the beauty of water: deep end | o. dazai ✔

chapter thirty.

The building was somewhat dark, some rooms darker than others. For the most part, the light from the early afternoon poured through the windows and into the building. (Y/n) carefully avoided broken parts of the building, Nico guiding them through the area.

"This certainly is a good place to keep people, whether they're here by their own free will or not," (Y/n) said as she pushed the door to one of the empty apartments open, quickly scanning the area.

"Some of the guys that came here for the meetings decided to stay but left out the weaker kids to find a place to stay themselves," Nico said as he led them down a narrow hallway. "They're the worst of us – the ones who are truly willing to do anything for money. Hell, I bet some of them would do it for free."

That certainly does not spark any confidence, she thought as she stepped over a broken picture frame.

A loud clatter occurred a couple doors down, causing them to stop in their tracks. Kunikida and (Y/n) shared a look, pulling out their pistols as Dazai gripped Nico's arm. The two went ahead, Dazai and Nico following further behind.

Kunikida went on one side of the door the noise came from and (Y/n) on the other. Kunikida gestured towards the room, (Y/n) nodding once in response. He attempted to use the doorknob, finding it locked. The jiggling caused them to hear hushed whispers on the other side in response.

(Y/n) pulled out a small water bottle she kept in her pocket as she placed her gun back into its holster. With a quick flick of her wrist, the water began to glow and quickly slicked through the thin space between the door and the doorframe – unlocking the door. In a swift motion, she pocketed the water bottle and pulled back out her pistol.

Kunikida pushed the door open, leading the way in with his gun pointed. He called out, "Is there anyone here? We're detectives looking for a missing woman!"

He got no words in response, only a half-broken stool thrown at him. He stumbled back in response, his shoulder hitting the nearby wall as he attempted to regain his balance.

(Y/n) pointed her gun towards the person who threw it – quickly realizing that there were two boys and a girl there, all of them around Nico's age. But unlike Nico, their expressions were filled with a bloodlust she had only seen in the most violent of criminals. It sent a shiver down her spine.

I can't shoot them – they're just kids, she thought, turning back to Kunikida. He appeared to have the same thought, quickly putting away his pistol as he pulled out his notebook to use his ability to create a stun gun of some kind.

(Y/n) put away her pistol, pulling out the water bottle with great speed. She quickly uncapped it, shoving it into her pocket, and flicked her wrist. Blue markings appeared under her jacket on both arms, the water soon glowing as it was forced to obey her commands.

She quickly created a type of whip with the water, using it to bind one of the boys as he prepared to throw another stool at Kunikida. (Y/n) was preparing to bind the other two, but soon realized that the girl managed to escape their view.

She spun around as soon as she heard the door slam shut, the doorknob soon breaking off as it left them locked inside the room. The girl held the doorknob in her somewhat small hand, soon throwing it at (Y/n) with strength she wasn't even sure was possible with the girl's size.

She quickly used a split end of the water whip to smack the doorknob away, smashing into the wall as it lodged itself in there. The girl had no hesitation, pulling off a piece of the bottom trim. It had a pointed end and she wielded it as if it were an even deadlier baseball bat.

(Y/n) widened her eyes slightly, looking back to Kunikida as she watched the boy that was free attack Kunikida in a vicious and almost animal-like manner. She thought, Dazai and Nico aren't able to help us, Kunikida's in a bind with a child, and I have to survive this girl without seriously injuring her. What the hell is happening?