai's eyes narrowed suspiciously, he could tell there was something Mori was hiding but opted for filing it away for a later time.
"So what exactly are we supposed to do?" Akiko asked.
Fukuzawa procured another sheet of paper from his desk and quickly scribbled something on it, signing his name then passing it to Mori to do the same.
"This is a silver oracle pass slip. Show it to any high ranking government official and they'll have no choice but to listen to your cause. You two are to go to the penitentiary right now and appeal for this, Inmate A5158 to be given a stay of execution and released into Agency custody. He needs to be brought here where he can be thoroughly interrogated on any information he may have regarding Arahabaki."
Akiko raised an eyebrow. "The Ministry isn't just going to release a dangerous gifted-- and he has to be gifted-- over a possible PR stunt, uncle. Even if there is legitimate proof."
"That's where you're wrong sis." Dazai said. "If the former boss is alive in Suribatchi city, it's only a matter of time before he starts terrorizing Yokohama. If the other rumors are true, that's a threat to national security. The GSO can't take the risk, especially when the scars of the Azure King are still fresh. Not to mention the upcoming charity ball event. They can't have any unease with the public. I have a feeling they'll be more cooperative than usual. Provided this death row prisoner has any valid information."
"And what if they're not more cooperative? Or if this prisoner we're going to see turns out to be a bust."
"Then we shall deal with him accordingly." Mori stood to hand his children the silver Oracle. "Neither of you should worry. You won't be in any danger. But you're both experts at improvising and the most capable agents within our ranks. I have the utmost faith in you." He pressed a com button on the landline phone. "Hirotsu, come in, please."
A moment later Hirotsu stepped inside, walked around the mess before kneeling. "You called, boss," Mori smiled.
"You are to accompany the prince and princess over to the penitentiary. Lend them your assistance should they require it."
"Of course, boss. I would gladly lay down my life for them."
Dazai looked at Fukuzawa. "Why do we need Hirotsu?"
"Merely a precaution," Fukuzawa said. "I intend to have Randou meet you there as well."
"Randou?" Akiko exclaimed. "For what reason?"
"Just in case the prisoner isn't as… negotiable as you hope he is." Mori chuckled.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You will know when you met him. Now run along. And do try to keep property damage to a minimum."
The siblings looked as if they wanted to ask more but time was of the essence, so the princess grabbed her medical bag while Dazai took the pass slip and followed Hirotsu out the way they came as their father watched.
"Convenient: you failed to mention the other reason they're going, doctor." Fukuzawa muttered.
Mori closed his eyes, his expression turning dark. "Do you blame me? If they knew the real reason, they'd have never agreed."
"You think it wise, manipulating them like this?"
"The time has come, my friend… We must continue guarding our beautiful city from above while a new generation handles the frontlines. You may not agree with my methods but you know everything I do I do for the wellbeing of Yokohama."
Fukuzawa didn't respond. As much as he hated to admit, he knew Mori too well to disagree.
Mori removed his right glove, glaring at his wrist. "Tell me, Yukuchi. Do you ever wonder what our lives would have been had we not been born with these accursed marks? What paths would we have taken?"
There was a long silence… "...Everyday."
Elise popped up from her coloring spot and skipped over to Mori, handing him her latest creation and smiling bubbly with childlike innocence.
Mori happily took the drawing but sweatdropped over the image. Bright multicolored crayon lines showcased a poor rendition of himself with X's for eyes and a sword through his middle as he lay at the feet of a cartoonish version of Dazai with fire blazing eyes.
"It's you when big brother finds out the truth, Rintaro." Elise giggled.
Mori could only dry laugh in agreement. "Heh… how right you are my darling.
On the other side of town, Dazai and Akiko stood in front of the GSO penitentiary waiting for Hirotsu to park the car. Randou was running late, but it didn't matter. Truthfully they thought their father was being over dramatic as usual.
"Well here we are." Akiko huffed, "Best get this over with."
Dazai threw his head back and rolled his shoulders. "I still can't shake this feeling that today is gonna suck." He whined, Akiko rolled her eyes, looping her arm through his, her voice laced with sarcasm.
"Oh dear, sweet, annoying big brother of mine. Relax, I highly doubt whatever is waiting for us in there will be some terrible, life changing cataclysm…"
Dazai smirked. "You're probably right."
"Of course I am. Now, let's go before Hirotsu gets back. Really freak him out."
He couldn't help but chuckle at the mischievous glint in his little sister's violet eyes. Before they proceeded to walk through the front door of the gifted prison. Completely unaware of how the princess would come to eat her words in the near future.
Hmmm... Now what could this horrible feeling of Dazai's be about?
Here's a clue: the next chapter is titled (Inmate, A5158)
Before I anyone complains... Yes, I do read the manga and I know about Mori and Akiko's history.
But for my vision of this story to work, I had to make Mori, Dazai and Akiko's adopted father. They have a completely different backstory then in canon.
And I absolutely could not pass up the opportunity to make Mori and Fukuzawa business partners.
Just imagine if they had to see each other every single day!